Not to be outdone by Instagram, YouTube is launching a TikTok copycat of its very own: YouTube Shorts. In an announcement on the official YouTube blog, the company described the feature as “a new short-form video experience” that allows users to “shoot short, catchy videos using nothing but their mobile phones”—and their imaginations, duh. The company is launching an early beta in India, where YouTube is testing out new creation tools with an emphasis on a multi-segment camera that allows users to edit multiple clips together, speed, recording with music from a “large library of songs that will continue to grow,” and a timer countdown that makes for easy hands-free recording. Similar to TikTok, YouTube Shorts are 15 seconds in length, and the platform is also introducing a feature that will allow users to swipe vertically to scroll through the videos.
TikTok has been in a precarious position as of late, as the Trump administration called for Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest its business assets in the U.S. due to concerns over national security—which could make TikTok unavailable in the U.S. In response, Instagram launched Reels, its own version of the video service popular among Teens. Meanwhile, Variety reports that Oracle has become the top bidder to partner with TikTok as the company’s “trusted technology provider.” That deal is pending approval from the Trump administration. Whatever happens, there will be no shortage of TikTok knockoffs for you to choose from.