TikTok is experimenting with a brand new app for sharing photos with text-only updates. It’s called TikTok Notes and it is currently available In Australia and Canada.
“We’re in the early stages of testing TikTok Notes with a dedicated space for photo and text content,” the company wrote. an update on X. “We hope the TikTok community will continue to use TikTok Notes to share their moments through photo sharing. Whether documenting adventures, expressing creativity, or simply sharing snapshots of a day, the TikTok Notes experience is designed for those who want to share and engage with their photo content.”
Based on the App Store screenshots, it looks like the app will have two feeds like TikTok: a “for you” timeline of recommended content and a “below” feed. Posts look a lot like what you’d see scrolling through Instagram (before the TikTok-like video app took over, anyway): single images or carousels of multiple photos with long captions.
There have been rumors of an Instagram-like app last month when reverse engineers discover references in TikTok’s code. Some TikTok users have also seen on the app notifications about the new service in recent days.
It is an interesting point that TikTok is trying to adopt the central function of Instagram. Having a photo app gives TikTok users a new place to share non-video content and potentially reach an existing audience. The company is also facing the possibility that its main application may is prohibited or being embroiled in a protracted legal battle in the United States, having an alternative app could help retain users in the country (TikTok has not said when Notes might be available in the US.)
It also comes at a time when many Instagram users are frustrated with Meta about the reach of their feeds. Adam Mosseri, the best head of Instagram regularly answers for hurts creators Threads about why their tapes aren’t getting as many followers as they used to. If TikTok Notes takes off, those creators could actually have a viable alternative to posting photos.
