Gaana swoops in to replace TikTok with 'HotShots'

India’s top music streaming app Gaana has now entered the short video sharing space with ‘HotShots’, joining the frenzy of homegrown companies launching apps to fill the void left by the ban on the popular Chinese app TikTok.

HotShots allows users to create and share short viral videos and stories. This is another experiment by Gaana in the segment. Last year, it had introduced a vertical video format to allow celebrities and singers to connect with their audience through short videos. 

“Our home-grown entertainment super app is ready to serve as the country’s go-to destination for entertainment across music, podcasts, short viral videos and buzz, offering aspiring Indians the power to become influencers in their own right with Gaana’s world-class live streaming & short video capabilities,” CEO of Gaana Prashan Agarwal said in a press statement.

While the segment has already become competitive for any newcomer, the demand for better UI and UX will always create a space for heavy pocketed players like Gaana. Influencers and users who recently migrated from TikTok, Vigo, Kwai to their Indian alternatives, have been feeling the need for better design, user experience and several exciting features. It will be interesting to see how the top 3-4 players leverage the opportunity to grab a larger audience base in a long haul.

The race of becoming a replacement for TikTok is becoming more intense. Within a week of the ban on 59 Chinese apps including TikTok and Helo, existing and new players have recorded a rapid surge in download numbers and engagements.

According to a latest report by Kalagato, ShareChat, Roposo, Mitron and Chingari have registered a spurt in time spent, average session time, open rate and daily active users between June 26 to July 3. To recall, the Indian government banned Chinese apps on June 29. 

Mitron Tv, which was released in late April, recently claimed to have more than 17 million users, two million creators along with 5.5 million videos on the platform on July 1. It also raised Rs 2 crore from 3One4 Capital and Lets Venture.

A week ago, Zee5 had also launched the TikTok kind feature on Zee5’s native app. Entrackr had exclusively reported about HiPi last month. Surge-backed Trell also pivoted to become a short lifestyle-focused video app.