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New Delhi, Popular online discussion platform <keyword id="334157" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reddit">Reddit</keyword> has acquired short-form video social platform <keyword id="6370373" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dubsmash">Dubsmash</keyword> for an undisclosed sum. While Dubsmash will maintain its own platform and brand, Reddit aims to bring the teams together to combine the <keyword id="10428518" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="unique-creator-experience">unique creator experience</keyword> of Dubsmash with its own community growth engine. Dubsmash's entire team -- including the three co-founders, <keyword id="10428517" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="suchit-dash">Suchit Dash</keyword>, Jonas Druppel and Tim Specht -- will join Reddit. "Both Reddit and Dubsmash share a deep rooted respect for how communities come together," Steve Huffman, CEO, Reddit, said in a statement late on Sunday. "Dubsmash elevates under-represented creators, while Reddit fosters a sense of community and belonging across thousands of different topics and passions," he added. The company said it will integrate Dubsmash's innovative video creation tools into Reddit, which will empower Reddit's own creators to express themselves in original and authentic ways. About 25% of all Black teens in the US are on Dubsmash, and females represent 70% of <keyword id="66720" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="users">users</keyword>. About 30% of users log in every day to create <keyword id="3368132" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="video-content">video content</keyword>, indicating a high level of retention and engagement. Dubsmash enables more than one billion video views per month. On the other hand, Redditors have posted millions of videos, increasing two times in 2020. Dash who is Head of Dubsmash said: "We want to continue our journey to bring best in class video products to our users, and now Reddit users". "We believe in the idea of connecting creators around interests and topics, something Reddit has pioneered, in our growing Dubsmash community." Reddit earlier this month revealed that it now has 52 million daily active users. Founded in 2005, the San Francisco-based company is known for its "ask me anything" digital town halls with celebrities and politicians. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-future-retail-power-grid-cipla-delta-corp-yes-bank-adani-power-and-others/articleshow/79713824.cms">Top stocks to watch — Future Retail, Power Grid, Cipla, Delta Corp, Yes Bank, Adani Power and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/burger-king-india-shares-nearly-doubles-on-listing-debut-pushes-valuation-past-4000-crore/articleshow/79715269.cms">Burger King India shares nearly doubles on listing — debut pushes valuation past ₹4,000 crore</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/the-difference-between-doordash-zomato-and-swiggy-is-not-in-what-the-companies-do-its-where-they-do-it/articleshow/79715531.cms">The difference between DoorDash and Indian peers Zomato and Swiggy is not in what the companies do⁠ — it’s where they do it</a>

Reddit acquires short-video making platform Dubsmash

In the last one year or so, if there is something that has gone viral in India is the selfie video app <keyword id="6370373" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="dubsmash">Dubsmash</keyword>. Everyone, from Bollywood celebrities to Indian cricketers and even the politicians have made these videos and released them online, which is why the makers of the app have listed India as one of its top global markets. 
 
"I can definitely tell you that India would definitely be within our top ten markets globally. Also in terms of activity, it is one of the strongest markets in Asia," Roland Grenke, cofounder of Dubsmash, told ET in a telephonic conversation. 
 
The app was founded by Grenke, Jonas Druppel and Daniel Taschik, and was launched in November 2014. In a short span of less than 1.5 years, it has expanded its presence to 192 countries, and has had more than 75 million downloads on the Google Play Store. 
 
Grenke added that even though Indians love Dubsmash, a lot of effort goes into making the sound snippets because of the diversity of Indian culture and languages. The app currently supports around 20 languages, and can be seen gaining popularity in countries like Germany, United Kingdom, France, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Russia. 
 
Dubsmash is based out of Berlin and employs 21 people from 15 different nationalities. Their team even includes "two and a half" Indians, given that one of them was born in the US but has an Indian background. 
 
<a href="https://showboxandroidapk.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Dubsmash-Free-for-Android-Photo.jpg">Image source</a>

India’s love for drama makes it a top market for selfie video app Dubsmash

When was the last thing you heard about Snapchat being the coolest thing to do? Seriously, you couldn’t have been more wrong about this! That either means you don’t know about <keyword id="6370373" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="dubsmash">dubsmash</keyword>, or you have stopped watching the new apps that are setting the smartphones on complete laughter mode. After all, dubsmash has gone viral in the recent times, and the videos generated using this app are super hilarious!dubsmash? Any average person with some penchant for <keyword id="52355" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="humour">humour</keyword> will dig dubsmash. That means, almost every smartphone user who has access to apps can use this. 
 
