TikTok might be eyeing a brand new solution to tackle Instagram, with a brand new “TikTok Photos” app reportedly in improvement.
As reported by The SpAndroid, within the back-end code of the present TikTok app, some new references to “TikTok Photos” have appeared throughout the code strings.
The code seems to recommend that TikTok customers will quickly be prompted to share their nonetheless photographs to the brand new app, with a view to “reach like-minded people who enjoy photo posts.”
There’s additionally, apparently, a brand new welcome message for the app:
“TikTok Photos will be launched soon, we hope to help you gain new audiences in the new app. If the switch is on, we’ll sync your public photos to the new app, whether you close the pop-up or not.”
The addition of a separate TikTok Images app just isn’t overly stunning, on condition that TikTok has already added a “photo mode” for nonetheless photographs in-stream, and has been encouraging users to post more photos of late.
It additionally is sensible within the context of Chinese language app traits.
China’s personal model of Instagram is the Tencent-backed Xiaohongshu, which has seen huge success of late after incorporating eCommerce options.
Xiaohongshu generated more than $500 million in net income in 2023, far exceeding expectations for the platform, and now has greater than 200 million energetic customers within the nation.
Douyin, the Chinese language model of TikTok, has additionally been emphasizing still image posts, although it seemingly hasn’t seen this as a key precedence. However possibly, now that Xiaohongshu is making huge cash, and increasing on its eCommerce potential, that’s now prompted TikTok proprietor ByteDance to make an even bigger push on this factor.
So will it work?
Nicely, it’s onerous to see how an Instagram equal will compete in markets the place IG itself exists however possibly, as an growth of TikTok’s in-stream purchasing push, there might be one thing there, which might make it a extra viable challenge.
And ByteDance has proven a willingness to experiment with new apps, together with Lemon8, which additionally appears very very like Instagram, although with a transparent eCommerce tilt.
Lemon8 drew important curiosity rapidly after its U.S. launch early final yr, however has seemingly lost momentum of late.
Possibly, a TikTok-branded photograph app would fare higher, and facilitate extra alternatives in Western markets.
And possibly, on condition that TikTok is facing a ban once again in the U.S., it needs to get it out now, with a view to check the waters earlier than a ban is enacted.
There’s not a heap to go on as but, however the indicators do recommend that ByteDance might be seeking to improve its eCommerce enchantment by an image-based app.
