Byte officially launched on iOS, Android: The Vine reboot that you can make money on

Byte, from the house of Vine co-founder Dom Hofmann, is now official on iOS and Android. Byte lets you shoot and upload six second videos and tiny time limit "necessitates no-filler content that's denser" than the one-minute clips we see on TikTok.

Byte comes with standard social features like a feed, explore page, notifications profiles etc and for now, it lacks AR filters, transition effects, remixability and other effects that apps like TikTok has.

According to Hoffman, what will differentiate Byte from other apps is an early focus on helping content creators make money. TikTok and other micro-entertainment apps largely do not have this. Byte is planning to launch a pilot of its partner program for offering monetization options to those who are popular on the app soon.

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When asked about ad-sharing revenue, tipping or other options to partners, Hofmann told TechCrunch that they are "looking at all of those, but we'll be starting with a revenue share + supplementing with our own funds. We'll have more details about exactly how the pilot program will work soon."

Popular content creators on TikTok and Snapchat have been trying to pull their audience to YouTube where they can earn a steady ad-share since the other apps lack direct monetisation. By starting off this payment program early, Byte might be able to get some people off TikTok and Snapchat and onto their platform and retain them long-term. Former Vine stars turned TikTok stars like Chris Melberger. Joshdarnit, and Lance Stewart are already on Byte, TechCruch reported.

Byte also plans to stay connected to their users and Hoffman has been actively running a beta tester forum since the first Byte announcement was made in 2018. He sees it as a way to find out what features Byte should have next.

"It's always a bummer when the people behind online services and the people that actually use them are disconnected from one another, so we're trying out these forums to see if we can do a better job at that" Hofmann wrote.

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Byte will not only take on big guns like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, but will also have to compete with TikTok competitors like Dubsmash, Triller, Firework, Like, Facebook's Lasso etc.