TikTok owner ByteDance to launch new social media app for young users that will rival Instagram-like service Xiaohongshu

The new ByteDance app called ‘Kesong’, which means croissant in Chinese, is designed for young users to share their lifestyle and hobbies
It is expected to compete against Instagram-like social e-commerce platform Xiaohongshu, which has more than 200 million monthly active users

ByteDance

Coco Fengin Beijing

Published: 8:00pm, 11 Jul 2022

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ByteDance, owner of global hit short video app TikTok and its Chinese version Douyin, is gearing up to launch a new social media platform designed for young users to share their lifestyle and hobbies, according to the tech unicorn’s latest corporate registration.

The app called “Kesong”, which means croissant in Chinese, will provide its young demographic target with a fresh platform to publish photos and texts on subjects such as “trendy clothes, surfing tips and novel toys”, according to the registration made last week by ByteDance subsidiary Beijing Weibo Shijie Technology Co, the information of which can be found on business database Qichacha.

That would make the new ByteDance app similar to Xiaohongshu, a popular Instagram-like social e-commerce platform, according to last week’s initial report about Kesong by Chinese tech news site 36kr, which cited a source close to Douyin with knowledge of the matter.

Beijing-based ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Founded in 2013, Xiaohongshu has become a go-to platform for China’s Generation Z consumers who prefer the app’s combination of social media and online shopping features. Photo: Shutterstock

Kesong welcomes users to join its online community “this hot summer”, according to the platform’s introduction, which implies that the service may soon be launched.

The new app – featuring the slogan “new lifestyles for young people”, according to the 36kr report – marks the latest effort by ByteDance to introduce an Instagram-like service in the world’s biggest smartphone and internet market, as well as second-largest economy.

ByteDance previously rolled out similar apps, Xincao in 2018 and Xintu in 2019, which failed to take off on the mainland and were discontinued.

Competing against Xiaohongshu currently appears like a stiff challenge for upstart Kesong. Founded in 2013, Xiaohongshu – the Little Red Book in English-speaking circles – has become a go-to platform for China’s Generation-Z consumers, with more than 200 million monthly active users.

Chinese tech unicorn ByteDance pushes Fanno shopping app in Europe

Despite the setbacks at home, ByteDance has found success overseas for its Instagram-like platform. The firm’s “Lemon8” app, formerly known was “Sharee”, now has a growing user base in Japan and markets across Southeast Asia.

On Monday, Lemon8 was the second-most downloaded lifestyle app on Apple’s Japan App Store and topped the rankings in the iOS online store in Thailand, according to app analytics provider Data.ai.

Recognised as China’s “app factory” for its ability to create new mobile services in just months, ByteDance has continued to sharpen its focus on new social platforms as part of efforts to challenge Tencent Holdings – operator of multipurpose super app WeChat, marketed as Weixin on the mainland.

Over the past two years, ByteDance has also moved to expand the features of both TikTok and Douyin, enabling users to shop online as they watch live-streamed programmes.

TikTok owner ByteDance is recognised for being an “app factory” on the mainland. Photo: Shutterstock

The company has also continued to make strategic acquisitions. In June, ByteDance bought Chinese virtual reality (VR) start-up PoliQ, known for social platform Vyou that enables users to create their own avatars. The start-up was absorbed into VR headset company Pico Interactive, which ByteDance acquired in August last year.

In January, ByteDance introduced metaverse-like social app Paiduidao, which allows users to interact in a virtual community through avatars.

Still, the tech unicorn has been decisive at closing apps when these fail to gain traction. These include Dmonstudio, a fashion shopping app that was shut in February, and instant messaging platform Feiliao, which was taken down in December after ByteDance relaunched it as a Clubhouse-like audio social app in July last year.

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