TikTok and musical.ly, two very popular short-form video apps, announced last week that they will be joining together to form a new, globally marketed video creation app. While retaining the TikTok name, the new app will sport a new logo and offer enhanced video creation tools. Current users will automatically be transferred to the new app, while being able to retain their previous content and fans.
Musical.ly was one of the most downloaded apps in early 2018 and “recently reached a new milestone of 100 million monthly active users,” stated Alex Zhu, co-founder of musical.ly and now Senior Vice President of TikTok, in a press statement.
Based in Los Angeles TikTok targets consumers looking to create short-form videos directly on their mobile phones, while offering them a welcoming place to connect with other creators. By combining the most popular elements of both apps, TikTok hopes to create a more diverse experience for users, as well as enhance their content and feed through personalized settings. The new app will now include a “reaction” feature, funhouse mirror camera effects, VR-type filters, and green screen-like background effects.
In an effort to ensure creators continuously improve their videos and connect with their fan base, TikTok will launch a series of new creator programs to provide technical support, performance insights and guidance on growth strategy.
The app also features a new safety center to ensure the well-being of their users, by providing tips and resources on various aspects and building a safe online experience. Additionally, TikTok will now alert users when they have been using the app for over two hours, through a new digital wellbeing feature.
The new app is now available in the App Store and Google Store.
