Over the past few months, the Chinese-owned global video-sharing platform, TikTok, has been the subject of global media attention as the US government seeks to ban the app from operating within the United States. Last week, however, the buzz shifted from dangerous politics to consumer-driven innovation as ByteDance-owned Instagram rival, Lemon8, entered the US App Store’s Top 10, emerging as a potential upstart to TikTok.
Lemon8 was launched in October 2019 as an international version of ByteDance’s existing Chinese-based app, Xigua Video, which was designed to challenge the likes of YouTube, Instagram and, of course, TikTok. According to ByteDance, Lemon8 is a ‘’worlwide-oriented social video platform.’’
ByteDance has made some significant moves to differentiate Lemon8 from TikTok. While TikTok focuses on short, 15-second signature looping videos, Lemon8 allows users to select how long they would like their videos to be, with a maximum of 50 seconds. This could certainly make Lemon8’s videos more attractive to publishers, professionals and influencers —allowing them the additional time to lay out their message more thoughtfully.
Further expanding on TikTok’s existing offering, Lemon8 toys with the idea of vertical video and has incorporated certain features that Instagram users have come to expect. For example, with the new app, users can apply filters, add text, stickers and photo frames to their videos, as well as saving or reposting their favorite works from other users.
In the wake of TikTok’s release of its Creator Fund, ByteDance has also created a Creator Fund self-service for Lemon8. This initiative looks to reward creators for their work, providing a platform for influencers and other content creators to monetize their works.
Though Lemon8 first launched internationally in October 2019, it appears that the current push in the US App Store has been enough to make an impact —providing a new backup plan for ByteDance and its ambitious platform. With the shift in focus form TikTok, we’ll have to stay tuned and see where Lemon8’s challenging but playful creativity takes us in the future.
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