Netflix is testing a new vertical feed of funny videos on iPhones and iPads

• Netflix is testing a new feature called "Fast Laughs."
• The feed, which is currently only available to select mobile users, shows viewers short clips from Netflix shows, movies, and comedy specials, and allows users to bookmark the full shows after viewing clips.
• Already, social media giants like TikTok and Instagram have leveraged short-form vertical videos to boost engagement.

Netflix is testing a new vertical video feature called "Fast Laughs" with audiences throughout the US and UK, TechCrunch reported on Thursday.

Fast Laughs provides Netflix users with a feed of 15-second to 45-second clips taken from Netflix shows, movies, and comedy specials. As users view an excerpt, they can bookmark the full-length show or movie for later.

"We're always looking for new ways to improve the Netflix experience. A lot of our members love comedy so we thought this would be an exciting new way to help them discover new shows and enjoy classic scenes," Netflix said in a statement to Business Insider.

The move is new territory for the streaming service, which generally provides users with access to full-length television shows and movies. But social-media platforms like TikTok has already demonstrated the power of vertical short-form video. The platform has over 690 million monthly users globally, Business Insider previously reported. And other social media giants like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, have integrated video feeds of their own as well.

Read more: How the explosion of Netflix and other streaming services has redefined what makes a hit TV show, according to a new 125-slide deck by a top media-research firm

But unlike many social media companies, where engagement translates to advertising revenues, Netflix has a different goal in rolling out the service: helping users discover new shows to watch.

At the moment, Fast Laughs is only available to some adult users, specifically those without parental controls, viewing Netflix from an iOS device. The feature is currently in beta testing, and may or may not be rolled out more widely.

"We experiment with these types of tests in different countries and for different periods of time — and only make them broadly available if people find them useful," Netflix said in a statement to Business Insider.

Read the full story from TechCrunch here.