TikTok is expanding the app’s video length limit from 30 seconds to three minutes, amid growing competition from YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat.<\/b>
\nThe latest tech news Your sardonic source for consumer tech stories Human-centric AI news and analysis Driving the future of sustainable mobility No-nonsense stories about startup growth Inside money, markets, and Big Tech Help build the bank of the future Coding for Public Service Small country, big ideas TikTok will soon give users the option to create longer videos. The company is extending the maximum length of clips from 60 seconds to three minutes. Up front: TikTok has been testing the expanded format since late last year. Over the coming weeks, the company will start rolling out the option around the world. Product manager Drew Kirchhoff said the change would pave the way for richer storytelling and entertainment on the app: The company has shared some examples of how creators have been experimenting with longer videos: Quick take: TikTok videos were initially restricted to a maximum of 15 seconds, but the limit was later extended to one minute. The tight timeframe brevity has played a big role in the app\u2019s rise, but it\u2019s no longer a USP. In Snapchat Spotlight and YouTube Shorts, TikTok now has two competitors with the same maximum video length. Instagram has also taken the fight to TikTok with the launch of Reels, and the firm plans to expand further into video. TikTok\u2019s expansion to three minutes could help differentiate the app from its younger rivals, as well as ramp up the competition with streaming giant YouTube. But it may also lose some of the shorter format\u2019s charm \u2014 and test the attention span of viewers. Did you know we have a newsletter all about consumer tech? It\u2019s called Plugged In \u2013 and you can subscribe to it right here.<\/p>\n