ByteDance's new social media app, Lemon8, will now be accessible directly by users using their TikTok accounts, the company announced Tuesday. According to ByteDance, this integration will make photo sharing more viable, allowing creators to cross-share photo content across apps.
Lemon8 remains a separate app, but the two platforms share a unified user login. This means creators can log in to both using one account.
Lemon8 was launched in Japan in 2020 and has since expanded to the US and Southeast Asian markets. The app is similar to Instagram and Pinterest, allowing users to share slideshows and photo collections, and browse content through “Following” and “For You” feeds. Lemon8 provides users with access to creative tools, filters, effects, stickers, text templates, and more.
“At TikTok, we are committed to continually evolving our platform to better serve creators,” the company wrote. “The integration of Lemon8 with other photo sharing channels is a testament to our commitment to improving the experience for creators. We are confident that these new tools will inspire greater creativity and community building, and encourage everyone involved. I believe it will be beneficial.”
This announcement comes as no surprise, as TechCrunch reported in August 2023 that TikTok was apparently working on an integration with Lemon8.
The feature comes as TikTok faces a ban in the United States. ByteDance is pushing Lemon8 as a sister app to TikTok, likely as a way to transition creators to the new platform without having to sign up separately.
But ByteDance's other apps, including Lemon8, could also be caught up in the TikTok ban, especially since lawmakers' main concern about TikTok is Chinese ownership.
Of course, Donald Trump's recent election could change TikTok's fortunes. Trump began calling for a ban on the app during his first term, but the president-elect took a different approach during the 2024 campaign. He is now concerned that banning TikTok will benefit Meta, and told voters to vote for Meta if they don't want the app banned.
The integration also comes as TikTok has embraced photo content, even though it was originally popular for its short video format. TikTok will launch the ability to add photos in 2022, and this year the company began testing a dedicated photo-sharing app called TikTok Notes.