ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, has quietly launched a new app called “Whee,” which has drawn comparisons to Meta’s Instagram.
Whee is currently available for download in over a dozen countries, including India and Brazil, but it is not yet accessible in the United States.
Attempts to log in after downloading the app from the Google Play Store in the US result in an error message, and using a virtual private network (VPN) has also been unsuccessful.
Screenshots of the app reveal a familiar interface reminiscent of Instagram but with a more intimate twist. Whee is specifically designed for sharing photos that are only visible to designated friends.
This shift from Instagram’s public account model, where posts are visible to all, marks an intriguing differentiator for Whee. The app emphasizes the friends-only approach with phrases like “Share with friends only,” “Made for friends,” and “Like and comment only with friends” highlighted in the screenshots.
The app features a simple user interface with three main tabs: camera, feed, and messages. It also includes an Instagram-like notification button at the top.
The launch of Whee follows ByteDance’s recent release of TikTok Notes, another Instagram-like app for sharing photos and texts. It remains unclear why the friends-only functionality of Whee couldn’t be integrated into the Notes app, similar to how Instagram manages private and public accounts.
Additionally, ByteDance has not disclosed when or if Whee will be available worldwide.