The universality of dubsmash has not only given vent to scores of talents, famous or not-so-famous, giving them a window to showcase their own talent to themselves, and also to the world. Now, wouldn’t this world be a better place if we stop taking ourselves so seriously, and stop for a moment to share laughter and fun times with friends, even at our own expense?Dubsmash is all about searching for your favourite line from a wide range of films, Hindi or Hollywood or even music videos and lip syncing to create a hilarious effect. Founded by German developers Jonas Druppel and Roland Grenke and Daniel Taschik, dubsmash has been so far downloaded by more than 10 million users worldwide!dubsmash believes in ‘good things come in small packages!’ 
 
AIB that took the entire film fraternity come together to laugh and let laugh, dubsmash is about laughing—at self and others too!dubsmash big time. And the result of this newfound love is simply enjoyable to say the least. If you have not watched Priyanka Chopra – Ranveer duo, Sonakshi and Salman’s show, and Alia Bhat shrieking like a child while the beautiful Shruti Hassan impersonate Gabbar Singh with quirky expressions, you are truly missing some genuine fun in life. 
 
Chulbul Pandey, this is your chance to do it. And if you do it extremely well, the world may even get to watch it when you upload it to the net!favourite dialogue like ‘hum to madira nahi peete hai ji…’ of Sridevi from Chaalbaaz, and lip sync it to your heart’s content while recording your expression simultaneously. Once the 10-12 sec video is done, just share this pure joy with anyone you like!dubsmash fever which has been more than addictive. This is somewhat narcissistic too, in keeping with the actors’ professions! 
 
dubsmash is pretty hard to analyze right now. Today, it is just feeding a fever that was more like the ice bucket challenge or the blue and black or gold and white dress challenge that even got the celebrities involved and broke the Internet while the challenge lasted. 
Dubsmash has been around since the last couple of months and those videos are nothing else but pure joy. 
 
Kollywood and Tollywood (Tamil and Telugu) have also given into the new-found addiction. dubsmash has recently found way into Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s den too! A youth successfully dubsmashed a bit of Modi’s style of statements on ‘desh’. 
 
dubsmash exists for the next 100 years. But for a country that is plagued with more problems than solutions, dubsmash is easily one of the most entertaining ways of keeping oneself amused. And film actors or politicians are not an exception to this. Who knows, in the coming days, you may even hear someone dubsmashing minister Smriti Irani or Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for a comic relief! 
 
The only hope towards sanity is humour, and none other than Bollywood knows it well. Hope the rest of India also takes a break and has a hearty laughter. 
 
(Image credits: economictimes.com)

Dubsmash: From Berlin to Bollywood,
lip-syncing has gone viral like never before

The <keyword id="2238404" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Velfie">velfie</keyword> craze has taken India by storm, thanks to Bollywood actors, sporting personalities and even the prime minister posting online videos of themselves on <keyword id="6354632" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Social-media">social media</keyword>. As companies and celebrities increasingly turn more social media friendly, the velfie is fast emerging as the medium of choice for many celebrities across Facebook and Instagram. 
 
The global phenomenon started with the launch of German-developed Dubsmash in November 2014, and now boasts of over 50 million downloads across 192 countries. Another app called Velfie has also emerged. It has over 200,000 downloads and is already operating in around 140 countries. However, co-founder Ankush Johar insists they’re not the Indian jugaad to Dubsmash. 
 
“Dubsmash is true to the world of dubbing. That’s how it was created and has evolved. We’re not just about lip sync. That’s why we’re not called LipSyncfie or Lipfie or Dubfie. A comparison with Instagram or Twitter would be more appropriate than with Dubsmash”, he says. 
 
Johar claims Velfie is developing its own social networking platform, and has features like pause or filters and is working on add-ons like animation and stickers that would enhance the user experience without the hassle of post-production. It is also integrating with Facebook Messenger and two other messaging services by the end of the year. However, WhatsApp is not on the list. The company is also toying with the idea of transmitting only sounds. 
 
“Facebook is primarily for friends. Twitter is for broadcast with text and images. Velfie aspires to be that for video, live or otherwise. That’s much more than the fad of lip sync”, Johar adds. 
 
