TikTok May Start Photo Sharing Service: What We Know

Producer: Priyanka Das Editor: Mohit Bisht

TikTok and Instagram could renew their rivalry in a new avatar.

[{"selector":"#anim-1f0ca038-81b8-41f2-99ad-39177bf76cd7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-985ddb39-b8c4-4156-902a-7afd682357ba","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-f4626165-ec7d-4edc-a340-ac7407619355 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0.6447694169128938%, -21.91074189316849%) scale(1.4672897196261683)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4bf8836-5f0a-4068-95eb-aa413a0c910a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] As we all know, Instagram has pivoted from photos to videos because it wanted to compete with TikTok in the short video space and Reels have proven to be a success.

But now TikTok plans to go the other way around and is reportedly working on its own photo sharing app.

[{"selector":"#anim-177dd781-99e0-4cb7-954c-6cf111d973d0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-4.997394351896332%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee8f5109-800f-4905-b24a-3c4b9fc4dc82","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-0a04ee6b-f87a-4234-a119-1aa36cf86bd9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1087607b-1e8c-4080-9333-c225b85eefd1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] TikTok Photos, as spotted in the code of the latest TikTok app, suggests the platform is aware of the concerns posed by the US government, and also looking to move away from the previous backlash.

[{"selector":"#anim-1fbeff36-70c7-4561-a262-f981f3b8c4c6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-3.552713678800501e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3dbc24f9-349d-44c0-8954-18e16ed61051","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The report claims TikTok Photos will be looking to reach like-minded users who like to see photo posts, something that Instagram was known for, before it decided that videos are the future.

The line of the code on TikTok suggests TikTok Photos will be launching soon, without giving an actual timeline for its release.

[{"selector":"#anim-0795ddfa-c027-413c-871c-14fe7c42b302 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e7dac8ec-1da5-4d36-ae31-e11152d5bb8c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-dfa07f66-8529-4cc9-b93e-2d8627a88a3e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.0658141036401503e-14%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5771b573-f6bd-4d0d-bfb5-5ff75ce3d92a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] But even if TikTok Photos does come out, we’re not sure how widely the platform can launch the app, considering markets like India have been out of reach for the company since early 2020s.

[{"selector":"#anim-e34bc34c-eab2-4572-899d-b2ade8e1f1cd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-6.887552965121177%, -21.883889639447915%) scale(1.4545454545454546)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aec90dac-9107-4c9f-9a6f-fd4bcb576b0e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Either way, Instagram has clearly left a big vacuum that needs filling and if TikTok does manage to hit the right cord with TikTok Photos, it might actually prove that photos are not dead, and can co-exist with videos at the forefront.

[{"selector":"#anim-bba2d5ca-7638-46fb-a3e6-b230c5da2191","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-926b1d17-56bc-4c0f-b44e-bef9d2447fc5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 87.74250%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":350,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3daf3e53-f22a-43bb-bc0a-4578118a0686","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3b7c0acb-fdb1-446e-b1a6-b6b17a4ddae1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(106.43836%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]