TikTok conquers Instagram! Video app plans to release a photo sharing app called TikTok Notes
In the battle for Gen-Z’s attention, the rivalry between TikTok and Instagram is about to get a whole lot fiercer.
Video content may have driven the app’s explosive growth, but TikTok is now reportedly preparing to launch its own photo-sharing app called TikTok Notes.
Some TikTok users are starting to see pop-up notifications revealing that their photos will be shown in a new app.
“TikTok Notes, a new photo posting app, is coming!” the message reads.
The Chinese-owned social media giant has not confirmed when TikTok Notes might arrive.
Video sharing giant TikTok is reportedly preparing to launch a new app dedicated to photo sharing called TikTok Notes
Some TikTok users are starting to see pop-up notifications revealing that their photos will be shown in a new app
Although TikTok is better known for its video content, the app allows users to share photos and slideshows.
Now it looks like these photo posts will be shown on the new ‘TikTok Notes’.
The pop-up gives users the choice to opt out of having their messages automatically uploaded to the new app.
TikTok has confirmed that the app is actively being worked on.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to innovating the TikTok experience, we’re exploring ways to enable our community to create and share their creativity with photos and text in a dedicated space for those formats,” TikTok told TechCrunch.
In addition, a URL from TikTok briefly showed what appears to be temporary marketing images with the text “Open in TikTok Notes.”
This page, that MailOnline accessible via internet archivegives us a first good look at what the photo sharing app could look like.
The site shows three square photos, each with a caption underneath.
It’s not yet clear how the new app will work, but it does suggest that users will be able to post images with captions in a similar way to Instagram.
A URL from TikTok briefly showed what appeared to be placeholder marketing material for the new app, showing that users might be able to post images with captions
These revelations come at a time when TikTok is increasingly competing with its competitor, which is owned by Meta.
Last year, Instagram launched “Reels,” its own short-form video feature that almost perfectly replicated TikTok’s signature scrolling feed.
These efforts already appear to be paying off, as Instagram overtook TikTok in the number of new app downloads in late 2023.
According to data from Sensor Tower, total new downloads on Instagram grew by 20 percent in 2023, reaching a total of 768 million.
TikTok, meanwhile, only increased its new downloads by four percent over the same period, bringing the total to 733 million.
As a result, Instagram is estimated to have 1.47 billion monthly active users by 2023, while TikTok only reached 1.12 billion.
Instagram recently passed TikTok for monthly new downloads thanks to its “Reels” video feature. TikTok Notes could be a direct challenger to the photo-sharing platform
However, these new reports suggest that TikTok could be close to launching a serious Instagram competitor.
Despite facing a possible US ban, TikTok is still used by a third of all US adults and 62 percent of adults aged 18 to 29, according to Pew Research.
And while Instagram may be bigger, TikTok demands more of its users’ time than any other platform.
The average TikTok user spends 95 minutes a day scrolling through videos, while British children spend a whopping 127 minutes a day.
If TikTok can replicate its success formula with a new photo-sharing app, Instagram could have a lot more competition for new users.
TikTok did not immediately respond to request for comment.