SAN FRANCISCO (Hypebot) — Instagram has confirmed it will launch a TikTok competitor called Reels early August in the U.S. and as many as 50 other countries
Reels has already launched in India and being tested in Brazil, Germany and France.
Reels is being designed to directly challenge TikTok. It will allow users to create and post 15-second videos including music and other audio. The app also includes editing tools including a countdown timer and the ability to adjust the video’s speed.
Why Reels Is Likely To Be A Hit
Likely integrations with Instagram and Facebook will jump-start Reels adoption.
Recent Facebook and Instagram music licensing deals – for the most part missing on TikTok – will also encourage artists and labels to use Reels.
The launch of Reel and the meteoric growth of social video app Triller could not come at a worse time for TikTok. After a ban in India over security concerns stemming from its Chinese ownership, the US government is threatening ban or limit TikTok, as well.
H/T Techcrunch
