TikTok hits 3 billion download milestone

Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok_ and its sister app Douyin_ has become the fifth non-game app to surpass 3.0 billion global installs across app stores_ a tier that used to be the exclusive domain of Facebook_ despite growing competition and increasing global tensions_ according to app tracking firm Sensor Tower.

The four other apps are WhatsApp_ Messenger_ Facebook_ and Instagram_ all owned by the Silicon Valley-based social networking company_ reports South China Morning Post.

The short video app_ developed by Beijing-based ByteDance_ has amassed more than US$2.5 billion in consumer spending worldwide since its launch in 2016.

Only four other non-game apps have managed to reach the same level: Tinder_ Netflix_ YouTube and_ Tencent Video.

TikTok was also the most downloaded and highest-grossing non-game app worldwide in the first half of 2021_ reaching nearly 383 million first-time installs and about US$919.2 million in consumer spending.

Although installs in the first six months were down 38 per cent compared to the same period last year_ user spending in the app grew 73 per cent.

Continued growth comes despite the fact that in India_ one of the app s biggest markets in terms of users_ the app remains unavailable after it was banned on national security grounds last year.

In the US_ President Joe Biden ordered the country s Commerce Department to conduct security reviews of any apps associated with foreign adversaries.

This came in June after his predecessor_ former President Donald Trump_ tried to ban Chinese apps from the US market in the final month of his term.

Beyond regulatory pressure and geopolitical tension_ TikTok also faces increasing competition from other platforms as they try to capitalise on the latest content format.

On Tuesday_ Google s YouTube announced that it will roll its short video feature_ YouTube Shorts_ to more than 100 countries after it was available at launch to only 26.

Google_ in its first-quarter report this year_ revealed that Shorts averaged 6.5 billion daily views.

In August of last year_ Facebook added a section dedicated to short videos while its photo-sharing app_ Instagram_ launched Reels that same month.

WeChat_ the Chinese super app operated by tech giant Tencent Holdings_ launched WeChat Channels in January_ allowing users to share short videos.

Other short video apps_ including China s Kwai and India s Moj_ continue to challenge TikTok s dominance in the short video market.

Kuaishou Technology_ the Chinese company which operates Kwai_ said last month that the total monthly active users spread across its several short video platforms surpassed 1 billion monthly active users

In contrast_ ByteDance_ which operates content aggregation apps in addition its short video offerings_ reached that milestone in 2019.