TikTok has started testing the upload of long-hour videos, which YouTube is unlikely to like.
The feature is available in a limited number of countries, but will not become widely available in the near future, according to company sources (via TechCrunch).
The update was first noticed by social media consultant Matt Navarra, and it symbolizes a departure from TikTok's traditional positioning as a platform for short videos. Other media giants have tried to adopt the social network format as well - YouTube launched Shorts, and Meta added Instagram Reels.
Initially, TikTok offered to upload 15-second videos, but it has slightly increased the format in recent years. According to the company, videos up to an hour long will allow users to create stories in multiple parts, or provide more time for various master classes, comedy sketches, or even extended episodes of TV shows (last year, the American streaming service Peacock added the debut episode of the sitcom "Killing It" to the platform - though it had to be split into five parts).
Many networks upload the first episodes of shows on YouTube to attract new users to their platforms - now Google's video platform may have a worthy competitor with a huge audience.
At the same time, the social network owned by Chinese ByteDance currently faces major problems in the United States - authorities may ban the app if it is not acquired by a local owner. One of the main candidates is American businessman Frank McCourt, former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team and CEO of the investment company McCourt Global.
Bloomberg Intelligence analysts estimate TikTok's American assets at $35-40 billion. However, the social network is not going to give up easily and has filed a lawsuit in federal court to block the potential ban.
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