Instagram debuts new video editing app as TikTok and CapCut disappear from US App stores

Instgaram has launched a video editing app called 'Edits', similar to ByteDance's Capcut, which went offline in the US on Sunday.Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced the app in a post on Instagram, claiming it offers a "full suite of creative tools" including the ability to capture photos and videos, edit clips and add features such as green screens.

In a post on Instagram, announcing the new app, Mosseri wrote, “Edits is more than a video editing app, it’s a full suite of creative tools. There will be a dedicated tab for inspiration, another to keep track of any early ideas you might have, a much higher quality camera which I used to record this video, all the editing tools you’d expect, the ability to share drafts with friends and other creators, and, if you decide to share your videos on Instagram, powerful insights on how those videos do.”

Instagram vs CapCut:

Meanwhile, Mosseri also replied to a post on Threads claiming that Edits is nothing more than a CapCut clone. Mosseri stated that Edits will end up being very differnet than CapCut with a broader range of creative tools and a smaller audience.

“It's been months and I think it'll end up pretty different than CapCut. Edits will have a much broader range of creative tools and probably a smaller addressable audience. Think a place to track all your ideas instead of templates. Think AI video editing tools on a per clip or per video basis. Think new insights on why your videos are succeeding or struggling.” wrote Mosseri.

What happened to TikTok and CapCut?

ByteDance-owned TikTok and CapCut went temporarily offline in the US on Sunday in compliance with a federal law passed last year. The law, which passed with bipartisan support, stated that TikTok and other ByteDance subsidiaries had to cut ties with the Chinese company in the US by 19 January or face a ban.

Shortly after the app went offline, President-elect Donald Trump said he would sign an executive order giving TikTok 90 days to comply with the law. Trump also proposed a joint venture for TikTok in the US, with a domestic company taking a 50% stake in the new entity.

The intervention by Trump led to TikTok and CapCut resuming operations in the US but the Chinese apps still remained absent from Apple and Google app stores in the US.