Apps

Mark Zuckerberg admits TikTok is bigger than Instagram

Definitely, something to be worried about

Published

October 4, 2019

Shivam Vahia

TikTok is a wildly popular app in India, with over 100 million monthly active users in the country. It’s quite similar to Vine (RIP), but comes with a host of video editing features that are easy to use and creative.

Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted that TikTok has grown bigger than Instagram in India. According to the audio recording leaked by The Verge, it’s very evident that Zuckerberg clearly knows what’s happening and how popular TikTok is in developing countries.

Analysing the secret to TikTok’s success, Zuckerberg added that the Chinese company has “married short-form, immersive video with browse. So it’s almost like the ‘Explore Tab’ that we have on Instagram, which is today primarily about feed posts and highlighting different feed posts.”

Further, in order to capitalise on the growing short-video browsing trend, Facebook is said to be trying out new approaches with Instagram, including changing its interface so that ‘Explore’ is more focused on Instagram stories, which are essentially short-video content made by users.

However, he also added that TikTok is growing but it is also spending a huge amount of money in promotions.

In India, TikTok is said to have 120 million monthly active customers, according to last public statement from Bytedance, the parent. Instagram, on the other hand, is believed to have 70 million users. That’s a significant difference, which is definitely something to worry about.

Apps

Top iOS 15 Features to look out for

FaceTime for Android, anyone?

Published

June 16, 2021

GadgetMatch

The next version of iOS rolls out this fall. There are new features such as FaceTime for Android, new Memojis, rebranded Safari and Messages app, personal identification card compatibility for Wallet, and more.

But in this video, we rounded up our Top 10 iOS 15 Features you should look out for.

Watch the whole video by clicking here.

Apps

Voilà AI Artist turns your selfies into 3D cartoons, caricatures

And many more artistic renditions!

Published

June 14, 2021

MJ Jucutan

From FaceApp to Zepeto, plenty of avatars from these apps proliferated social media platforms. Most recently, the Internet went crazy with cute avatars once more. You probably noticed how people have been posting a 3D cartoon version of themselves, akin to a Disney character. It’s all thanks to Voilà AI Artist — a photo-editing app using artificial intelligence to turn your photos into artistic renditions.

Get yourself painted as a Renaissance painting.

Have your selfies transformed into a 3D cartoon from an animated movie.

Turn your photos into a 2D cartoon…

… or even have your face drawn as a caricature.

Voilà AI Artist is developed by WeImagine.AI., a Canada-based team of creators and developers. The app is free to download on the App Store and Google Play Store. If you’re concerned about the app’s privacy policy, read it here.

Apps

The US revokes Trump’s executive order that banned TikTok

A level-playing field for everyone

Published

June 10, 2021

Shivam Vahia

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Wednesday that sets criteria for the government to evaluate the risk of apps connected to foreign adversaries. It’s specifically meant for apps like TikTok and WeChat, which President Trump banned.

It should use an “evidence-based approach” to see if they pose a risk to US national security, said Biden. If apps are found violating fundamental laws, a ban can be imposed. The task of identifying threats has been given to the US Commerce Department.

Trump’s executive order particularly targeted TikTok and WeChat. Instead, Biden is opting for a level-playing field for everyone. Biden shares the same concerns as Trump, but their approach is vastly different.

Under the previous administration, TikTok remained in a precarious position as Trump sought to ban the app unless it sold to an American company. A proposal was produced that would have seen Oracle and Walmart owning a US entity of the service and taking responsibility for handling TikTok’s US user data and content moderation.

But there were numerous legal challenges, and before they could be ironed out, Trump lost the election. The Biden administration’s new executive order does not affect those negotiations, which are a separate process. The order also calls upon federal agencies to develop recommendations – for future executive actions or legislation — on how to protect the data of US citizens.