Driving factor The country has come a long way with social media, the <keyword id="1725157" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Selfie">Selfie</keyword> phenomenon, and now the Velfie. Johar believes vanity plays a massive role in the success of these trends. 
 
“The vanity in a human being pushes them to showcase themselves in the best possible form. That is why heroic films are hugely successful. People look up to these figures, and syncing somebody’s voice and one’s face puts them in a position to be the star”, Johar says. 
 
No 3G? No problem 
While the selfie phenomenon may have made it big, when asked if the video selfie would be impaired by the low internet bandwidth in most areas with a mere 7-8% of the population currently on 3G Johar says, “Our systems are designed with the emerging market in mind. The app is light, and a sound snippet is between 20-400 KB while the final video can be 600 KB to 5 MB at the maximum. All this can be achieved even with a GPRS connection.” 
 
Clicking velfies all day? 
Selfie was charged with accusations that it nudges one’s narcissistic self. With the Velfie following in its footsteps, the Velfie co-founder however doesn’t plead guilty of turning healthy individuals into narcissistic ones. 
 
“Vanity taken to an extreme is narcissism. There is a possibility of fundamentally narcissistic people to be on our platform. Only time will tell if we need to put curbs on the system.” 
 
When asked what the system can do to curb such acts Johar says, “As a responsible organization we can build our algorithms to ask for confirmations like ‘Isn’t this getting a bit too much?’ or ‘Are you sure you want to post this?’" 
 
The concept is not new to the industry. Google Labs designed a similar functionality into Gmail where if one sends an email post 11 pm, it presumes him/her to be drunk, and asks for a double confirmation. 
 
When asked how he sees the Selfie vs. Velfie tussle panning out, Johar clearly thinks the Velfie has an obvious edge, after all, “if a picture is a thousand words, a video is a thousand images.” 
 
(Image credit: Indiatimes)

We’re not
Dubsmash: Velfie

<ul><li>The Chinese short video streaming app <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword> was banned in India in June — the app’s largest international market. </li><li>Despite losing over 200 million of its users, TikTok continues to be the highest-grossing app worldwide, according to Sensor Tower’s monthly report. </li><li>This is partly due to more people using apps during the coronavirus pandemic and also because 89% of the app’s revenue comes from China. </li></ul>Despite losing its biggest overseas market, the Chinese short video sharing app TikTok continues to be the top-grossing non-game app in the world in July. <a href="https://sensortower.com/blog/top-grossing-apps-worldwide-july-2020">Sensor Tower’s</a> monthly report shows that TikTok hit $102.5 million in revenue — an 8.6 times increase in revenue over the same time last year. <div type="image" title="snapshot-1596616947742" msid="77369129" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;TikTok&amp;#39;s revenue over the last five months&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Even compared to a month ago, TikTok’s revenue has increased by $11.8 million. This was the first month of TikTok operating without its Indian user base since the government banned the app locally amidst border tensions with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Before the ban, the Chinese app had around 200 million users in India. Despite India accounting for nearly one-third of TikTok’s downloads, more than even China, the ban did not dent the app’s online earnings. This may be because nearly 89% of the company’s revenue still comes from its home base in China. Indians can be a boost to any app’s user base but historically they haven’t known to be the biggest spenders. Another factor that may have surged TikTok's revenue is the overall online app market seeing a boost due to the coronavirus pandemic as more people stay at home. In the first half of 2020, Sensor Tower recorded a 23% jump in global app revenue as compared to last year — crossing $50 billion. TikTok was third on the list, following Tinder and YouTube, having generated $421 million across the Google Play Store and App Store. One app’s loss in another app’s gain After TikTok was banned in India, a slew of <keyword id="9499766" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="TikTOk-alternatives">TikTok alternatives</keyword> raced to the frontier in order to take its place. <div type="image" title="snapshot-1596616939950" msid="77369155" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;First time installs for TikTok alternatives in India&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <a href="https://sensortower.com/blog/tiktok-alternatives-growth-india">Sensor Tower</a>’s estimates reveal that the top three contenders are Roposo, Zili and Dubsmash. They collectively saw a 155% jump in first-time installs in the three weeks following TikTok’s ban. <div type="image" title="snapshot-1596616930985" msid="77369171" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Lifetime downloads of TikTok alternatives in India at the end of July&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> This is not the first time that TikTok’s run into trouble with the law in India. Last year, it was also banned by the Madras High Court after being accused of ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-ban-in-india-for-hosting-porn/articleshow/68720430.cms">encouraging pornography</a>’. At the time, the company’s court filing said that it was losing $500,000 a day. TikTok may also be on the brink of losing another one of its international markets. US President Donald Trump declared that the Chinese app will be banned if it’s not sold off to an American buyer by September 15. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/trump-wants-the-treasury-to-get-a-substantial-cut-of-any-tiktok-acquisition-chinas-state-media-says-that-would-be-open-robbery-/articleshow/77349625.cms">Trump wants the Treasury to get a substantial cut of any TikTok acquisition. China's state media says that would be 'open robbery.'</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/microsoft-adds-77-billion-in-market-value-after-confirming-plans-to-buy-tiktok-in-the-us/articleshow/77334071.cms">Microsoft adds $77 billion in market value after confirming talks to buy TikTok in the US</a>

