X and Bluesky Launch Vertical Video Feed for US Users

X verified that the vertical video feed will be available to consumers in the United States. X (previously Twitter) has introduced the new feature to its users. It has launched a separate vertical video feed, akin to Instagram‘s Reels and YouTube‘s Shorts feeds. Another social media site, Bluesky, founded by Jack Dorsey, who was also a founding member of Twitter, has unveiled a similar vertical video feed feature. These moves are believed to be in response to TikTok‘s uncertain future in the United States. Notably, Elon Musk-owned X recently announced that it will launch X TV and X Money services in 2025. X which is attempting to capitalise on the uncertainty surrounding ByteDance apps such as TikTok and Lemon8 by releasing a specialized vertical video feed.

In a statement on its website, X revealed that a new vertical video feed is now available for US consumers. The business states that adding a video option to the app’s bottom bar for users will be “an immersive new home for videos,” allowing them to swiftly access video content on the platform. The stream can be watched via the play button at the bottom of the screen. The corporation did not confirm whether this feature would be available to consumers outside the United States.

“An immersive new home for videos is rolling out to users in the United States today,” the business announced in a post on Sunday.

Bluesky, on the other side, said that it is now getting “in on the video action,” with all users now able to customize their video feed. Users, like other Bluesky feeds, “can choose to pin these or not.” The business explained that users will be able to swipe up to reach a timeline that contains “only video posts.” The company stated that it is available to all consumers via the mobile app.

The trend of dedicated vertical video stream integration among competing applications is thought to be due to the disruption caused by the brief TikTok ban in the United States. The Bytedance-owned app stopped working for US customers late Saturday, but was restored later that day on hopes of President Trump saving the company.

The debate about the prohibition in the country lasted several months. The uncertainty surrounding the popular short-video-sharing app’s future in the country prompted many users and competing developers to look for alternatives. According to a recent story, Perplexity AI, a US search engine company, made a deal on Saturday for ByteDance to unite with TikTok US. 

Users who have already downloaded TikTok and other ByteDance apps can continue to use them in the United States, but the programs are no longer available in the major app stores, making it hard to download new versions of the app for updates or if you are a new user. That has sparked a scramble among other social media app publishers to add new features or create new apps to attract consumers. This could be a short-term arbitrage opportunity: Trump is largely expected to issue an Executive Order overriding the prohibition imposed by the Supreme Court last week.

X users may already cycle through short videos by pressing on a video on the timeline and then scrolling up. This new tab for videos is simply a separate section for these videos. Furthermore, this is not the first time the corporation has attempted to establish a new home for films.

An app reverse engineer had previously previewed a media tab for videos, but this is the first time X has made an official announcement.

The social network has recently focused on video experiences. Last year, it released a standalone TV app that featured videos from various organizations and creators.

With TikTok struggling in the United States, social networks are attempting to capitalize on the uncertainty surrounding ByteDance apps in the country. Meta has released Edits, a video editing program to compete with ByteDance’s CapCut, while X rival Bluesky has launched a unique feed for vertical films.

“Edits will have a far larger set of creative capabilities and a likely smaller target audience. Consider a location to track all of your ideas rather than templates,” Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri suggested on Sunday. “Think AI video editing tools on a per clip or per video basis.”