TikTok’s Indian Rival ‘Mitron’ Crosses 5 Million Downloads on Google Play Store

     In a new challenge to the Chinese app and riding the back of the ongoing 'YouTube vs TikTok' debate, IIT Roorkee’s student developed the Mitron App, an Indian competitor of the short video sharing application. Crossing 5 million downloads within one month of launch on Google Play Store, the Indian rival has reportedly been getting over 5 lakh downloads per day on an average. 

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     Adding another feather to its cap of success within a month of its launch, Mitron App has reportedly climbed the number two spot on the Google Play Store. However, it is available for only Android devices so far. While in 2018 Indians spent 900 hours on TikTok and in 2019, over 5.5 billion hours, it remains to be seen whether the Mitron App will be able to maintain its popularity after its smart naming on the common term repeatedly used by PM Modi.

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Join us on Mitron

     In several of his speeches to Indians, PM Modi has used the term ‘Mitron’ which translates to friends in Hindi. A free short video and social platform, Mitron App comes at a time when controversies have beaten TikTok app to 1-star reviews on Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The description of the Indian app reads, “Our mission at Mitron is to create a platform where people can come and entertain themselves with small videos posted by people across the globe and at the same time create a social incentive for people to share and create their own videos.” 

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     Interestingly, the Mitron App’s user interface looks quite similar to that of TikTok’s along with the content which has videos with the TikTok logo on them. Developed by Shivank Agarwal of IIT Roorkee, the app’s high ratings said, “Lots of bugs. Missing tons of features. Supporting as its Indian.” Currently, the Mitron app is not available on iOS.