Skip to main content
Tech

War for social media superiority: TikTok to launch rival app to Instagram

Share

The fight to win over more users is on between TikTok and Instagram. In March, it was uncovered that TikTok was working on a rival to Instagram, and now it has a name: TikTok Notes.

The new name started to pop up as some users received notifications announcing photo posts would be shown on TikTok Notes. The notification states users can opt out, according to images shared on social media.

QR code for SAN app download

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

No release date has been announced for TikTok Notes yet, but TikTok did confirm the existence of TikTok Notes to TechCrunch in a statement.

According to the statement, TikTok is “exploring ways to empower our community to create and share their creativity with photos and text in dedicated space for those formats.”

TikTok’s expected launch of its new app follows Instagram recently launched “Reels,” a short-form video feature, similar to TikTok’s scrolling feed.

Meta and ByteDance — the parent companies of Instagram and TikTok, respectively — are in a battle for users.

In 2023, Instagram overtook TikTok as the app with the most new downloads. TikTok still trails Instagram with 1.12 billion users compared to Instagram’s 1.47 billion users.

TikTok is still seeing growth despite efforts in Congress to ban the platform. The Pew Research Center also found that a third of American adults use TikTok, and although Instagram has more users, those on TikTok spend more time on the platform.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

SOCIAL MEDIA WARS ARE HEATING UP.

LAST MONTH, IT WAS UNCOVERED THAT TIKTOK WAS WORKING ON A RIVAL TO INSTAGRAM.

AND NOW IT HAS A NAME, “TIKTOK NOTES.”

THE NEW NAME STARTED POPPING UP — AS SOME USERS RECEIVED NOTIFICATIONS ANNOUNCING PHOTO POSTS WOULD BE SHOWN ON TIKTOK NOTES.

THE NOTIFICATION STATES USERS CAN OPT OUT, ACCORDING TO IMAGES SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

NO RELEASE DATE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED YET, BUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA GIANT DID CONFIRM ITS EXISTENCE TO TECH CRUNCH.

THE MOVE COMES AS IG RECENTLY LAUNCHED “REELS.”

IT’S INSTA’S OWN SHORT-FORM VIDEO FEATURE, BASICALLY A REPLICA OF TIKTOK’S SCROLLING FEED.

META AND BYTEDANCE, THE PARENT COMPANIES OF INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK, RESPECTIVELY, ARE IN A BATTLE FOR USERS.

LAST YEAR, INSTAGRAM OVERTOOK TIKTOK IN NEW APP DOWNLOADS.

TIKTOK STILL TRAILS INSTAGRAM, WITH 1.12 BILLION USERS–

COMPARED TO INSTAGRAM’S 1.47 BILLION USERS.

TIKTOK’S STILL SEEING GROWTH — DESPITE EFFORTS IN CONGRESS TO BAN IT — IF CHINA-BASED BYTEDANCE WON’T SELL IT TO AN AMERICAN COMPANY.

ONE THIRD OF AMERICAN ADULTS USE TIKTOK.

AND ALTHOUGH INSTAGRAM HAS MORE USERS, THOSE ON TIKTOK SPEND MORE TIME ON THE PLATFORM.