TikTok creators tease new app to rival Instagram with photo, text posts

TikTok is reportedly gearing up to venture into the realm of photo and text-based social media with a new app that is being compared to Instagram. Some users trying to share photos on the TikTok app have reported seeing a pop-up notification informing them that their images could be shared on TikTok Notes, a new platform slated to be “coming soon.”

There have also been reports that TikTok has been pushing users to post photos rather than short or long-form videos the platform is known for.

All this hints at the imminent arrival of TikTok Notes as the creators are calling the new app.

Amidst speculation, TikTok representatives confirmed to BBC that the company is indeed developing a dedicated space for photos and text. While a finalized version of the app is yet to be completed, TikTok is exploring ways to empower its community to express creativity through diverse formats.

“As part of our continued commitment to innovating the TikTok experience, we’re exploring ways to empower our community to create and share their creativity with photos and text in a dedicated space for those formats,” a TikTok spokesperson said.

He also added that the platform is still in its early stages and won't undergo testing in the US amid efforts by some lawmakers to ban TikTok in the country over data privacy issues.

This move by TikTok isn't unprecedented in the social media landscape, with platforms often emulating successful features from competitors. Instagram and Facebook, owned by Meta, introduced their version of stories following the success of Snapchat's similar feature.

Similarly, Instagram launched Threads, a text-based platform, in a bid to compete with X (formerly Twitter), led by Elon Musk.

TikTok has also expressed plans to have their platform support text-based posts similar to X and has experimented with supporting 30-minute-long videos, like content found on YouTube.