Instagram announces new video app Edits

Instagram has announced a video editing app, Edits, as TikTok restored services in the US after President-elect Donald Trump assured a possible reprieve from ban after he takes office on Monday.

Amid legal challenges faced by TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced the app in a video shared on his social media.

"There's a lot going on in the world right now, but no matter what happens, we think it's our job to create the most compelling creative tools for those of you who make videos for not just Instagram but for all platforms out there," he said.

Mosseri said Edits is not just a video editing tool, but ‘a full suite of creative tools designed for mobile video production.

Currently available for free pre-order, Edits is set to launch in February, with the official release date listed as March 13 on the App Store.

The move comes as TikTok and its mobile editing app, CapCut, face a ban in the US under new legislation.

On Jan. 19, the US Supreme Court upheld a law that required the app's Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell it to a non-Chinese buyer or face a nationwide ban. The court rejected the app's free speech arguments.

Ahead of the Supreme Court's ruling, Trump had asked the court to hit pause on the law, asking for some time for his administration to work on finding alternatives to banning the app.

After the ban, he said on Truth Social: "I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security."

He added that companies supporting the ban would not face legal repercussions under the order, but reiterated his goal for TikTok to be partially owned by Americans. TikTok has since resumed services in the US.