Google's Threadit is a short-form video platform for work

Google's Area 120 startup incubator has launched a couple of of video apps that borrow from existing platforms like Houseparty and TikTok to target influencers and vloggers. Now, it's pursuing workers with its latest creation: Threadit. The video service, which launches today as a website and Chrome extension, lets you record clips or your screen to share with team mates. Though you can create longer videos that last up to 70 minutes, Threadit is designed for short-form content which Google says gets more "engagement and viewership."

Taking a page from Google Workspace, Threadit lets you control whether recipients can respond to a clip by limiting them to viewing or allowing them to add their own video. There are also 17 video templates that essentially create longer threads based on the task. For instance, the "Tutorial" option starts you off with six steps, each for a different bite-sized clip. While the app is currently free, Google plans to launch a paid tier in the future with advanced features for larger businesses. Notably, Threadit isn't available in the EU at launch, despite being accessible in the UK.

Google hasn't had much luck with short-form video in the past (remember Clips?). But, Threadit's simple setup, which worked wonders for Zoom, could help its cause. The app's sheer timing — arriving as it does while more people are acclimatizing to working from home — may also work to its advantage. If not, Google will probably just scrap it and start over.