Facebook is speeding up its plans to roll out Instagram Reels as TikTok is facing growing scrutiny. The feature could be coming to the US in early August.
TikTok is in trouble. And Facebook is getting ready to throw the last punch.
Facebook just revealed its plans to bring Instagram Reels, also known as the TikTok clone, to more than 50 new countries by early August, including the US.
Related | Instagram Launches Reels, A TikTok Clone
In late June, India banned TikTok and other 59 apps following tension with China at its borders. This was a huge blow for the fast-growing app which counted nearly 47 million users in India, according to app analytics provider Sensor Tower. Almost immediately, Facebook rolled out its newly revamped Instagram Reels in the country.
Just days later, Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State, said that his administration was also considering a ban of TikTok.
So today, to no surprise, Facebook announced it is now speeding up its plans to roll out Instagram Reels to 50 more countries, including Japan, the UK, and the US. According to a spokesperson, the feature should become available in these countries in early August:
“We’re excited to bring Reels to more countries, including the U.S., in early August. The community in our test countries has shown so much creativity in short-form video, and we’ve heard from creators and people around the world that they’re eager to get started, as well.”
Instagram Reels enables users to create short-form music videos that last up to 15 seconds, as well as adjust parameters such as the speed and time of each clip. The TikTok clone first launched in Brazil last year, before Facebook rolled out an improved version in France and Germany last month.
In the meantime, ByteDance, TikTok’s mother company, continues to claim its company is operating independently from the Chinese government.