YouTube copies competitors with yet another TikTok-style feature

YouTube continues to evolve, introducing additional TikTok-like elements to its Shorts format, as speculation swirls about the fate of TikTok.

Recently, YouTube has been adjusting its Shorts format to operate more like TikTok videos and Instagram Reels.

In October 2024, they increased their duration from a max of 60 seconds long to three minutes.

On March 31, they adjusted the method of counting views. Now, if a Short is watched multiple times or simply scrolled past once, it will be considered as a single view.

On April 3rd, the Google-managed platform revealed additional upgrades for Shorts, which now includes a fresh video editor, music options, stickers, and other features.

YouTube announces more TikTok-style additions

As reported by YouTube, this coming Spring, content creators are provided with several innovative methods to enhance the appeal of their Shorts.

The initial tool introduced enables users to incorporate music, fine-tune clip timings, and perform more accurate modifications.

Users also have the option to incorporate music that self-adjusts the clips according to its beat, thereby sparing creators from having to manually synchronize each clip individually.

Templates will also be added by using photos from one’s gallery.

Soon, Shorts on YouTube will offer customizable image and AI stickers. With this new feature, users can describe their desired sticker, and the platform will create a unique, personalized sticker for them. This allows individuals to express themselves in creative ways that were not previously available.

As a devoted admirer, I’m eagerly anticipating the upcoming updates slated for later in 2025. The fate of TikTok is still uncertain, as it has been instructed to be sold. Intriguingly, last-minute bids are reportedly being made by giants like Amazon just three days before the deadline.

2024 saw former President Joe Biden enacting a law mandating TikTok’s divestiture or ban, resulting in the popular short video app being temporarily unavailable for approximately 12 hours.

Upon taking office the next day, President Trump issued an executive order that prolonged the enactment of the ban for a period of approximately 900 days, setting the revised divestment or prohibition deadline as April 5, 2025.

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2025-04-04 00:19