Last updated: July 25, 2023, 5:22 PM IST
United States of America (USA)
TikTok now does text messaging and you don’t need any other app for that
The short video platform now brings text-based posts that can be created with background color and music.
TikTok is known for its short video features, but now wants to focus on text-based posts as well. The platform aims to compete with Instagram’s Twitter and Threads with its new feature.
The most intriguing thing about TikTok’s focus on text messaging is that it wants to leverage the popularity of its main app and allow millions of users to try this feature for themselves from within the same app, without having to download a new app, unlike Threads from Instagram which requires a new app to use.
TikTok’s text messages will focus on visuals compared to the plain text format that Twitter and Threads offer. The text messages on TikTok can be made with color in the background, music and even add stickers to the message.
TikTok has certainly learned from the popularity of platforms like Instagram, which offer Stories and Reels in the same app and now it wants some of the text-based feature for its users. However, compared to Insta, TikTok faces issues due to its limited reach as the app has been banned in major countries like India in recent years and is unlikely to make a comeback anytime soon.
TikTok has built its market on short videos and filters, but competing with text messages is another challenge for the platform as it looks set to continue offering its service in the US, where it faces similar sanctions over data security concerns due to its Chinese ties.
With text messaging now coming to TikTok, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the platform bring other features like Stories to its users as demand for videos is on the rise and YouTube Shorts are quickly gaining ground over the competition.
