Byte Launches for Fans of Vine and TikTok

Dom Hofmann, the co-founder of the long-lost but never-forgotten Vine, has launched Byte. This is a new way to create and share short videos. So Byte is not only the spiritual successor to Vine, but also direct competition to TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.

A Brief History of Vine and Byte

In 2012, a new app called Vine burst onto the scene. This let users record short, looping videos up to six seconds long. Before it had even officially launched, Twitter acquired Vine. Vine then spent several years building an impressive userbase of 200 million users.

Unfortunately, in 2016, Twitter killed Vine for reasons that have never been fully explained. However, Vine co-founder Dom Hofmann wasn’t ready to give up on Vine, and in November 2017, he began working on Vine v2 with help from committed Vine fans.

In May 2018, Hofmann postponed the launch of Vine v2 indefinitely citing “financial and legal hurdles”. However, in November 2018, Hofmann announced Byte, “a new looping video app by the creator of Vine,” that he hoped to launch in Spring 2019.

How to Get Started Using Byte

Now, Byte has finally arrived, and, as promised, it lets you create and share short looping videos up to six seconds long. The six-second limitation leaves little room for filler, ensuring creators deliver clips designed to be short and sweet.

Byte offers the standard social media features of a profile, a feed, notifications, and the option to explore other people’s submissions. To use Byte you just need to download the app, create an account, and create a profile. You can then start making videos.

dear friends,

today we’re bringing back 6-second looping videos and a new community for people who love them.

it’s called byte and it’s both familiar and new. we hope it’ll resonate with people who feel something’s been missing. https://t.co/g5qOIdM8qG

— byte (@byte_app) January 25, 2020

While Byte will be compared to TikTok, there are some major differences. For starters, Byte keeps things simple, without the remixes and AR filters of TikTok. Also unlike TikTok, Byte wants to help creators make money, with a partner program launching soon.

Byte is available right now on Android and iOS. However, it’s still a work in progress, with complaints about comment spam and a lack of moderation. Thankfully, Hofmann has committed to improving Byte, and is hiring staff to do just that over the coming months.

Download: Byte on Android | iOS

Other Vine Alternatives Beyond Byte

If you remember Vine and still mourn its passing then you should definitely check out Byte. And if it turns out that Byte isn’t for you then here’s our list of Vine alternatives. Then all you’ll need is some original ideas for entertaining short looping videos.

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