Whee: TikTok’s Attempt to be like Instagram
In the ongoing battle between social media giants, Instagram and TikTok, the tables have turned. Instagram recently launched its TikTok clone, Reels, and now TikTok has responded with its own Instagram-like feature called Whee. Similar to Instagram, Whee allows users to post and edit photos, as well as message other users. However, unlike Reels, Whee has not gained much attention since its launch earlier this month.
According to TechCrunch, Whee has only been downloaded on 13,000 iOS devices and a little over 10,000 times on Android devices. It has failed to reach the Top Free Apps chart in Apple’s App Store or become one of the Top 500 Social apps in the countries where it is available. The app has yet to launch in the U.S., but it has found some popularity in Malaysia, where it has been downloaded 2,400 times.
Interestingly, ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok and Whee, has not utilized Apple’s Search Ads to promote the app and boost its ranking in the App Store’s search. This raises questions about ByteDance’s strategy and whether they are fully committed to making Whee a success.
Whee’s launch is reminiscent of another venture by ByteDance called Lemon8. Lemon8, a Pinterest-esque photo-sharing platform, initially had a slow start but eventually gained millions of downloads. This history suggests that Whee may have the potential to grow in popularity over time, despite its lackluster start.
It’s worth noting that Whee’s release coincided with TikTok’s battle against a potential ban in the U.S. As the ban became a reality, ByteDance may have accelerated the launch of Whee as a way to maintain a presence in the market. However, it is uncertain how the ban will ultimately affect all of ByteDance’s apps, including TikTok and Whee.
In the ongoing competition between Instagram and TikTok, both platforms are attempting to imitate each other’s features to attract and retain users. This back-and-forth battle highlights the fierce competition in the social media industry and the importance of innovation and adaptation.
As users, we can expect to see more features and updates from both Instagram and TikTok as they continue to try to outdo each other. It will be interesting to see how Whee evolves and whether it can gain traction in the market, especially considering TikTok’s uncertain future.
