TikTok has announced it is shutting down TikTok Notes after a short year-long trial run. The image-sharing app was being tested in Canada, Australia, and Vietnam. A screenshot of the discontinuation notice, which was first shared online on March 20, directs users to the app Lemon8. The last day of service for TikTok Notes is May 8.
In the notice, TikTok says that Lemon8 has “even more features” than TikTok Notes, as it encourages users to download their data from the app in order to share it on Lemon8.
In a statement to TechCrunch, a TikTok spokesperson said: “We’re excited to bring the feedback from TikTok Notes to Lemon8 as we continue building a dedicated space for our community to share and experience photo content, designed to complement and enhance the TikTok experience.”
What Is Lemon8?
Originally launched in Japan in 2020, Lemon8 is another app owned by ByteDance. It’s a little more lifestyle-centric than TikTok, but it still allows users to share images and videos related to wellness, beauty, and fashion, and other topics.
In a similar vein to TikTok, Lemon8 also has both a ‘Following’ feed and a ‘For You’ feed. Lemon8 also features in-app tools like filters, effects, text templates and stickers, among other things.
Earlier in January, Lemon8 shot to the top of app stores as TikTok itself, along with creators, touted it as the best TikTok alternative.
However, the fact that it is owned by ByteDance may make this quite difficult, as Lemon8 itself should also be banned or divested per the “ban or sell” law.
Perhaps, if TikTok is really banned, Lemon8 might take off at an even larger scale than before. However, it doesn’t hold a candle to Instagram.