TikTok made more money than any other app in July despite losing its largest overseas market

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Trump administration recently said it's considering placing a ban on <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword>, the viral app with ties to <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> through its parent company, ByteDance.</li><li>In the wake of the threatened ban, competing short-video apps — like Dubsmash, Byte, and Triller — have seen an uptick in their download numbers as TikTok users prepare to migrate to other platforms.</li><li>The situation has also opened a window for tech companies, including <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword> and Instagram, to roll out new formats and features reminiscent of TikTok in the hopes they can eat into the app's dominance. </li></ul>The imminent threat of TikTok disappearing from the US thanks to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-considering-banning-tiktok-2020-7">the Trump administration's suggestion</a> of a ban has signaled panic among users, and tech companies are taking advantage of the chaos to lure the app's loyal following to their competing platforms.In just the past week, up-and-coming platforms such as Byte — a product of Vine's cofounder — and Dubsmash, best known for <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/style/the-original-renegade.html">housing the original "Renegade" dance</a>, have risen to the top of app charts. And more established tech giants including <keyword id="6358096" type="DEFINITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="snapchat">Snapchat</keyword> and YouTube have debuted new features — all which heavily borrow from TikTok's short-form video and scrolling format. The day President Trump threatened to ban TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-considering-banning-tiktok-2020-7">what he said was punishment for the coronavirus</a>, competing apps that have historically dwindled in TikTok's mainstream shadow saw their download numbers spike dramatically. Byte saw an 126% jump in downloads on July 8, and took No. 1 on the App Store's charts, after generating an average of 1,000 new downloads a day, according to data from app analytics firm Sensor Tower. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tiktok-users-focus/tiktoks-u-s-users-prepare-for-life-without-the-video-app-idUSKCN24F13A">Data provided to Reuters</a> showed noticeable spikes in downloads for Dubsmash, Triller, and Likee. Established tech companies no longer see TikTok — with an estimated <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-banning-chinese-social-media-app-tiktok-security/story?id=71647269">US userbase at as high as 80 million</a> — as a rising startup, and instead recognize it as a worthy competitor. Big names like Facebook and Google had toyed with creating TikTok competitors in the past, but have only just recently started rolling out viable products. <a href="https://support.google.com/youtube/thread/18138167?hl=en">YouTube has started</a> testing its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-tiktok-rival-shorts-video-sharing-app-google-firework-2020-4">in-app feature for short-form video</a> with a "small group" of people, and developers have discovered <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/13/snapchat-tests-tiktok-style-navigation-for-exploring-public-content/">Snapchat could be switching</a> out its horizontal swiping motion for TikTok's signature vertical swipe.Instagram, meanwhile, is currently testing a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-testing-new-tiktok-style-video-feature-reels-brazil-2019-11">new TikTok-like format inside of Stories</a>, called <keyword id="4114693" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="reels">Reels</keyword>, in select countries. Although Reels is not yet available in the US, Instagram told Business Insider it rolled out the feature last week in India — a country that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-india-china-ceo-kevin-mayer-ban-employees-first-test-2020-6">makes up 30% of all TikTok downloads</a>, and where the government recently banned new TikTok downloads amid a border dispute with China.Although a ban on TikTok in the US may be nothing more than a threat, <a href="https://www.insider.com/tiktok-ban-united-states-creators-worry-influencers-2020-7">creators have formulated</a> contingency plans, and are encouraging fans to follow them to other platforms. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-video-views-like-counts-at-zero-disappeared-glitch-2020-7">A timely glitch</a> last week that briefly made video views and like counts reset to zero only added to the panic. Since TikTok <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-app-online-website-video-sharing-2019-7#to-trace-the-history-of-this-incredibly-popular-short-form-video-sharing-app-its-important-to-note-that-tiktok-didnt-start-as-tiktok-6">came to the US in 2018</a>, it's been a dominant force, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-hits-15-billion-downloads-outperforming-instagram-2019-11">outperforming US-based apps</a> that have attracted younger audiences, like Snapchat and Instagram. The app <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-app-online-website-video-sharing-2019-7">has since faced scrutiny</a> over how much access and influence the Chinese government is afforded over user data and content moderation. TikTok has been able to brush off lawmakers' calls for investigations and national security experts' warnings. In June, TikTok <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-india-china-ceo-kevin-mayer-ban-employees-first-test-2020-6">appointed a US-based CEO</a> in June to try to distance itself from its Chinese roots.

