YouTube to launch short-video feature Shorts in India in a few days

Bengaluru: YouTube is launching short video format 'Shorts' starting in India with an early beta version in the next few days.
YouTube said Shorts is a new short-form video experience right on YouTube for creators and artists who want to shoot short, catchy videos using their mobile phones.

"Over the next few days in India, we’re launching an early beta of Shorts with a handful of new creation tools to test this out. This is an early version of the product, but we're releasing it now to bring you — our global community of users, creators and artists — on our journey with us as we build and improve Shorts," YouTube said in a blogpost on Monday.

YouTube said it will continue to add more features and expand to more countries in the coming months as it learns from its users and listens to their feedback.

YouTube said Shorts is a "new way to express yourself" in 15 seconds or less.

"Every month, 2 billion viewers come to YouTube to laugh, learn and connect. Creators have built entire businesses on YouTube, and we want to enable the next generation of mobile creators to also grow a community on YouTube with Shorts," it said.

YouTube in one among many social media companies who have launched a short video format to fill the gap left by short video app TikTok's ban. Facebook launched Instagram Reels inside the app right after India banned TikTok in June. There are dozen more local competitors.