One photo a day, at a random moment, without preparation and without a filter: this was the motto of the French social network BeReal, which was a success for two years in France but also abroad.
However, following this increase in force, the backlash is also heavier: by the numbers, the app seems to be tired. According to the analyst firm AppTopia, the level of downloads has fallen by 51% from its peak in October 2022, to around 6 million in March 2023.
A thread reserved for “celebrities”
The app that claims to be “anti-Instagram” has taken matters into its own hands by offering several new features to its users. The last one is the “Real People” feature, a news feed dedicated to “famous” personalities.
“RealPeople is a news source made up of the posts of the world’s most interesting people: top athletes, artists, activists, etc. It’s a collection made up of people who inspire and intrigue around the world but, just like you, share real, authentic moments from their daily lives,” the app said in a May 1 statement.
An update that seems rather contrary to what the app originally advocated, namely sharing unfiltered photos and snapshots only with your real friends. However, it fits in the “authentic” spirit of the app. For now, RealPeople is only available as a trial version in the UK, “with a global version expected to arrive very soon.”
A batch of news
Last month, the company had already taken a radical step in this direction by implementing “Bonus BeReal”, which allows, as long as you post your photo on time, to post a second one during the day. . This update is already available for French users.
Finally, another update also allows you to share the music you listen to directly in the application with your contacts. This one has been more low-key, but is strongly supported by music streaming service Spotify.
BeReal is a French app that was quickly exported to the rest of the world, in particular to the United States, where it was a quick and clear success. TikTok and Instagram, two industry heavyweights, quickly took hold of his concept. At the beginning of October it exceeded 50 million downloads and at the end of 2022 it was named “application of the year” in the App Store, the application store for Apple devices.
Source: BFM TV
