X, formerly Twitter, is introducing a dedicated vertical video feed in its app, aiming to capitalize on the uncertainty surrounding ByteDance-owned apps like TikTok and Lemon8 in the U.S.
The company announced on Sunday that a new video tab will appear in the app’s bottom bar for U.S. users, offering quicker access to video content.
“An immersive new home for videos is rolling out to users in the US today,” X stated in its announcement.
The ByteDance apps remain functional for existing U.S. users who had already downloaded them, but the apps have been removed from major app stores, preventing new downloads or updates. This has created a scramble among social media platforms to attract users by launching new features or apps tailored to video content.
However, this opportunity could be short-lived. Former President Donald Trump, widely expected to announce his 2024 candidacy, may issue an Executive Order overturning the Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold the TikTok ban.
X users already have the ability to scroll through short videos by tapping on a video in their timeline and swiping up. The new video tab will provide a dedicated space for these videos, making it easier for users to discover and engage with video content.
This is not the company’s first venture into video-focused features. Last year, X launched a standalone TV app to showcase videos from organizations and creators. Additionally, app reverse engineers had previously uncovered an experimental media tab for videos, but this marks the first official rollout of such a feature.
The introduction of the video tab comes as social networks intensify efforts to seize market share left vulnerable by ByteDance’s legal troubles in the U.S. Meta recently announced a video editing app called Edits to compete with ByteDance’s CapCut, while Bluesky, a rival platform to X, has launched a custom feed for vertical videos.