TikTok's under pressure from the US government, and competitors like Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram are capitalizing on the app's uncertain future

Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Thursday. <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/10-things-in-tech&amp;hash=8122c716833601fc1471f79af063b104b104">Sign up here</a> to get this email in your inbox every morning.<ol><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-trump-administration-asks-court-to-dismiss-big-techs-challenge-to-social-media-executive-order-2020-8?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">The Trump administration is asking a court to dismiss the tech industry's legal challenge his executive order taking aim at social media companies</a>. The lawsuit was brought in June by the Center for Democracy and Technology, a group backed by Facebook, Twitter, and Alphabet subsidiary Google, which called Trump's directive "unconstitutional."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-threatens-temporary-california-shutdown-labor-ruling-proposition-22-2020-8?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Uber and Lyft have threatened to temporarily shut down in California if a court rules their drivers must be classified as employees</a>. A group of companies that rely on independent contractors has proposed a third way of classifying workers, which includes a benefits pool that can follow workers across apps and platforms while maintaining flexibility. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lyft-second-quarter-earnings-top-wall-st-outlook-revenue-drop-2020-8?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Lyft reported a 61% revenue slowdown as the coronavirus hobbles ride-hailing, but still managed to beat Wall Street expectations</a>. Unlike Uber, Lyft has no food delivery or international businesses to rely on for revenue as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the US. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnbs-revenue-plunged-67-in-second-quarter-report-2020-8?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Airbnb's revenue reportedly plunged 67% in the second quarter as COVID-19 wreaks havoc on its business</a>. The steep drop-off is a reflection of the impact of COVID-19, which has restricted travel across the globe.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-rival-dubsmash-acquisition-interest-facebook-snap-report-2020-8?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Facebook and Snap both reportedly inquired about acquiring TikTok rival Dubsmash</a>. As TikTok's future in the US remains uncertain, short-form video-making apps and formats have emerged as competitors eager to attract some of TikTok's 100 million monthly US users.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-facing-500-billion-in-fines-in-facial-recognition-lawsuit-2020-8?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Instagram could face up up to $500 billion in fines in a class-action lawsuit alleging it illegally harvested biometric data</a>. A new lawsuit accuses Instagram of collecting people's biometric data without their consent in violation of a state law.</li><li><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/12/bytedance-in-talks-with-indias-reliance-for-investment-in-tiktok/">Chinese giant ByteDance is engaging in early discussions with Reliance Industries about backing TikTok's business in India</a>. TikTok has been banned in India since June 29 as a fallout of geo-political tensions with China that led New Delhi to ban the app along with 58 other Chinese apps over security and privacy concerns, TechCrunch reported. </li><li><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-13/palantir-is-said-to-plan-direct-listing-for-late-september">Palantir is planning to go public through a direct listing of its shares in late September</a>. The company, which sells data analysis software used by governments and large companies worldwide, might still change its plans, Bloomberg reported. </li><li><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/12/election-silicon-valley-394354">Google, Facebook, Twitter and other major social media companies are working together to scenario-plan for the last three months before Election Day in the United States</a>. Politico reports that the Silicon Valley tech giants are gaming for scenarios including a situation in which there is no quickly declared winner in November's election. </li><li><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/12/21364644/twitter-api-v2-new-access-tiers-developer-portal-support-developers?scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4">Twitter launched a new API as it tries to make amends with third-party developers</a>. The API v2 is the first complete rebuild of Twitter's API since 2012, when the company famously began limiting how third-party developers could build on its product, The Verge reported. </li></ol>Have an Amazon Alexa device? Now you can hear <keyword id="9070519" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="10-things-in-tech">10 Things in Tech</keyword> each morning. Just search for "Business Insider" in your Alexa's flash briefing settings.

