Facebook’s experimental app division has come out with yet another intriguing product that sounds rather similar to TikTok.
Launched on May 27, the app, named Collab, is available by invite only on iOS. Catering for those who enjoy letting their creativity run wild, the app promises to bring its users together to make and enjoy videos, mix and match original content, starting with music.
How does it work?
According to a Facebook’s NPE blog, “Collabs are three independent videos that are playing in sync. With the app, you can create your own arrangement by adding in your own recording or by swiping and discovering an arrangement to complete your composition. No musical experience is required.”
How’s it like TikTok?
Once you’ve created a “collab”, you can publish it for others to watch and mix and match further. The same goes for TikTok, a video sharing app that’s popular among Gen-Zers, however they call the collaboration of two users a “duet” instead. The entire premise of TikTok is to use “sounds” to accompany your videos, other users are permitted to create their own content using music or the “sounds” made by other users. This usually is done through lip-syncing along to the sound bite and creating a new context to pair with the sound.
Why now?
The app’s release was expedited to coincide with the current need to be connected whilst apart as most people are sheltered in place around the world.
Team behind the project said that the app has brought them closer together, even whilst working apart, which is what they hope it will do for users who are also in physical isolation.
However, they also admitted to still needing to iron out the finer details. “We still have plenty of work left to polish the experience. (Disclaimer: there may be bugs and if you find an issue, please report it). With your feedback, we’ll continue iterating in an effort to build an experience that everyone enjoys.”
To request access, sign up for their waitlist at https://npe.fb.com/collab where they are currently opening up invites in phases.