YouTube officially announces TikTok competitor, YouTube Shorts

With TikTok’s future in the U.S. up in the air, it’s the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot!

On Monday, YouTube officially announced its new feature YouTube Shorts, which looks and sounds a lot like the viral video app TikTok.

According to YouTube, Shorts is a “new way to express yourself in 15 seconds or less.” Users can use it to create and watch short-form videos right on the YouTube platform.

YouTube Shorts will provide a number of tools to allow creators to make videos on their mobile devices. It will consist of a “multi-segment camera” that can combine separate clips, as well as speed controls and a timer and countdown so you can create videos without needing to hold your phone. Its most TikTok-like feature? The library of music you can use to record with.

You might notice a new section on your YouTube homepage called Shorts. This row of videos will include all of your favorite creators’ YouTube Shorts content. Just like with TikTok, you’ll be able to easily swipe up or down in order to move to the next video. The platform will also recommend you new Shorts content.

Word of YouTube Shorts first leaked in April. In YouTube’s official announcement today, the company said it will first roll YouTube Shorts out in India. This makes perfect sense when you consider that TikTok was banned in that country in late June.

YouTube is combining an opening in the space with the fact that India is one of the fastest-growing markets for the video-streaming service. They've got a chance to really take off there, and then maybe move on to success in other countries, too.

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