TikTok Notes: Is this the next app to rival Instagram?

TikTok is gearing up to challenge Instagram. The social media giant is preparing a new photo-based application called TikTok Notes. So what is the app and how does it work?

TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is reportedly launching a brand-new app and is already promoting it within TikTok. Its goal? To compete with the Instagram giant in the realm of hosting photos online. Although the app has not officially been announced, the company has been dropping hints and promotional messages to its users for several weeks now. Several TikTok users have received a mysterious message inviting them to prepare for the release of a new app called TikTok Notes.

The window indicates that users should be ready for the release of TikTok Notes. The app is described as "a new app for posting photos." Users are already asked to choose whether they want their TikToks with photos to be transferred to it or not.

TikTok Notes presents itself as a photo-centric app, with no mention (yet) of videos. However, the app seems already set up to work closely with TikTok, allowing users to seamlessly sign up using their TikTok accounts to find all their contacts there. Resembling Instagram on paper, TikTok Notes offers a profile where users can follow others, post photos, comment on them, and share them online. This photo-focused approach could appeal to many users, particularly amateur photographers, amid criticism of Instagram's new algorithm favoring videos over photos.

Existing TikTok users can easily transition to TikTok Notes using their current accounts, with the option to opt out of having their photo posts displayed on the new platform. Unlike Instagram, TikTok Notes enables users to post photos with captions and headlines, featuring familiar elements such as a "following" tab for user connections and a "for you" tab for curated content which is calculated from the algorithm. Notably, it lacks features like Stories and Reels, maintaining a focus on static image-based sharing reminiscent of traditional Instagram. This is where standard TikTok will retain a strong audience. 

So when can we expect TikTok Notes to be released? For the moment, TikTok remains vague about the official release date of Notes. When contacted by media outlets, the company did not provide any further information about the apps launch. However, the appearance of a pop-up window on TikTok informing users about the arrival of TikTok Notes is a good sign that the app should be released within the next few months. It remains to be seen whether it will be available internationally on Android and iOS phones.