Reddit Launches Enhanced Video Tools, Announces Shutdown of Dubsmash

Reddit has announced that it will shut down the separate Dubsmash app, which it acquired last December, as it looks to merge the creative functionalities of Dubsmash into Reddit itself, and lean further into video engagement.

Dubsmash, which will still be available till February, enables users to create videos aligned with music clips, including effects and filters which can help your clips stand out in user feeds.

Reddit’s now looking to build those tools into the Reddit camera, with a view to capitalizing on rising video engagement in the app.

Indeed, Reddit notes that:

“To date this year (January 2021 to November 2021), video content has soared on Reddit. We’ve seen nearly 70% growth in overall hours watched, and a more than 30% increase in daily active video viewers.”

In addition to this, Reddit says that it’s seen a 50% increase in quarter-over-quarter short video viewership via its new, TikTok-like video feed option.

Given broader content consumption trends, it’s no surprise to see video rising on Reddit as well, and now, with the merging of Dubsmash, Redditors will get a new set of video creation and editing tools for use in the app.

The updated Reddit camera will provide recording speed options, video timers, the capacity to upload clips in both landscape and portrait mode, as well as new clipping options.

Reddit’s also adding its first AR lenses, featuring ‘Bread Cat’ and ‘Snoo’ effects.

Users will also be able to add stickers, use drawing tools and add voiceovers to their clips, expanding the creative options for Reddit videos.

Which could help to further improve video engagement in the app, and better align it with the latest trends – an important step as users continue to gravitate towards enhanced video engagement.

And while Reddit’s AR options are relatively basic at this stage, it may be just as relevant that the platform simply keeps up with the evolving AR landscape, which is set to become a much bigger consideration once fully-functional AR glasses become available sometime in the next two years.

That will also align with the rising metaverse shift, merging our physical and digital worlds.

No one knows exactly how that will work just yet, but AR looks set to play a key part, and the introduction of its own AR features will ensure that Reddit remains connected as this element evolves.

But for Dubsmash users, time will soon be up. The app, at one stage, was facilitating over a billion video views per month, and has been particularly popular among underrepresented communities.

Now, they’ll have to move over to Reddit instead, or find another app more aligned with their interests.

But that loss is Reddit’s gain, as it enhances its video tools to facilitate further growth in this area.

Reddit users can access the new camera features on both iOS and Android from today.