We all know the feeling of sending a funny TikTok video to a friend, waiting eagerly for their reaction, and only receiving a laughing emoji or, worse, no response at all. Seen, a brand-new app, aims to change this by letting friends record live video reactions to short-form content you send them.
What is Seen?
Seen is a video messaging app for iOS devices. It was cofounded by entrepreneur Faheem Kajee and actress Karen Gillan, famous for her role as Nebula in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie series. With Seen, you can send videos in private one-on-one messages or group chats with up to 11 people.
When friends receive your video, they must record a live reaction. This reaction is viewed only by you and any mutual friends in the group chat. You then reply with a video reaction to their reaction.
Key features
One of Seen’s standout features is its integration with TikTok. You can share TikTok videos directly from the TikTok app to your friends on Seen. The app also offers a feed of popular TikTok videos and allows you to upload videos from your iPhone’s camera roll. Future updates will include integrations with YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.
Launch and user base
Seen launched on the App Store earlier this month and already has thousands of users. The company plans to release an Android version soon, although no specific date has been announced.
“Our broad goal is creating a platform that helps people connect with one another that feels very real,” Kajee told TechCrunch. “[Sharing video reactions] is better than just getting a thumbs-up back. It prompts a broader conversation, and there’s a sense of results from seeing somebody’s reaction.”
Funding
Kajee has cofounded three other startups, including Moment, Initial and Found. For Gillan, this is her first venture into the tech startup world. “Karen is really helpful for the distribution stuff,” Kajee said.
The app has attracted significant investment, securing $1 million in funding from notable investors such as Twitter co-founder Ev Williams, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin and former Crunchyroll CEO Kun Gao.
Featured image courtesy: Seen