10 things in tech you need to know today

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Facebook is planning to bring its competitor to <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword> — called Reels — to <keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> users in the US in early August, an Instagram spokesperson told Business Insider.</li><li>Reels, which has already debuted in India and other select countries, will live inside of Instagram Stories as an option for sharing short-form video content similar to that on TikTok.</li><li>Beijing-based TikTok first <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-app-online-website-video-sharing-2019-7#to-trace-the-history-of-this-incredibly-popular-short-form-video-sharing-app-its-important-to-note-that-tiktok-didnt-start-as-tiktok-6">came to the US in 2018</a> and has grown into an overwhelmingly dominant social platform, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-hits-15-billion-downloads-outperforming-instagram-2019-11">outperforming US-based apps</a> that have attracted younger audiences, like Snapchat and Instagram. </li><li>Instagram's planned US debut of Reels comes as TikTok's future in the country remains uncertain. The Trump administration recently said it's considering banning the Chinese app in the US, opening the door for US tech companies to roll out new features catered to the TikTok audience.</li></ul>Facebook will soon debut its competitor to TikTok's popular short-video format to US Instagram users as the Trump administration weighs a country-wide ban on the viral Chinese app.Instagram plans to roll out Reels, a new format that will live inside of the app's Stories feature, to the US in early August, a company spokesperson told Business Insider. Like TikTok, Reels will allow users to record and edit short-form videos with audio and music soundtracks. Instagram users will be able to create and share Reels to their Stories, and access their short-form videos in a new, dedicated tab on their profiles. Public accounts will have their their videos shared on the app's Explore page, and can choose whether or not their Reels content appear on their profiles and in followers' Feeds.As for similarities drawn between TikTok and Reels, an Instagram spokesperson said in a statement that "no two services are the same.""TikTok specifically has harnessed real consumer behavior, and done amazing things. We've also seen the rise of short-form video on Instagram, and think we can create something in a way that makes sense for our community," the spokesperson told Business Insider. "This responsiveness to consumer demand is competition at work and one of the longtime hallmarks of the tech sector. It increases choice, which is good for people."Facebook first started testing Reels <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-testing-new-tiktok-style-video-feature-reels-brazil-2019-11">with users in Brazil in November</a>, before rolling out last month to France and Germany. The early August rollout will include the United Kingdom and around 50 other countries, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/facebook-readies-global-launch-its-tiktok-competitor-n1234013">NBC News reported</a>.The debut of Instagram's Reels in the US — and in India in early July, as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/instagram-reels-is-being-quietly-tested-in-india-just-days-after-the-tiktok-ban/articleshow/76768337.cms">reported by Business Insider India</a> — comes as concerns over TikTok's livelihood in both countries has created an opening in short-form video-sharing. The Indian government <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-bans-tiktok-dozens-of-other-chinese-apps-security-concerns-2020-6">recently banned new user downloads</a> of TikTok and other Chinese apps amid a bloody border dispute with China, where the app's parent company ByteDance is based.TikTok has been facing greater scrutiny in the US over how much access and influence the Chinese government is afforded over user data and content moderation. Most recently, multiple government officials — including <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-considering-banning-tiktok-2020-7">President Trump himself</a> — have threatened banning the app. TikTok has more than 2 billion global downloads and an estimated <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-banning-chinese-social-media-app-tiktok-security/story?id=71647269">US userbase at as high as 80 million</a>.So far, TikTok has been able to brush off lawmakers' calls for investigations and national security experts' warnings. In June, TikTok <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-india-china-ceo-kevin-mayer-ban-employees-first-test-2020-6">appointed a US-based CEO</a> in June to try to distance itself from its Chinese roots. But the imminent threat of TikTok disappearing from the US has already signaled panic among users, and led <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-ban-competitors-capitalizing-instagram-reels-youtube-byte-dubsmash-2020-7">tech companies to take advantage of the chaos</a> to lure the app's loyal following to their competing platforms.<a href="https://support.google.com/youtube/thread/18138167?hl=en">YouTube has started</a> testing its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-tiktok-rival-shorts-video-sharing-app-google-firework-2020-4">in-app feature for short-form video</a> with a "small group" of people, and developers have discovered <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/13/snapchat-tests-tiktok-style-navigation-for-exploring-public-content/">Snapchat could be switching</a> out its horizontal swiping motion for TikTok's signature vertical swipe. Smaller apps, like Byte, Triller, Likee, and Dubsmash, have also seen <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tiktok-users-focus/tiktoks-u-s-users-prepare-for-life-without-the-video-app-idUSKCN24F13A">an increase in downloads</a>, according to Reuters.

