If you’ve ever seen a viral video with that distinct voice-over then you’ve heard a TikTok caption in action.
Now, something similar is coming to Instagram though we expect it will sound somewhat different than the pseudo-vocal fry you hear on TikTok’s service.
Developed to make the apps accessible, we’re all for the voice-over technology and everything that comes with it. The only question we have is why did it take Instagram so long to get its own version of something that TikTok has had for quite a while.
That mystery aside, Instagram isn’t promising a perfect feature right out of the gate and, in fact, it’s only going to be available in a couple of languages initially (17 to be exact). Because they are auto-generated, expect some growing pains but, overall, it should make Instagram’s content more accessible to people who need those options as well as broaden how content is delivered for those of us that want other options. Naturally, you will have the option to turn these captions on or off as well as specify other parameters as to how they are delivered.
Those of you might recall that the saga of last year, aside from chip shortages and product delays, was Facebook’s ongoing competition with TikTok and other video rivals for dominance. While Instagram signaled a shift to video at one point, you will recall that didn’t go over terribly well with the community and now the service has largely backtracked on those aspirations. Aspirational or not, Instagram continues to be a major hub for photography and other digital media and, TikTok or not, that doesn’t look set to change anytime soon.
What’s your opinion of TikTok’s captions? Will a similar feature be of benefit to Instagram? Let us know your opinions in the comments below.
We’ve got some other photography news for you on Light Stalking at this link right here.
[Engadget]
