Vine Is Back, Bitches. Its New Version Is Going To Be Called "Byte."
“Do it for the Byte / I ain't gon' do it.”
our new looping video app is called byte. launching spring 2019
Vine's co-creator Dom Hofmann has announced that the apparent successor to the defunct Vine app will be launching next year.
Vine 2.0 will be called "Byte."
In a simple and cryptic tweet on Thursday, Hofmann said he's been working on "new looping video app" and that it's slated to be "launching spring 2019."
A new Twitter account was also started for Byte, with just a single tweet waving hi to its new followers sitting on its page.
(If you recall, Twitter shut down Vine two years ago, citing declining user engagement. Vine's cofounder Rus Yusupov appeared to blame Twitter for mishandling the company.)
Hofmann's announcement sent a wave of gasps, excitement, curiosity, and jokes online.
@dhof
Since 2016, people have been ready for this moment.
VINE LIVES https://t.co/MoeBQKoSY1
Some even began workshopping potential phrases and slang for Byte.
“Do it for the Byte I ain’t gon do it” https://t.co/snlJ060CPJ
"So we'll be.... byters? rebyte for rebyte?"
so we'll be.... byters? rebyte for rebyte? https://t.co/IbPVZTd7ls
"Byte compilations are just gonna be called gigabytes."
byte compilations are just gonna be called gigabytes https://t.co/BiWKkpUGjF
Others begged Hofmann to let them beta test the app early.
@dhof Bro let me join the beta asap god I'm desperate haha
@dhof IM READY FOR THE BETA DOM PLEASE
If anyone's still left wondering what the appetite was for Vine (or some newer iteration) to come back...these dramatic reactions will tell you.
I’ve been happy about stuff in my life before. But not like this https://t.co/8j6AlZ0Vex
Nothing else matters because Vine is coming back also f u @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/Pd782edrHQ
@dhof
We will always have our Twitter "in memoriam" threads about the best-of Vines. But soon, we will have the best-of Bytes.
HERE’S A 100 PART VINE THREAD TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY:
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Hofmann to learn anything — anything — more about the new project.
Oh, and someone has some unsolicited business advice, Hofmann.
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Tanya Chen is a social news reporter for BuzzFeed and is based in Chicago.
Contact Tanya Chen at tanya.chen@buzzfeed.com.
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