TikTok's troubles in the US are prompting users to abandon ship - and flocking to an indie competitor. A recent surge in uninstalls has left a trail of frustrated users behind, with many citing technical issues as the primary reason for their departure.
Despite its efforts to shore up the app's stability, TikTok is still reeling from a power outage at one of its data centers, which has exacerbated problems with view counts and load times. The company's US daily active user base has seen a modest 2% increase over the last three months, but week-over-week growth remains flat.
Meanwhile, an independent app called UpScrolled has found itself catapulted to the top nine most-downloaded apps in the US App Store, with its popularity soaring since TikTok's recent changes. Users are drawn to the app's chronological feed and short-form video capabilities, which are eerily similar to those of Instagram.
While some may view UpScrolled as a fleeting fad, the company's founder, Issam Hijazi, is banking on long-term growth. "We're a tiny team building what Big Tech stopped being," he wrote in a recent tweet, acknowledging that his servers are struggling to keep up with demand. "Bear with us. We're on it."
The parallels between TikTok's downfall and that of Chinese app RedNote last year are striking. RedNote briefly took the top spot in the US before its popularity fizzled out as the "ban" on TikTok was lifted.
UpScrolled, however, is taking a different tack by positioning itself as an alternative to the big corporation-dominated short-form video landscape. "Too often, users are left uncertain about whether their voices will be heard or quietly suppressed," the company claims. "UpScrolled changes that by ensuring every post has a fair chance to be seen, creating an environment that is authentic, unfiltered, and equitable for all."
As TikTok continues to grapple with its technical issues, UpScrolled may just be poised to capitalize on user discontent. The question remains whether the indie app can sustain long-term growth in the face of increasing competition - or if it's simply a flash in the pan.
Despite its efforts to shore up the app's stability, TikTok is still reeling from a power outage at one of its data centers, which has exacerbated problems with view counts and load times. The company's US daily active user base has seen a modest 2% increase over the last three months, but week-over-week growth remains flat.
Meanwhile, an independent app called UpScrolled has found itself catapulted to the top nine most-downloaded apps in the US App Store, with its popularity soaring since TikTok's recent changes. Users are drawn to the app's chronological feed and short-form video capabilities, which are eerily similar to those of Instagram.
While some may view UpScrolled as a fleeting fad, the company's founder, Issam Hijazi, is banking on long-term growth. "We're a tiny team building what Big Tech stopped being," he wrote in a recent tweet, acknowledging that his servers are struggling to keep up with demand. "Bear with us. We're on it."
The parallels between TikTok's downfall and that of Chinese app RedNote last year are striking. RedNote briefly took the top spot in the US before its popularity fizzled out as the "ban" on TikTok was lifted.
UpScrolled, however, is taking a different tack by positioning itself as an alternative to the big corporation-dominated short-form video landscape. "Too often, users are left uncertain about whether their voices will be heard or quietly suppressed," the company claims. "UpScrolled changes that by ensuring every post has a fair chance to be seen, creating an environment that is authentic, unfiltered, and equitable for all."
As TikTok continues to grapple with its technical issues, UpScrolled may just be poised to capitalize on user discontent. The question remains whether the indie app can sustain long-term growth in the face of increasing competition - or if it's simply a flash in the pan.
, them technical issues r gettin crazy 
, always laggin & slow load times... meanwhile UpScrolled is like the new kid on block and they're gettin all this traction 
, i think its cool that Issam Hijazi is bein real about it tho 
, admitin their servers are strugglin' but still tryna push thru 
, tech issues have been a major problem for them lately. but i'm also skeptical about upscrolled becoming the next big thing... it sounds like just another short-form video app to me 
. dont get me wrong, its cool that they're trying to be more transparent and fair, but can they really deliver on that promise? 
. if you ask me, the real test is gonna be when tiktok figures out how to fix their tech issues and comes back stronger than ever 
. I mean, who doesn't love a chronological feed and no algorithmic nonsense? It's like they took the best parts of Instagram and made them their own 
. The fact that Issam is being real about his team's growth struggles is refreshing too 
. It'll be interesting to see how UpScrolled holds up in the long run, but for now, I'm all about trying out new apps 
.
, tech issues have been a major problem for them lately. I mean, who wants to deal with buffering and all that drama? 
Let's hope they can keep it up and not get overshadowed by the likes of Instagram.
Or is it something more? I think what people want is a platform that feels authentic, you know? Not just some fancy features and filters. It's like we're all looking for a sense of community and belonging online. And if UpScrolled can deliver that, then maybe it's worth paying attention to... 
. And then you got this indie app that just shows up and does all the things TikTok did but in a different way 
.
. Maybe this is what people are looking for - a break from all the corporate stuff and just having a platform where everyone can be heard 
.
. We'll see how long they can sustain growth, but I'm intrigued by their message and what they're trying to do 
. plus, how reliable is a tiny indie team that's "struggling" to keep up with demand? seems like they're just trying to capitalize on the user discontent without actually having a solid plan in place 
.
. I'm curious to see if they can keep it up tho 
The concept of giving every post a fair chance is pretty appealing - it's like the opposite of TikTok's algorithm-driven noise fest 
. Can't say I'm surprised by TikTok's struggles tho, power outages are a big deal for any large-scale system... but I guess this is what happens when you grow too fast 
?
and i love how they prioritize user engagement no algorithm nonsense for them 
idk if they can keep this momentum but for now, i'm totes on board 
.
. But hey, if UpScrolled can hold its own and keep delivering quality content, then I'm all for it 
. Can they really sustain this growth? We'll see... for now, it's like the underdog story of the year 
dont get me wrong, i like tiktok but 2 min vids r 4 old 