In the world where people want to look perfect on social media, thanks to Instagram where influencers wish to look at their very bests, BeReal takes a total opposite.
Whereas users of Instagram can apply various filters and edits in order to make a photo stand out, BeReal only allows users to post in under two minutes.
Without preparation, users are urged to snap a photo of however they look, and their surrounding, using their phone's front and back camera, which are turned on simultaneously. Using this mandatory simultaneous photos from both the front and back cameras, BeReal urges users to provide a visual depiction of what they are doing in that moment.
To do this, users are given a notification per day, which varies from day to day.
This way, users have no time to even think of brainstorming the best angle, or even to think of a great caption to accompany the photo.
As a result of this, BeReal is simple, with posts that are meant to be authentic, and unique.
BeReal is a French social media app released in 2020, developed by Alexis Barreyat and Kevin Perreau. It experienced a relatively stagnant growth, until 2022.
In April, BeReal received a $30 million funding round that was led by Andreessen Horowitz and Accel, and then in May, BeReal secured $85 million in a funding round led by Yuri Milner's DST Global.
This significantly increased its valuation to way over $500 million.
Then in July, the app had more than 20 million estimated global installs.
As of the 25th of August, when BeReal has over 10 million active daily users. It emerged as one of the most downloaded apps in various app stores, and was the most downloaded app in August in Germany.
In comparison, in 2020, the app only had roughly 10,000 users.
The company announced the milestone in an update to its online jobs board. The startup noted that it aims to reach more than 100 million users, and said that at this time, it still has fewer than 30 employees
Users are urged to create a post under two minutes is not Instagram influencers could ever endure.
On-time BeReals show the time it was uploaded, while late BeReals uploaded after the two-minute window show only how late the poster is.
What makes BeReal an anti-mainstream social media app is that, users can only create one post at any time, and only get one chance to delete their BeReal and post another one.
This unique attribute makes BeReal comparable to Wordle, which experienced fame earlier this 2022. BeReal simply de-emphasized social media addiction and overuse, by making users use its app to use it less.
Because users are urged to create a post in under two minutes, the app does not allow any photo filters or other editing methods.
The company warned that the app "can be addictive" but also stated that "BeReal won't make you famous."
While BeReal received lots of praise, many concluded that the app is invasive, in which in trespasses privacy too far.
Because users are only given two minutes, they cannot create post with proper preparation, and as a result of this, the app glamorizes the banality of life, despite its emphasis on authenticity.
A few however, is making use of the app in a good way.
Harry Styles is one good example.
During his concert, a BeReal users in the audience got the notification that it was time to be Real.
The owner then asked the singer who has been performing in New York City’s Madison Square Garden since 20 August, to post to the app during his concert.
At first, the singer said no, and took a few steps back.
But later, Styles who was wearing pink pants and a red and white polka dot shirt, walked forward and leaned to reach the phone.
"Yeah, go on then, what is it?" asked the One Direction star to the owner of the phone.
Thanks to the app's front and rear cameras that are turned on simultaneously while creating a post, as part of his concert, the singer created an unforgettable on-stage moment.
Seen below, a recorded video by a Twitter user @tbsdefenseIess show the moment Harry Styles made his BeReal debut while on stage on 15 September.
From the 20,000 people attending the event, the BeReal user handed Harry Styles her phone, and allowed him to create a BeReal post.
"I'll let social media shine!" he said.
As he took the phone and smiled for the camera, he used the front camera of the phone for himself, and use the back camera to take the views of the audience.
"It's real!" Harry Styles said, when handling the phone back to its owner.
It's worth noting though, that bella._maria1, the owner of the phone, was 3 hours late.
