YouTube has launched its short-form video format in the US, six months after it was originally rolled out in India.
The YouTube Shorts format aims to rival apps like TikTok by allowing creators to shoot 15 second videos (or less).
Creators can snip together content from multiple videos and add or record music to their clips. Shorts also includes some other creative tools like playback speed control and hands-free recording.
As part of the US beta roll-out, creators can add text to their clips.
The short-form video format has been given its very own homepage by YouTube as the company hopes to catch-up with the short video craze started by rival TikTok.
One advantage YouTube may have is that it has established relationships with many major music labels like Sony and Universal. That means, users have access to a catalogue of over 250 labels and publishers and millions of songs and music pieces.
Shorts will be rolled out gradually in the US over the coming weeks.
It’s not yet clear when Shorts will be launched internationally.
