TikTok Expands into YouTube's Territory with Testing of 60-Minute Videos

TikTok is trying 60-minute video uploads with a few creators, challenging YouTube's supremacy. The capability supports uploads from both the mobile app and the desktop. TikTok has yet to announce plans for an official debut.

Credit: AP

This initiative challenges the veteran internet video giant.

Matt Navarra, a UK-based social media expert, originally revealed the functionality on Meta Platforms' Threads, where he published a screenshot. According to the screenshot, users can upload these longer videos using both the mobile app and the desktop.

TikTok and its Chinese parent firm, ByteDance, have yet to react to requests for comment on the new feature. However, the business has indicated that the function is currently only available to a select number of consumers in certain areas. TechCrunch reports that there are no immediate plans for an official launch.

According to TikTok, the longer time restriction allows creators to experiment with new and broader sorts of content. TikTok, which has more than 1 billion users globally, is facing political obstacles and competitive pressure in the United States, one of its core markets. Recently, US President Joe Biden approved legislation granting ByteDance 270 days to divest TikTok's US operations or face a ban from app stores. The company and some creators have filed legal action to overturn this decision.

In reaction to TikTok's growth, established video and social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram have introduced their own rival offerings. According to a Sensor Tower research, roughly 94% of TikTok users in the US also visit YouTube, while 80% use Instagram and 68% use Facebook, both of which are owned by Meta Platforms.

TikTok's maximum video length has continuously increased over time. When ByteDance acquired Musical.ly and incorporated it into TikTok in 2018, videos could only be recorded for 15 seconds and uploaded for one minute. The upload time limit was later increased to three minutes in 2021, and then to ten minutes less than a year later.

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• TikTok is testing 60-minute video uploads with select creators, challenging YouTube's dominance.

• The feature allows uploads from both the mobile app and desktop.

• TikTok has not yet announced plans for an official launch.

Source: SCMP