YouTube’s Mobile Video Editor Launches on iOS
▼ Summary
– Google is developing an iOS version of YouTube Create, hiring engineers in India, nearly two years after its Android launch.
– YouTube Create offers free mobile video editing tools for creators, developed after consulting 3,000 users to compete with CapCut.
– Despite growth, YouTube Create lags behind competitors, with fewer downloads (4M total) and active users (<1M) compared to CapCut (442M MAUs).
– The app shows momentum with a 28% YoY increase in active users but struggles with retention (1% 90-day rate vs. CapCut’s 7%).
– YouTube Create’s user base is diversifying, with India (51%) and Indonesia (21%) as top markets, and strong growth in Spain, South Korea, and France.
YouTube’s mobile video editing app is finally making its way to iOS devices, nearly two years after its Android debut. Recent job listings spotted in Bengaluru confirm Google is actively recruiting engineers to develop the iOS version of YouTube Create, signaling a major expansion for the platform.
Originally launched in September 2023 for Android users in the U.S. and seven other markets, YouTube Create offers free editing tools tailored for content creators, including stickers, GIFs, and effects optimized for both Shorts and traditional YouTube videos. The app was designed after extensive feedback from over 3,000 creators, positioning it as Google’s answer to ByteDance’s CapCut.
However, the competition remains steep. Recent data reveals CapCut dominates with 66 million Android downloads this quarter alone, while InShot follows with 21 million. YouTube Create, in comparison, has barely reached 500,000 downloads in the same period and just 4 million since its launch. The gap in active users is even wider, CapCut boasts 442 million monthly users on Android, while YouTube Create struggles to hit one million.
The iOS landscape looks equally challenging. CapCut leads with 194 million monthly active users, followed by InShot at 25 million. Despite these hurdles, YouTube Create shows promising growth, with a 28% year-over-year increase in active users, outpacing CapCut’s 9% rise and InShot’s 7% decline.
Analysts note that while YouTube Create is gaining traction, retention remains an issue. Only 1% of users continue using the app after 90 days, far below CapCut’s 7% retention rate. Engagement metrics also lag, users spend an average of 38 minutes monthly on YouTube Create, compared to CapCut’s 62 minutes.
Geographically, India remains YouTube Create’s largest market, accounting for 51% of active users, down from 67% last year. Indonesia follows at 21%, with Germany, Brazil, and the UK rounding out the top five. The app is also seeing rapid growth in Spain (119%), South Korea (91%), and France (89%).
An iOS launch could help YouTube Create carve out a bigger slice of the market, but experts caution that competition from established players like CapCut and Instagram’s editing tools won’t fade easily. With Google remaining tight-lipped about release timelines, creators will have to wait and see if YouTube’s mobile editor can truly compete.
(Source: TechCrunch)
