Just a mere nine months after its launch, TikTok Now, TikTok’s clone of the BeReal app, is being discontinued.
BeReal is an app which allows users to take more authentic pictures by taking a front and back camera photo randomly everyday. This app inevitably exploded in popularity and TikTok, along with Snapchat and Instagram, took the initiative to capitalise on the trends established by BeReal.
Before the BeReal clone, TikTok Now, was born, the Now feature was just one of five buttons available on the TikTok app’s navigation bar. But, apparently the standalone TikTok Now app is being discontinued, indicating that it didn’t quite catch on.
According to a tweet by TikTok, they are “discontinuing TikTok Now. To view previous posts, go to your Profile> Private Tab > Now Memories”. Despite the announcement of BeReal clone TikTok Now’s discontinuation, it is still unclear when the app will actually shut down for good.
Since TikTok is killing its BeReal clone TikTok Now, users can view their old Now posts but not create any new ones.
This decision made by TikTok to kill its BeReal clone, TikTok Now, can be due to decreasing interest for BeReal-style app experiences. According to the New York Times, the public is “over being real“. It was cited that there was a 61 percent drop in daily active user statistics between October 2022 and March 2023, according to data presented by a third-party.
The BeReal app has only ever shared its daily active user (DAU) numbers once this April, when it reportedly had 20 million DAUs. But since sources have confirmed that BeReal attracted 20 million DAUs last fall, there seems to be a decline in growth over the past few months. But BeReal has denied these claims, stating that growth of BeReal DAUs remains steady. Despite these claims, we see far fewer mentions of BeReal on social media these days. This is proof that the viral spotlight has moved away from BeReal, as it inevitably does from briefly viral sensations.
Sensor Tower, an app research firm, told TechCrunch that the app had hit 53 million downloads across iOS and Android in October. This marks an increase of 2254% in active users per month. But only 9% of these users have opened up the app on a daily basis. This is a clear indication of the app’s fall from popularity.
In conclusion, BeReal seems to be making major changes to its app, like the addition of Bonus BeReal in an attempt to regain popularity. But the killing of the BeReal clone, TikTok Now by TikTok might be a gloomy indication of the future of BeReal itself.
