TikTok makers secretly testing a $1.70/month music streaming app

ByteDance Inc, the studio behind viral social media platform TikTok, is secretly testing a music streaming app in India and Indonesia. Called Resso, the app is available on both Android and iOS.

Developed by New York-based Moon Video Inc, Resso has largely gone undetected as a ByteDance-published offering. Bloomberg reports that the app was initially launched six months ago and says it has around 27,000 users, citing Sensor Tower data.

Chinese startup ByteDance’s music streaming app has been in the works for a while. It aims to challenge the likes of Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Prime Music in emerging markets like India, Bloomberg reports.

The new service has secured rights from Indian labels like T-Series and Times Music. However, it is yet to procure licensing deals from the big global labels like Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment.

Resso: App interface and features

Resso’s startup interface is pretty similar to the likes of Apple Music. It asks users to pick their favorite artists and sets up an initial list of recommended music. The similarities with other music streaming services end there.

The app’s interface is much like the TikTok app. Swiping up brings up the next track and its accompanying video or album art.

Resso lets users add their own photos, GIFs, or videos to the music, similar to TikTok. This feature is called “Vibes.” When a user adds a Vibe, it’s also visible to other subscribers who are listening to the same track. They can then choose from a bunch of user uploaded vibes or album art to play alongside the track.

The app also allows users to view the lyrics of a song, add lyrics if they are absent, and share them across apps such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and more.

Listeners can even leave comments under songs, adding in a layer of social interactivity.

Availability

In India, Resso’s paid ad-free subscription costs Rs 119/month (~$1.70). It’s the same price as Spotify, but more expensive than local music streaming services like Gaana and JioSaavn. The library is also very limited right now, so it’s not really the best option for subscribing just yet.

ByteDance, however, is hoping to achieve the same success with Resso as it did with TikTok. A Resso representative told Bloomberg: “We are optimistic about its long-term prospects but we are still very early in the process and only in a limited number of developing markets.”

TikTok has seen nearly 1.5 billion installs since its 2017 launch. Will Resso be ByteDance’s second global hit? We’ll have to wait and watch. You can check out the app via the Play Store button below.