X has started rolling out a new immersive video player on iOS. The update was announced by Nikita Bier, head of product at X. She admitted that the previous video player “badly needed a refresh.”
The new player allows users to expand videos to full screen with a single tap. Once in full-screen mode, viewers can swipe up to move to the next video. This design is similar to the short-form video format popularized by TikTok.
While the update is aimed at making mobile video consumption more engaging, some users have raised concerns. The new player forces all videos into a cropped, full-screen view, removing the option to watch content in its original aspect ratio. When asked about preferred orientation, Bier confirmed that portrait video is ideal.
Bier added that X will stop cropping native vertical videos in future updates. She explained that the previous cropping encouraged people to post square videos.
The immersive player comes after X introduced a dedicated vertical video feed globally last year. The company is also integrating AI-driven tools, including Grok’s text-to-video generation feature, as part of its video expansion.
The timing of this rollout is significant. Last month, TikTok’s U.S. operations were sold to an American investor group, and X appears to be positioning itself as a competitor by enhancing both creator and viewer experiences. Bier also hinted that more video-focused updates are coming in the near future.
