TikTok Challenges Instagram With Massive Upgrade
TikTok recently announced new features that seem to go against current social media trends.
Recently announced through the TikTok newsroom is the first new feature, which is a set of video editing tools that allow creators to make more advanced content, without having to use external apps.
As part of a new ‘editing environment,’ users will be able to stack, trim and split video clips; edit sounds; edit and position text more easily; add video overlays; adjust video playback speed; add sound effects, and rotate or zoom individual clips.
This second feature, while not as surprising as the first one is, is much more welcome. TikTok now offers a Photo Mode that is more in line with Instagram, which seems to be focusing more on TikTok-style videos.
In adding support for high-quality still images, TikTok will likely grab even more of Instagram’s market share because high-quality photos are something many perceive as neglected by the rival platform.
Despite the similarity to Instagram’s multi-photo posts, TikTok’s new photo mode remains unmistakably ‘TikTok’ in look and feel. It could be misinterpreted at first as a slideshow uploaded as video, with music added to the automatic progress through the photos. This illusion is broken only by the ability to scroll through photos at your pace.
One curious omission here, is that TikTok photo carousels can’t currently be viewed in your web browser. Attempting to do so results in the message “View photos on the TikTok app”. This will encourage users to share their content on different platforms.
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