We're back again: The 75-day extension President Trump gave TikTok this spring is over on Thursday. If TikTok's parent company ByteDance doesn't find a US-approved buyer or if the deadline isn't extended, the app could be banned for US users. But it's not just TikTok on the line -- Lemon8, TikTok's sister app, could also be affected.
Lemon8 is owned by ByteDance, the same parent company that owns TikTok. It's one of the top Lifestyle apps in Apple's App Store, and it has more than 10 million downloads in the Google Play store. The app describes itself as "a lifestyle community focused app." There are some major differences between Lemon8 and TikTok you should know before you dive into the app.
Here's what you need to know about Lemon8. Note: I reached out to ByteDance for this story, and the company did not respond for comment.
For more on the TikTok ban, here's what to know about the Supreme Court's decision, here's what could happen if a sale doesn't go through and other apps users are flocking to.
What is Lemon8?
Lemon8 posts can contain text to help label objects in the post. Screenshot by Zach McAuliffe/CNET
Lemon8 is a video- and photo-sharing platform that eschews the vertical-scrolling format of TikTok in favor of a Pinterest board-style format. But what Lemon8 and TikTok do have in common is that both have Following and For You tabs to show you posts from creators you follow and posts the app thinks you will like.
Lemon8's content is split into six topic tabs, plus a seventh tab called All. The other tabs are Fashion, Beauty, Food, Wellness, Travel and Home. These tabs can be found across the top of your screen, and tapping into these tabs shows you recommended and suggested posts.
Posts can be swipeable photo collections like in Instagram, or TikTok-style videos. Some creators add text to their photos to label clothing or a product. Some will also include the price of the item in the text.
How is Lemon8 different from TikTok and other apps?
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