Could we not have a new TikTok photo app please?

The social media landscape has become a cluttered and confusing place in recent years. From Elon Musk's eventful (to say the least) rebranding of Twitter to the introduction of Meta's Threads, it's hard to know exactly what platform caters to what content these days. So let's introduce another one!

Yep, apparently TikTok is working on a photo-based app to rival Instagram (the app that used to be photo-based, remember?). Leaked code from the latest version of the app allegedly makes multiple references to 'TikTok Photo'. (Want to start creating content? Check out the best TikTok cameras available now.)

As spotted by The SpAndroid, the code announces "TikTok Photos will be launched soon...", and even includes what appears to be a new logo featuring a stylised 'P'. With commands such as 'Post to TikTok Photos' littering the code, it seems the app will be heavily integrated into TikTok itself to promote cross-posting.

All of which leads me to ask: why? Do we really need another social media app? We've already seen plenty of apps try to become your new Twitter alternative in the last year, most notably the aforementioned Threads. But do we really need a bunch of Instagram alternatives too? 

And making things even more confusing is the fact that 'offshoot' apps are becoming more popular. Threads requires an Instagram account, and TikTok Photos will very likely require a TikTok account. While these apps are ostensibly offering more choice, they're also forcing the user to spread themselves ever more thinly across various, similarly named platforms. 

Will TikTok photos offer the slower-paced, more 'aesthetic' photo-based experience that nostalgic Instagram users claim the app used to offer? Based on TikTok right now, I'm going to say probably not. Time will tell if and when the app is going to drop, but one thing's for sure – I'm not hugely excited about the prospect of trying out (and quite possibly abandoning) yet another social media platform.