Social media platforms are very insecure nowadays. Whenever there is a new and upcoming social media format, the incumbents will try to copy.
Speaking of which, a French social media app, BeReal, has gained popularity in recent months. The key feature was for users to share a photo taken by the front and back camera on the phone simultaneously.
And the users cannot choose to take the photo anytime they want. There is a 2-minute window initiated by the app randomly each day. And you can’t see your friends’ post unless you post earlier than them.
The BeReal app managed to top the App Store chart (US, free) on 25 Jul 2022, and stayed on the top spot till 27 July. It is now second.
Instagram was the first major social media app to copy BeReal. It launched “Dual” in July while Snap released “Dual Camera” in August.
They were less restrictive than BeReal as they do not have the time element – users can take the front and back photos and post them anytime of the day.
TikTok Now, on the other hand, was a complete ripoff of BeReal. It was launched on 15 Sep 2022.
Rumor has it that Instagram is launching “Candid Challenge”, which would be similar to BeReal.
It was not long ago when Instagram was flamed for introducing TikTok-like features. Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian posted “Make Instagram Instagram Again.”
Instagram has rolled back some of these changes amidst these criticisms.
During the pandemic period, a social audio app Clubhouse was one of the hottest trends in social media. The live audio feature was quickly copied by Facebook, Twitter and Spotify.
But the popularity died down and few people talked about it now. The incumbents breathed a sigh of relief.
It is likely that BeReal could follow the path of Clubhouse where its growth fizzles out eventually.
Just like Snap’s entry into the social media space with its ephemeral posts was blatantly copied by Instagram Stories. Even after 11 years, Snap did not manage to challenge Facebook’s empire.
It is only once in a decade, a new social media powerhouse emerges from the pile and sees its popularity sustained long enough to challenge the top spot. We are referring to TikTok in this instance.
One thing for sure, new social media apps will keep coming and the competition is getting more intense than ever before.
Meta’s 14% drop in its share price for the past week was reflective of the challenges in this new competitive environment.
