YouTube Tamba leaks as Google's answer to TikTok and Instagram

Google already offers short-form vertical videos with YouTube Shorts to position itself against social networks such as TikTok and Instagram. However, Google could now be planning an entirely new social network that goes much further in terms of social features to compete more seriously with the dominant short-form video platforms.

Android Authority was able to find concrete evidence of an app called Tamba in the code of version 21.44.534 of the YouTube app for Android. Its logo combines a modified version of the YouTube play button with "Tamba" lettering. Both the logo and the icons within the app have a hand-drawn look that clearly sets them apart from the modern, clinical look of the YouTube app. These icons also provide clues about some of the app's features, as YouTube Tamba includes icons for a chat, a camera, a microphone, adding friends and creating posts.

Unlike YouTube, Tamba is expected to support private profiles whose content is only visible to approved followers. The app is reportedly being developed for both the Apple iPhone and Android smartphones. However, Android Authority points out that Tamba could merely be an internal Google prototype, and the app might ultimately never be released. It is also possible that Google will integrate some of these features directly into YouTube rather than offer them in a separate social media app.