Instagram's rival to TikTok will come to the US in early August

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="8322765" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="instagram-reels">Instagram Reels</keyword>, Facebook's <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword> rival, is launching in the US Wednesday. It provides users with another way to share content with their followers — in the form of super-short, spliced-together, soundtrack-based videos.</li><li><keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> Reels launched first in Brazil in late 2019, and has since been rolling out to countries like Germany, France, and India. Wednesday's launch will extend Reels' presence to the US, UK, and more than 50 other countries.</li><li>The launch comes as TikTok's 100 million American users worry about the app's ban in the US. President Donald Trump has stepped up threats to ban TikTok due to its ties to China.</li></ul>Instagram Reels is launching Wednesday in the US to provide users with another way to share content with their followers — in the shape of super-short, spliced-together, soundtrack-based videos. The launch comes just as TikTok's loyal fanbase is engulfed in a panic about a potential nationwide ban.Like TikTok, Reels allows users to record short-form videos and edit them with a plethora of effects, as well as add in audio and music soundtracks. Reels' launch Wednesday also includes a rollout to users in the United Kingdom, Australia, and more that 50 other countries.Facebook first started testing Reels <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-testing-new-tiktok-style-video-feature-reels-brazil-2019-11">with users in Brazil in November</a>, and has since rolled in in recent months to France, Germany, and India.The similarities between Reels and TikTok are stark, and it's no secret Facebook is looking to target TikTok fans with the new feature. But Instagram's head of product, Vishal Shah, told reporters in a recent call that the timing of Reels' release is "coincidental," and that the company has been working on the new feature for a long time."[TikTok] certainly didn't invent short form video, but they innovated it," Shah told reporters. "We've been clear that formats in the past were inspired by other companies...I believe that consumers having choice results in better products."Shah says that Reels will differ from TikTok in giving users a more built-out augmented reality platform, as well as offering them a way to make short-form videos inside Instagram, a place they already love and know how to use.Both Instagram and TikTok have been relatively mum about breaking down their user numbers, but both have massive followings. TikTok has more than 2.3 billion global downloads, and recently said its US userbase surpasses 100 million users. Meanwhile, Instagram has more than 1 billion global users, and estimates put the platform's US userbase at <a href="https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-statistics/">between 100 million and 150 million</a>.Facebook may also hope it has an upper hand over TikTok <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-us-ban-trump-administration-facebook-google-antitrust-china-bytedance-2020-7">due to its American roots</a>. When CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared in front of Congress last week over antitrust concerns, he painted Facebook as a story of homegrown American success, whose future is threatened by authoritarian China — where TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is located. The debut of Instagram's Reels in the US comes as fears spike over TikTok's future in US, as President Donald Trump and his administration are threatening to ban TikTok nationwide. Although the path to a ban is not clear, TikTok's US users are already panicking and looking for alternatives to the platform in preparation. ByteDance has been looking to sell TikTok's US operations to an American company in an attempt to salvage its presence, and Microsoft has emerged as a potential buyer.With the threat of a ban, Facebook isn't the only platform to try to offer a TikTok alternative. Several tech companies have apps similar to TikTok — including Triller, Byte, and Dubsmash — but no platform has yet to successfully rival TikTok's viral reach.Since coming to the US in 2018, TikTok has grown into a <keyword id="6354632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="social-media">social media</keyword> powerhouse and established itself as a staple of internet culture and social interaction for Generation Z. It has outperformed US-based apps with younger audiences such as Snapchat and Instagram in both <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-hits-15-billion-downloads-outperforming-instagram-2019-11">new downloads</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/users-spending-more-time-daily-on-tiktok-than-instagram-cowen-survey-2020-7">time spent</a>.

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