TikTok sets down, rival app rises up to shine
By MYBRANDBOOK
Last month, when India banned 59 Chinese apps, including global sensation TikTok, the short-video platform stopped working for its 200 million local users. Within hours, an avalanche of new sign-ups pushed the servers of one of its Bangalore-based rivals, Roposo, to breaking point.
Two weeks on, Roposo, which also offers short videos, says it is peaking at 500,000 new users an hour and expects to have 100 million by month's end. That's almost double the 55 million it had before the ban, and puts Roposo among a profusion of Indian startups to benefit from TikTok's troubles in the country.
The ban from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government covered other big Chinese names such as Alibaba Group Holding's UC Web mobile browser and Tencent Holdings' WeChat messaging app, and came amid a border face-off between India and China.
While India cited privacy and security concerns, the restrictions are poised to dramatically alter the competitive landscape in the nation's digital economy.
"It was a rocket ship instant for the country's app startups," said Naveen Tewari, founder of the startup that owns Roposo, munching nuts against the backdrop of the red-brick-walled study in his Bangalore home on a recent Zoom call. "We have a viable chance to become the world's fourth technology hub after the US, China and Russia."
His decade-old digital advertising startup InMobi, Roposo's parent, has in earlier years drawn investments from global names such as SoftBank Group. Last year, PayPal co-founder and billionaire investor Peter Thiel backed its unit, Glance, which acquired Roposo in November.
Roposo features videos showcasing moves set to Bollywood music, humour minus the ribaldry, pranks, fashion and even jokes about the coronavirus pandemic
BREAKING NEWS
TECHNO TRENDS
Legal Battle Over IT Act Intensifies Amid Musk’s India Plans
The outcome of the legal dispute between X Corp and the Indian government c...
Wipro inks 10-year deal with Phoenix Group's ReAssure UK worth
The agreement, executed through Wipro and its 100% subsidiary,...
Centre announces that DPDP Rules nearing Finalisation by April
The government seeks to refine the rules for robust data protection, ensuri...
Home Ministry cracks down on PoS agents in digital arrest scam
Digital arrest scams are a growing cybercrime where victims are coerced or ...
E-Magazine
TECHNOTAINMENT
Hrithik Roshan to endorse RuPay as Brand Ambassador
RuPay is reportedly planning to feature Bollywood superstar Hrithik Rosha
India Today Group launches – AI Pop Stars
Staying true to our industry leadership position in using cutting-edge tech
MOVERS & SHAKERS
TelioLabs ropes in Phaniraj V A as the Group CEO
TelioLabs has announced the onboarding of Phaniraj V A as its new Group CE
Wipro Appoints Amit Kumar as Managing Partner and Global Head
Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading technology s
OPEN YOUR EYES
INTERVIEWS
Bolstering its commitment to help build a truly self-reliant B
CP PLUS is dedicated to spreading a sense of security to every corner of In
Alpha Max offers high end solutions in the network space to en
The vision at Alpha Max is to attain quality as the trademark and create a
HOT PICK
MSI Announces the availability of RTX 50 series of laptops in
MSI, the innovative computing manufacturer in gaming, creator
Nothing Phone (3a) goes on sale today, starting at Rs 19,999
The phone was launched on March 4, featuring a 50MP main, ultra-wide, and t
MAKE IN INDIA BRANDS
AMARA RAJA POWER SYSTEMS LTD.
TECHROUTES NETWORK PRIVATE LIMITED
VVDN TECHNOLOGIES
SECUREYE SERVICES PVT. LTD.
EMINENT CIO'S OF INDIA
ICONS OF INDIA
Icons Of India : Debjani Ghosh
Debjani Ghosh is the President of the National Association of Software...
Icons Of India : Kumar Mangalam Birla
Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla recently made a comeb...
ICONS OF INDIA : SACHIN BANSAL
Sachin Bansal is an Indian entrepreneur. He is best known as the found...
PARTNER SPEAKERS
PSU
NIC - National Informatics Centre
NIC serves as the primary IT solutions provider for the government of ...
PFC - Power Finance Corporation Ltd
PFC is a leading financial institution in India specializing in power ...
BEL - Bharat Electronics Limited
BEL is an Indian Government-owned aerospace and defence electronics co...
VIDEOS
Top 25 Brands
Global Indian industry
Indian Tech Talent Excelling The Tech World - NIKESH ARORA, Chairman CEO - Palo Alto Networks
Nikesh Arora, the Chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, is steering ...
Indian Tech Talent Excelling The Tech World - Steve Sanghi, Executive Chair, Microchip
Steve Sanghi, the Executive Chair of Microchip Technology, has been a ...
Indian Tech Talent Excelling The Tech World - Aman Bhutani, CEO, GoDaddy
Aman Bhutani, the self-taught techie and CEO of GoDaddy, oversees a co...
ITFORUM 2025
CMO of the Year
WOMEN LEADERSHIP
IMAGE GALLERY
TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY
MORE VIDEOS
ADVERTISEMENTS
TECHNOLOGY DISRUPTION
UNICORNS REVOLUTIONISING
of images belongs to the respective copyright holders
