X continues to bet on vertical video with its latest update

X recently introduced a new immersive video player, signaling another major step in its ongoing push into video-focused experiences. 

Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, announced the update earlier this week, admitting the previous video player “badly needed a refresh.” The redesign aims to make video consumption more engaging and user-friendly, especially on mobile devices.

The update, currently rolling out to iOS, allows users to expand videos to full screen with a single tap. Once in full-screen mode, viewers can swipe up to scroll to the next video, which is reminiscent of TikTok’s popular format.

While the new player aims to enhance mobile video viewing, some users argue that the update forces all videos into a cropped, full-screen view, removing the option to view content in its original aspect ratio.

“This UI sucks so bad. Let me just watch full-scale videos,” one user said. 

When another user asked which orientation is preferred, Bier confirmed that portrait is ideal. This approach mirrors broader industry trends, with vertical videos dominating platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels. Even streaming services have adopted the format, with Disney+ being the most recent to introduce a vertical video feed. 

“Sorry, but cropping the video incentivized people to post square videos. We are a mobile company,” he said, noting that X will stop cropping vertical content moving forward. 

Bier hinted that more video-focused updates are on the horizon as X doubles down on its video ambitions.

The timing of X’s update is notable, given that last month TikTok’s U.S. operations were sold to an American investor group. X is positioning itself as a competitor, ramping up its video features to attract both viewers and creators. 

The recent introduction of the video player follows X’s launch of a dedicated vertical video feed that became available globally last year. The company is also incorporating AI-driven tools, such as Grok’s text-to-video generation feature. 

Notably, Grok’s image-generation capability recently sparked controversy, leading to its restriction to paying subscribers on X, due to the tool allowing users to create sexualized and nude images of women and children.