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TikTok’s parent company ByteDance has launched a new app, Lemon8, amidst new bills from U.S. lawmakers to ban TikTok nationwide. This new app is photo-based, resembling a blend of Pinterest and Instagram. According to social marketing experts, the app is reminiscent of Xiaohongshu, the Chinese e-commerce giant, and social media, which translates to “little red book.”
Like TikTok, this app’s main feed features two sections, “Following” and “For You.” Users can look at content from other creators they follow under the “Following” tab, and the “For You” tab recommends other posts.
The app also has different segments for posts belonging to different categories, such as food, beauty, and fashion, and it also allows users to explore different content in other ways. Lemon8 also collects user data, including browsing history, IP addresses, and device identifiers, like every other social media site.
Google Play Store and Apple have listed the owner of this new app as Heliophilia Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based company sharing the same address as TikTok and ByteDance.
How to use Lemon8
The app is available for download on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Once downloaded, the user will need to create an account to access the app. It works like other social media apps, where one has to sign up using their phone number or email id.
They can choose their usernames and pronouns. One can also select their topics of interest and then start browsing the app to share their pictures or videos, surf other posts, and interact with other users.
To create a post, one has to tap the plus (+) icon at the bottom of the feed and choose whether they want to take new photos using the app’s camera or upload existing videos or photos from their camera roll. One can edit their photos or videos with the in-built tools of the app. Like other sites, users can add captions and hashtags to their Lemon8 posts as well.
The “For You” section shows posts matching users’ interests. One can switch between varied categories under this section by clicking on the preferred category name at the top of the feed.
One can also use the search bar to look for specific keywords or hashtags. Users can like other people’s posts. One can share any post they find interesting by clicking on the icons under each post. The sharing feature is quite similar to Instagram.
To follow someone on the app, one can click tap on their profile picture or username and press the “Follow” button on their profile. Followers and Following lists can also be seen once a user starts following someone.
Lemon8 was first launched in 2020 in Japan, and by 2022, the app had secured more than 5 million monthly users globally. In February 2023, it was released in the US and the UK. It has become popular in Asian countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Since TikTok’s future in the United States remains uncertain at the moment, users of the app are curious about Lemon8. If the country bans TikTok, it is highly possible that its customer base will shift to this new app by ByteDance.
