TikTok wasn’t the only Bytedance app to get banned CapCut was taken down and Meta out of nowhere announced edits Edits sounds a lot like CapCut as a free editing tool for smartphones
TikTok’s short-lived (so far) US ban may be over, but several other apps that were caught in the crossfire still haven’t come back at the time of writing because of their Bytedance affiliation. Marvel Snap was taken out, to everyone’s surprise popular TikTok alternative Lemon8 was removed and video editing software CapCut was also cut. And in completely unrelated news, Meta took the opportunity to announce Edits, its own CapCut clone.
For the uninitiated, CapCut is a free photo and video editor from Bytedance that you can use on your phone, tablet or PC to edit your content. While it’s ideal for curating short-form content for platforms like TikTok, you can also use its tools and AI capabilities to create longer-form videos complete with captions and effects.
With that in mind, let’s look at the Edits announcement from Adam Mosseri and Meta’s head of Instagram. Takes to Threads Mosseri Call Edits A Free Smartphone Video Editor for Instagram and Other Platforms – Sounds a bit similar right? Well there are a few differences.
First, it sounds like edits will be entirely focused on the smartphone experience rather than having a PC launch as well. For another, Mosseri paints Edits as a place where you can not only edit content, but a one-stop shop for creatives to draft and save ideas, to record video using an enhanced camera app, and to to access information on trends to help inform your next cards.
The TikTok ban affected more than one app (Image credit: Getty Images)
Although to return to the CapCut similarities, like its rival, Edits is also not available for download right now – with the software currently up for pre-order on iOS (an Android release is also planned) with a planned launch date of March 13, 2025.
It seems a little suspicious that Meta would have this announcement ready to go on the day of TikTok and CapCut’s apparent demise, we’re just surprised it didn’t take this opportunity to actually roll out its rival – though given the initial issues, it had. rolls out threads, when Twitter seemed to be at death’s door, we’re not surprised it’s slowing things down.
What about other banned apps?
As for Bytedance’s other banned apps, TikTok is steadily making a comeback. You can now access your favorite creators through the app without using one of the best VPNs to spoof your location, although US users are still unable to install the app through app stores.
Marvel Snap will be making a comeback soon (Image credit: Nuverse)
It is unlikely that TikTok will be fully restored until Donald Trump signs the executive order he has promised, which will extend the timeline by which TikTok must be sold. Although he has promised that there would be no liability for companies that support TikTok and that he will sign the order on his first day in office, until he signs such an order, we expect Apple and Google to hold fire, if he does. another 180 on whether he wants to ban or save the social media platform.
Marvel Snap, the most surprising ban from the weekend (even its own creators, Second Dinner, didn’t realize the app would be banned) also looks set to return soon. It’s still down in the US, but in a post made on Sunday, January 19 at 20:38 ET / 01:38 GMT Second Dinner says it hopes to “have it back online within 24 hours.” It is unclear if this is due to it changing things on the backend so that they are no longer associated with Bytedance, or if the repeal will be as part of the promised Trump repeal, but hopefully it will return soon for players to come back to play current Dark Avengers season.
Lemonade is also still offline. We expect it to make a proper comeback when TikTok does, although its status in the US is merely a TikTok alternative that users only flocked to in the face of a ban, we expect it’s not Bytedance’s top priority – certainly not much of a priority like TikTok.
You also like
