TikTok Clones BeReal as Global App Spending Reaches $65 Billion
TikTok launches a BeReal clone called TikTok Now, signaling a push into friendship-based social networking. Meanwhile, global app spending hits $65 billion in the first half of 2022.
Global app spending reaches $65 billion in the first half of 2022, showing only slight growth from the previous year as pandemic-fueled hypergrowth slows down. Despite this deceleration, the app economy continues to expand with record numbers of downloads and consumer spending across both iOS and Google Play stores. The mobile app industry remains a massive market that consistently produces new trends and features for users worldwide.
TikTok surprises the industry this week by launching "TikTok Now," a feature that closely mimics the popular Gen Z app BeReal. The new prompt asks users to capture a front and back camera photo or a 10-second video at a random time each day, which they then share with friends. TikTok gives this cloned feature a prominent position in the app's main navigation under a dedicated "Now" section.
This move signals a strategic shift for TikTok as it expands beyond short-form video entertainment into friendship-focused social networking. The company already lays the groundwork for this transition by requesting address book access and replacing its Discover tab with a Friends tab. By adopting BeReal's authentic, spontaneous sharing format, TikTok aims to deepen connections between real-life friends on its platform.