Google is preparing to launch its free mobile video editing app, YouTube Create, on iOS—nearly two years after its initial Android release.
Highlights
- iOS Launch Incoming: Google is preparing to launch YouTube Create on iOS after nearly two years of Android exclusivity, with active hiring for iOS developers in Bengaluru signaling an accelerated rollout.
- Focus on Mobile Video Editing: The app targets YouTube Shorts and long-form creators, offering features like stickers, GIFs, and visual effects for quick mobile editing.
- Struggling Adoption Compared to Rivals: Despite Google’s push, YouTube lags behind competitors like CapCut and InShot in downloads, active users, and engagement metrics.
- Recent Growth Signs: YouTube Create reported 28% YoY growth in MAUs for Q2, outpacing CapCut and InShot’s growth rates during the same period, with India as its largest user base.
- Competitive Pressure Mounting: The iOS rollout will pit YouTube Create against not only CapCut and InShot, but also Meta’s new Edits app, which gained 5 million users in just four days.
- AI-Powered Editing Tools: Google is enhancing Shorts and YouTube Create with AI-driven features like beat-synced music, AI stickers, and timeline editing to attract more creators.
- Unified Creator Ecosystem Strategy: The iOS launch aligns with Google’s broader goal to build a seamless, cross-platform creator workflow across Shorts, YouTube Create, and Google AI tools.
- Official Release Date Still Pending: No formal iOS launch date has been announced.
The move reflects Google’s ongoing efforts to expand its suite of creator-focused tools and compete more directly with established mobile video editing platforms like CapCut and InShot.
Development Efforts Signal Accelerated Rollout
Job postings reviewed recently suggest Google is actively hiring software engineers in Bengaluru, India, specifically for the iOS development of YouTube Create. This investment indicates that Google is prioritizing the app’s iOS rollout as part of its broader mobile content strategy.
The Android-First Journey
The Create debuted in September 2023, initially targeting YouTube Shorts creators and long-form video makers seeking mobile-friendly editing tools.
The Android app first launched in the U.S. and seven other countries, expanding to 13 more markets by early 2024. It offers basic editing features such as stickers, GIFs, and visual effects, optimized for quick, on-the-go video production.
Adoption Challenges
Despite Google’s push, YouTube has faced challenges in gaining significant traction compared to competitors:
- Downloads: According to Sensor Tower, YouTube Create saw fewer than 500,000 Android downloads last quarter, with a total of 4 million installs since launch.
- By comparison:
- CapCut: 66 million Android downloads (same period)
- InShot: 21 million Android downloads
- Monthly Active Users (MAUs):
- CapCut: 442 million MAUs
- InShot: 92 million MAUs
- YouTube Create: Fewer than 1 million MAUs
- User Retention (90-Day):
- YouTube Create: 1%
- CapCut: 7%
- InShot: 4%
On iOS, where YouTube Create will soon launch, competition appears equally stiff:
- CapCut iOS MAUs: 194 million
- InShot iOS MAUs: 25 million
Engagement metrics also show disparity:
- CapCut: 62 minutes average monthly usage over 23 sessions
- YouTube Create: 38 minutes over 11 sessions
Signs of Early Momentum Despite Challenges
Despite its modest scale, YouTube Create reported 28% year-over-year growth in MAUs for Q2, outperforming CapCut’s 9% growth and countering InShot, which saw a 7% decline in the same timeframe.
India remains YouTube Create’s largest user base, contributing 51% of global MAUs this quarter, though this is down from 67% last year, signaling slow but ongoing global adoption.
Indonesia (21%), Germany (5%), Brazil (4%), and the UK (3%) follow, with countries like Spain, South Korea, France, and Singapore showing double-digit user growth.
New Entrants Intensify Pressure
The iOS rollout will place YouTube Create against not only CapCut and InShot, but also newer players like Meta’s Edits app, which recently launched on both Android and iOS.
Edits attracted over 5 million users in just four days, thanks to features like green screen, AI animations, and real-time creator statistics.
Enhancing YouTube Shorts with AI Tools
Beyond YouTube Create, Google continues to bolster its Shorts platform with AI-powered features, including:
- AI-driven timeline editing
- Beat-synced music integration
- AI sticker generation
Building a Unified Creator Ecosystem
YouTube’s broader strategy appears focused on creating a cross-platform, AI-enhanced creative ecosystem. The integration between YouTube Create, Shorts, and Google’s wider AI tools is designed to streamline the entire content creation journey—from ideation and editing to publishing.
An iOS launch would extend this unified workflow to a larger audience, especially as YouTube explores cross-promotions and template-driven content creation between its apps.
Google has not yet announced an official launch date for the iOS version of YouTube Create. However, the hiring activity and market signals suggest that the rollout could happen soon.
