From Instagram\u2019s Reels to Snapchat\u2019s Spotlight, most social media platforms are looking toward the TikTok boom for inspiration. Now, even Reddit, a discussion-based forum, is making short-form video more pronounced on its iOS app.<\/p>\n
According to Reddit, most iOS users should have a button on their app directly to the right of the search bar \u2014 when tapped, it will show a stream of videos in a TikTok-like configuration. When presented with a video, (which shows the poster who uploaded it and the subreddit it\u2019s from), users can upvote or downvote, comment, gift an award or share it. Like TikTok, users can swipe up to see another video, feeding content from subreddits the user is subscribed to, as well as related ones. For instance, if you\u2019re subscribed to r\/printmaking, you might see content from r\/pottery or r\/bookbinding.<\/p>\n
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The user interface of the videos isn\u2019t new \u2014 Reddit has been experimenting with this format over the last year<\/a>. But before, this manner of watching Reddit videos was only accessible by tapping on a video while scrolling through your feed \u2014 rather than promoting discovery of other communities, the first several videos recommended would be from the same subreddit.<\/p>\n\n
Image Credits:<\/strong> Reddit, screenshots by TechCrunch<\/p>\n
\u201cReddit\u2019s mission is to bring community and belonging to everyone in the world, and subsequently, Reddit\u2019s video team\u2019s mission is to bring community through video,\u201d a Reddit spokesperson told TechCrunch, about the new addition. \u201cOver the course of the last year, our goal was to build a unified video player, and re-envision the player interface to match what users (new and old) expect when it comes to an in-app video player \u2014 especially commenting, viewing, engaging and discovering new content and communities through video,\u201d they noted.<\/p>\n
Reddit doesn\u2019t yet have a timeline for when the feature will roll out to everyone, but confirmed that this icon first appeared for some users in late July and has continued to roll out to almost all iOS users. But by placing a broader, yet still personalized video feed on the home screen, Reddit is signaling a growing curiosity in short form video. In December 2020, Reddit acquired Dubsmash<\/a>, a Brooklyn-via-Berlin-based TikTok competitor. The terms of the deals were undisclosed, but Facebook and Snap also reportedly showed interest<\/a> in the platform, which hit 1 billion monthly views<\/a> in January 2020.<\/p>\n
Reddit declined to comment on whether or not its new video player is using an algorithm to promote discovery of new subreddits based on user activity. However, a Reddit spokesperson confirmed that the company will use Dubsmash\u2019s technology to develop other features down the road, though not for this particular product, they said.<\/p>\n
Reddit first launched its native video platform<\/a> in 2017, which allows users to upload MP4 and MOV files to the site. Then, in August 2019, it launched RPAN<\/a> (Reddit Public Access Network), which lets people livestream to selected subreddits \u2014 the most popular livestreams are promoted across the platform. Reddit currently attracts<\/a> 50 million daily active visitors and hosts 100,000 active subreddits.<\/p>\n
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