TikTok the global sensation stands banned in India along with 58 other Chinese apps that were brought down by a government order in late June. But soon the 200 million local TikTok users found Roposo, India based short video platform to rock the country.
Today, there are a number of Indian startups making profit on the downfall of the Chinese apps including TikTok, UC browser and WeChat messaging. Just like Roposo, there are many apps making headlines post ban of Chinese apps.
Leading Indian apps supplementing the Chinese apps
Roposo
Roposo received 500,000 new users in an hour within two weeks of TikTok being banned. And it expects reaching the 100 million users by July end. Before the ban, it had only 55 million users. The app belongs to a Bangalore based advertising agency InMobi owned by Naveen Tewari.
According to Naveen Tewari, the users won’t be embarrassed with the content. It features videos related to music, pranks, fashion and jokes about the COVID-19 pandemic. It has humor minus the ribaldry. On the contrary, TikTok was criticized for its sexual favor.
Roposo Hope To TikTokers
Other Indian apps
Chingari, Mitron and Bolo Indya are other Indian apps claiming a lion’s share in the Indian market left stranded by Chinese apps. These are startups and they include companies that are barely weeks old. Moj is an app that has just come into the digital space but it is notching up the titanic numbers.
Ardent followers of Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar also launched an app called Elyments to rival Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. Mukesh Ambani released JioMeet video conferencing app to supplement San-Jose based Zoom.
Manjunath Bhat, a senior director analyst at Gartner Inc. said that Indian entrepreneurs were full of talent but short on ambition. The combined effort of coronavirus forced lockdown and banning of Chinese apps was like a never-before opportunity for Indian startups.