Hours after TikTok was pulled in the United States, Meta seized the opportunity and unveiled a new Edits app. It’s intended to be a replacement for CapCut, the editing app by TikTok owner ByteDance, as well as TikTok’s built-in video editor.
Edits is a video editor aimed at people “who are passionate about making videos on their phone,” said Instagram head Adam Moserri in the announcement posted on Threads on January 19. “There’s a lot going on right now, but no matter what happens it’s our job to provide the best possible tools for creators”, he added. The announcement came hours after the tremendously popular TikTok, along with CapCut and other mobile apps from China-based ByteDance, went dark in the United States on Sunday, January 19, at 10:30 pm ET.
The software is currently available to pre-order on iPhone by clicking the Get button on the Edits page on the App Store. This ensures you’ll receive a notification from the App Store when the app is ready to download starting on Thursday, March 13, 2025. Edits for Android will be coming in February, Mosseri said.
Meta has clearly written up Edits in advance, waiting in the wings until the federal ban got enacted. Mosseri says Edits brings “a higher-quality camera for shooting videos,” with the ability to record footage in 1080p or 2K resolution, HDR color, and 24, 30, or 60 frames per second. The Insights feature lets you Reels content metrics without leaving Edits.
The app includes the usual suite of video editing tools creators have come to expect from Instagram, including a video timeline with multiple layers, effects, music and voiceover tracks, automatic captions, green-screen effects, AI animation, overlays, stickers, animated text, and other features. Meta is clearly after CapCuts, the tremendously popular short-form video editor developed by TikTok creators ByteDance. In fact, Edits looks like a clone of CapCut.
Videos can be edited “with single-frame precision.” You can export your work to Instagram in 1080p without watermarks, save the video in your camera roll, or share it with your favorite apps and people. Mosseri said creators could also use Edits to publish their work on other social media apps.
The app seems well thought out. For example, the launch version will let you save videos as drafts and share them with other creators and friends, making collaboration a cinch. There’s a dedicated tab for inspiration, and you can save ideas for videos to work on them later.
The TikTok service was temporarily reinstated on Sunday for everyone in the US who has the app installed. TikTok and other ByteDance apps continue to be unavailable to download from Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store. Apple has issued an advisory stating it is “obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates.” Overseas users visiting the United States also cannot download or update TikTok on their devices while in the country.
“If you already have these apps installed on your device, they will remain on your device,” Apple clarified. “But they can’t be redownloaded if deleted or restored if you move to a new device. In-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer possible.” President Trump previously announced that he’d sign an executive order to delay the ban, “so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.” He said it’ll “confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”
TikTok said in a statement, “In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.”
While an acquisition deal for TikTok has not yet been announced, the company said it’ll work with Trump “on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”
Source: Threads via The New York Times
