X is releasing a big update to establish itself as a creator-oriented platform and a new video editor and recorder is available for iOS users. The project will include green screen recording, multilingual caption overlays and improved in-app video creation tools.
The announcement was made by Nikita Bier, Head of Product at X, who said that the new video editor is available on the iPhone app.
"Today we're launching a brand new Video Editor and Recorder in the iOS app," Bier said, adding that the update has something that has been eagerly awaited: multilingual captions and green screen recording.
New tools designed for content creators.
The green screen feature is the best of all: It allows you to make videos with X posts and/or images from your camera roll as a dynamic background to record videos, and the creators can record them on screen. The feature is similar to tools already available on TikTok and YouTube Shorts and is popular among users of these sites, where communities and content creators can answer and comment on posts, news stories and images.
That’s why we added multilingual caption overlays and let you add captions in different languages and customize their style and appearance. This can be used to make content available to more people on a global level, and more people can see videos if they don’t have sound on their screen.
The new editor is integrated into X's recording interface and allows users to create, edit and publish videos without third-party editing applications.
X's growing focus on video.
The strategy is part of X’s overall plan to become a better destination for video content. Since Elon Musk acquired X in 2022, X has shifted away from text and real-time conversations.
Over the past few years, the company has added a video tab to the site, made videos longer and encouraged creators to upload original content on the platform. X also created revenue-sharing programs for existing content creators so that they could earn from engagement and ads displayed alongside their content.
In fact, company leaders say that empowering creators is one of X’s top priorities.
"One of our biggest priorities is to give creators the tools to create original content and reward those creators," Bier said, hinting that more updates are already in development.
Competing with TikTok, Instagram and YouTube
The latest video editor arrives as competition among social media platforms intensifies. TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts have dominated the short-form video space as they have powerful in-app editing tools, effects and creator-focused features.
With green screen support, multilingual captions and editing tools, X is making another step towards closing the gap with its competitors. Content creation is easier on the platform in hopes that people will spend more time editing and watching videos on the platform.
For journalists, educators, influencers and content creators who typically follow trends and react to online content, this change could be quite useful, industry observers say.
More features are on the way
While the new tools are a major upgrade, X is showing us that there will be more improvements to come soon. Bier revealed that the company has “plenty more updates” planned for the video editor in the next few weeks so that the platform’s video aspirations are far from over.
X is evolving from a multimedia-focused social network, and the new iOS video editor highlights an attempt to get creators on board and compete aggressively in the fast-growing creator economy. For users who depend on video to engage with audiences, the update could make X a more compelling platform for creating and sharing original content.
