TikTok has announced important new features, including one that seems to fly in the face of current social media trends.
The first of the new features, recently announced via the TikTok newsroom, is a suite of improved video editing tools, allowing creators to create more sophisticated content without being forced to rely on external apps for access to advanced functions.
TikTok is introducing powerful new video editing tools and, in a challenge to Instagram, photo ... [+]
As part of a new ‘editing environment,’ users will be able to stack, trim and split video clips; edit sounds; edit and position text more easily; add video overlays; adjust video playback speed; add sound effects, and rotate or zoom individual clips.
TikTok has introduced new, more powerful video editing tools as well as support for still photos.
The second new feature is slightly more surprising, although no less welcome. Where rivals such as Instagram seem to be becoming more and more focused on TikTok-style video content, TikTok has now added a new Photo Mode more reminiscent of Instagram.
In adding support for high-quality still images, TikTok will likely grab even more of Instagram’s market share because high-quality photos are something many perceive as neglected by the rival platform.
Despite the similarity to Instagram’s multi-photo posts, TikTok’s new photo mode remains unmistakably ‘TikTok’ in look and feel. The addition of music combined with automatic advancement through the photos could, at first, be mistaken for a slideshow uploaded as a video. Only the ability to swipe through the photos at your own pace breaks this illusion.
One curious omission here, is that TikTok photo carousels can’t currently be viewed in your web browser. Attempting to do so results in the message “View photos on the TikTok app”. Hopefully, TikTok will add this feature soon to promote sharing across other platforms.
Follow @paul_monckton on Instagram
