Recently, there’s been a lot of buzz surrounding YouTube and TV. A recent report shows that, out of other streaming and cable services, people spend the most time watching YouTube on TV. Indeed, in another report, two-thirds of viewers were reported as thinking that YouTube is the “realistic destination” for TV shows and movies.
For Meta and TikTok, these were fighting words, as the platforms race to catch up with YouTube by reportedly releasing their own TV apps. As reported by The Information, these apps will frontload short-form content, which, as Tubefilter points out, will mean that they’ll struggle to reach YouTube’s TV watch time.
Indeed, a source told The Information that Meta’s TV app would be full of Reels. The outlet also reported that TikTok has spent six months prepping its app. Unlike YouTube and (possibly) Reels, TikTok’s TV app will be aimed at older viewers. TikTok’s strategy can also be differentiated from Reels because, reportedly, the app wants higher-production-value videos than the average TikTok.
That being said, it’s worth noting that TikTok actually launched a TV app back in 2021. However, it gained little traction, and Tubefilter claims that it was pulled earlier this month.
Clearly, TV is the future of social media. The question is, will TikTok and Meta ever catch up with YouTube?
