Two social apps that promise more authenticity than their rivals are Snapchat and BeReal. Instagram even adapted a few features from these apps. Now, it looks like TkTok is getting in on the action too.
ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, has quietly launched a new app called Whee. It aims to keep users connected through real moments shared with close friends. Whee allows capturing and posting pictures visible only to people on your friends list.
The app launch follows TikTok Notes, another Instagram-styleByteDance app focused on photo sharing. However, it’s currently unclear how the two new apps will differ or coexist.
Whee is currently available in around a dozen countries but not the US. Users there get errors when trying to sign up. Screenshots suggest Whee takes a more private approach than BeReal or Snapchat, modeling more after Instagram within a close-knit network.
By building intimate social spaces, ByteDance appears to respond to growing interest in authenticity. It remains to be seen if Whee will find popularity or end up like many other short-lived app experiments. Keep an eye out for future updates on this new entry chasing the trends started by Snapchat and BeReal.
