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Baidu has a new Douyin and Kuaishou rival called Kankan, but it’s mostly just a video search engine for now

  • With Kankan, Baidu is competing for a larger slice of China’s massive online video market, which has more than 880 million viewers
  • The new app looks and feels a lot like Baidu’s main search app, but it has a focus on short videos and live streaming

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Baidu’s new app Kankan looks like just another search app, but it’s for videos. Photo: Shutterstock

China has more than 880 million users of online video platforms, and streaming has been booming this year during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now Baidu is looking for a way to attract more of those users with yet another video app.

The Chinese search giant released a video app this week called Kankan, which means “take a look” in Chinese. For now, the app is little more than a new search app for videos that lets people browse short videos and live streams. And most of the content there is not original.

Many of the videos come from Haokan, one of several other video apps that Baidu previously released, and another Baidu-owned platform called Baijiahao.

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Kankan does not even have a brand new design, instead opting for a look very similar to Baidu’s main search app, where you can also find Haokan videos.

Baidu did not immediately respond to a request for comment during China’s national holiday.

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Baidu's search app (left) and the new Kankan video app. Photo: Screenshot from Baidu and Baidu Kankan
Baidu's search app (left) and the new Kankan video app. Photo: Screenshot from Baidu and Baidu Kankan
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