Key Points:
- ByteDance, creator of TikTok, launches Whee, a social app resembling Instagram.
- Whee focuses on sharing photos with close friends, similar to Instagram’s private accounts.
- The app’s limited availability and presence alongside TikTok Notes raise questions about its purpose.
Social media giant ByteDance, the company behind the wildly popular TikTok, is making a cautious foray into the realm of close-knit social interaction with its new app, Whee. This move comes on the heels of their recent launch of TikTok Notes, another app heavily influenced by Instagram.
Whee, currently in a soft launch phase, is available for download on Android devices in select regions but remains unavailable in major markets like the United States. The app positions itself as a platform for capturing and sharing spontaneous moments exclusively with close friends, mirroring the functionality of private accounts on Instagram.
However, Whee’s existence alongside the already-established TikTok Notes raises questions about its purpose and target audience. Both apps cater to photo-sharing and a more intimate social experience. It remains unclear whether ByteDance intends to differentiate the two or if Whee is simply a test run to gauge user response.
The limited availability of Whee further fuels speculation. This may be a pilot program to assess user interest before a broader global rollout. Alternatively, Whee might be a niche offering designed for specific regions. Only time will tell if ByteDance will refine Whee’s strategy or integrate it with its existing social media ecosystem.
For those residing in the limited launch countries, Whee is available for free download on the Google Play Store.
Am I the first one to report this? Bytedance, the developer of Tiktok, is testing a new app called Whee. It’s currently not available in the US but it is live in over a dozen countries.https://t.co/iNVQlVQ5C2https://t.co/n9rKnrHovE
— Artem Russakovskii (@ArtemR) June 18, 2024
