News

Deezer’s Shaker Connects Friends Across Music Apps

The new feature lets users share music with up to 14 people, even if they don’t use the same streaming platform.

Published

1 year ago

November 14, 2023

Nour Nasir

Deezer

Amongst a flurry of updates, improvements, and a recent rebrand, music streaming service Deezer has now announced Shaker. The new feature lets users “access the perfect music mix for any moment with friends, family, co-workers, or anyone you want to spend time with”.

The concept is simple: With a few screen taps or mouse clicks, a mix is generated that blends together a group of friends’ favorite music and includes fun insights into the musical compatibility and guilty pleasures of group members.

Aside from the intuitive interface, the clever thing about Shaker is that it allows users to connect with up to 14 friends using a simple invite link — even if they use a different platform like Spotify and don’t want to download the Deezer app. The Shaker algorithm then starts work by generating a mix of 70 songs tailored to the group’s unique preferences. If they’re unhappy with the selection, they can easily refresh a mix or curate a playlist from scratch.

Also Read: Best Music Streaming Services In The Middle East

“Shaker is designed to create a feeling of connection, encourage people to experience music more freely, erase the boundaries between friends, and create a space where you can discover new songs to fall in love with,“ explained Alexandra Leloup, VP Product at Deezer, “To achieve this, it was key to not only include tailored playlists based on the musical tastes of users and their friends but to make sure everyone can join in no matter which streaming platform they use”.

Shaker aims to help users say goodbye to hours spent curating playlists for their parties, road trips, and sports sessions, creating the perfect fusion of music tastes to connect friends like never before.

News

Will Upcoming Changes Turn Instagram Into A TikTok Clone?

Updates are rolling out for the grid layout and Reels length, while new editing tools clearly imitate those of the rival Chinese platform.

Published

3 days ago

January 24, 2025

Nour Nasir

Instagram

Instagram recently faced backlash for swapping its iconic square grid for rectangles, disrupting the aesthetic of thousands of carefully curated profiles. However, the Meta-owned platform isn’t stopping there, after announcing more incoming TikTok-like changes designed to give users greater control over their profiles.

“We launched a new tall grid on profiles this week and I got a lot of feedback, both positive and quite negative,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared in an Instagram caption on Monday. “The goal is a simpler, cleaner place that maintains, and even increases, creator control”.

Here are some of the details about further changes we can expect:

Customizable Grids: Users will soon be able to tweak how their posts appear on the grid, including adjusting image crops and reordering posts entirely.
Direct-To-Grid Posts: A new option will allow users to post directly to their profile grid without automatically adding it to their main feed.
Highlights Relocation: Instagram’s Highlights feature will move from above the grid into a dedicated tab, while also becoming part of the profile grid itself.
Longer Reels: Reels are getting a significant upgrade, with the maximum video length jumping from 90 seconds to 3 minutes.

The updates are part of Instagram’s ongoing effort to compete with TikTok, which narrowly avoided a US ban following a 75-day delay granted by President Donald Trump. With the Chinese video platform’s future remaining uncertain, Instagram seems eager to capture disillusioned users by offering features that feel increasingly similar to those of its rival.

Also Read: How To Find & Cancel Pending Instagram Requests

In fact, Instagram’s recent changes go beyond just the app’s layout: On Sunday, parent company Meta launched the standalone Edits app, a clear imitation of TikTok’s popular video-editing tool, CapCut. Additionally, Meta has been enticing creators with cash bonuses to encourage them to post their videos on Instagram and Facebook.

It’s clear Instagram is shifting its strategy to appeal to the short-form video crowd. Whether these changes will win over users or continue to spark discontent remains to be seen.