In a bid to tackle YouTube, TikTok is revamping its desktop platform with the addition of a number of new options. The firm introduced on Thursday that its web-based expertise incorporates a new modular format, refreshed For You feed, a brand new Explore tab, immersive full-screen LIVE gaming streaming, and a floating participant.
The social community’s new net format incorporates a repositioned navigation bar that’s designed to permit for a extra immersive and distraction-free viewing expertise that’s extra in-line with the cell model of TikTok.
In addition, sport streamers can now “go reside” in portrait or panorama mode. Users on desktop will see a horizontal view, whereas cell customers will be capable of merely rotate their telephones to additionally view in horizontal mode. With this alteration, TikTok is coming for each Twitch’s and YouTube’s dominance within the sport streaming market.
TikTok can also be introducing a brand new “Collections” function that lets customers set up their favourite movies into customized classes. The thought behind this function is to make it simpler to search out and revisit saved content material at a later time.
For occasion, you may group your entire favourite recipe movies into one assortment, whereas organizing your favourite DIY video into one other. The function is much like YouTube’s “Playlists” function that additionally enables you to save movies to revisit them.
Desktop customers can now additionally entry a floating participant completely on Google Chrome. The versatile floating window retains TikTok seen on high of different home windows, permitting customers to multitask whereas nonetheless watching content material. It’s price noting that it’s been doable to do that with YouTube movies for fairly a while now.
TikTok has introduced the in-app “Explore” web page to desktop, as nicely, permitting customers to view a curated assortment of content material primarily based on their pursuits.
“Our customers work together with TikTok in many alternative methods, which is why we’re excited to introduce these net app updates,” mentioned Cody Puckett, Product Manager at TikTok, in a weblog put up. “By enhancing our desktop capabilities, we purpose to deliver TikTok’s handheld magic on desktop, offering an attractive expertise with better flexibility so you’ll be able to get pleasure from TikTok anytime, anyplace. As TikTok evolves, we stay dedicated to innovating for our group and guaranteeing the platform is accessible for all.”
While TikTok is named a mobile-first platform, it is smart for the corporate to make desktop viewing extra handy for its customers because it continues to problem YouTube, and now Twitch.
TikTok says over a billion folks worldwide use TikTok for leisure and discovery, and that it’s all the time exploring methods to boost its platform and meet the altering wants of its customers.