On the day a new federal law banning TikTok took effect in the United States, Instagram announced a new app called Edits, which is widely regarded as a clone of CapCut, a popular video-editing tool used for TikTok content. Edits is part of Instagram’s ongoing competition with TikTok, which has faced national security scrutiny due to its ties to the Chinese company ByteDance.
Instagram launches Edits app to rival TikTok amid ban
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, stated, “There’s a lot going on in the world right now. No matter what happens, we think it’s our job to make the most compelling creative tools for those of you who create videos.”
TikTok has approximately 170 million U.S. users and in recent legal documents claimed that any temporary outage could put it at a competitive disadvantage. Following the announcement of TikTok’s ban, apps like CapCut also went offline, although TikTok briefly returned when President-elect Donald J. Trump indicated plans to issue an executive order to pause the ban.
In his announcement, Mosseri emphasized that Edits is designed for creators to edit videos on their phones and to save ideas for future posts. He noted that the app allows users to work on videos and share them across multiple platforms, not just Instagram. Edits can be preordered in the Apple App Store, with availability for Android expected in February.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has publicly acknowledged the competitive pressures presented by TikTok. At a recent meeting, Meta’s chief marketing officer remarked on preparing for a potential influx of TikTok users to Meta’s platforms. To align more closely with TikTok’s format, Instagram also altered its layout to emphasize vertical content.
Instagram’s ongoing efforts to compete with TikTok have included the introduction of Reels in 2020, which is a direct imitation of TikTok’s short-form video feature. This has proven to be successful, with a recent survey indicating that 29 percent of U.S. internet users would likely turn to Instagram Reels if TikTok were no longer available, compared to 23 percent who would spend more time on YouTube Shorts.
Among advertising professionals, Instagram has maintained an advantage, with 56 percent of ad buyers stating their clients aim to prioritize Reels advertising this year. In contrast, only 24 percent preferred YouTube Shorts and 20 percent favored TikTok.
According to the details shared by Mosseri, Edits boasts a full suite of creative tools, including a dedicated tab for inspiration, a higher-quality camera, standard editing features, and the ability to share drafts with collaborators. The app will also provide powerful insights into video performance, including engagement metrics and a live insights dashboard. This dashboard will offer details on follower and non-follower interactions and user behavior, such as how often specific videos are skipped.
“Today we’re announcing a new app called ‘Edits’ for those of you who are passionate about making videos on your phone,” Mosseri stated. “You can preorder the app today in the iOS App Store, and it’s coming to Android soon.”
Featured image credit: Taylor Brandon/Unsplash
