ByteDance closes 8-year-old cloud album app amid proliferation of general-purpose cloud services

ByteDance, the Chinese owner of short-video app TikTok, said it will shut down a cloud album app it launched nearly eight years ago, leaving users rushing to download years of photos and videos.

ByteDance did not provide a reason for its decision to shut down Everphoto, which was launched on Apple’s App Store in October 2015. The closure is effective on November 15.

Users will still be able to browse and download their previously backed-up photos and videos before the closing date, but they will not be able to store or share any new photos or videos effective immediately, according to the announcement on its app and website.

Neither Everphoto nor ByteDance immediately replied to a request for comment. However, one reason for the closure may be dimming profit prospects for such services in China, where general cloud services are now popular.

NetEase, China’s second-largest video gaming company, closed its cloud album service in May 2019 after 16 years of operation, while the cloud album app of Chinese video platform Youku, which is owned by Alibaba Group Holding, closed down in January last year due to “business adjustments”, with users told to transfer files to Alibaba Cloud. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

The closure of Everphoto also comes as ByteDance is seeking to improve its resource allocation as its domestic revenue growth slows amid stiffer competition. Several other photo-related apps backed by ByteDance, such as Uoka Camera and Qimiao Camera, have also ceased operating in recent years.

When Everphoto was launched in 2015, it quickly became one of the most popular cloud albums in China, due to features such as intelligent facial recognition and categorised photo storage. It was developed by Shanghai Time Infinite Technology Co, which was acquired by ByteDance in 2017.