The hot new messaging app has Gen Z in a Daze with 156,000 pre-launch sign-ups

Is a potential iMessage and WhatsApp killer lurking on TikTok? That’s where Daze, a messaging app slated for a November 4 launch, has built a strong following by posting product demos and other videos.

Daze looks to cater to people who love stickers, Bitmoji, and other graphical elements that can be found on existing messaging apps. As seen in Daze’s TikTok videos, each of its threads plays out as a series of GIFs, animations, and interactive elements, some of which are powered by AI.

To provide even more interactivity, Daze allows for the creation and distribution of in-message minigames, which can be customized by individual users. That feature puts Daze in line with the platforms that have adopted gamified content, including industry leaders like Twitch and YouTube and upstarts like Noice.

But the most intriguing thing Daze has going for it is the organic audience it has cultivated on TikTok. Its official account already has 100,000 followers and more than three million likes, and the app hasn’t even reached its public launch. It’s currently operating in an invite-only beta with about 1,400 users, according to TechCrunch.

@daze.chat Theres a troll on the next stop… #collage #drawing #textingmycrush #creative #brat #relationshipadvice #chat ♬ Sailor Song – Gigi Perez

Daze’s user base is in for a dramatic increase once its launch arrives. TechCrunch 

reported that the waitlist for Daze sign-ups has ballooned to 156,000 interested users.

“Our goal with Daze has been to make a feature complete messenger that is competitive with iMessage, WhatsApp, etc., while still having a suite of really fun and creative features,” Daze Founder Willem Simons told TechCrunch. “You can quickly type a message and press send, or drag the message anywhere within the chat. It is easy to use and utilitarian, but also very free and unconstrained.”

TikTok should be pleased to see a young startup marketing itself through vertical videos. The ByteDance-owned app has introduced a number of features aimed at small businesses, and it claims to have produced strong results with that push. A report from Oxford Economics estimated that TikTok generated $14.7 billion for U.S.-based small businesses in 2023.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that Daze will be able to capitalize on its head start. Other apps that have gone viral on TikTok, including ByteDance’s own Lemon8, have seen their usage subside after an initial viral breakout. Daze will have its chance to prove any doubters wrong when its colorful messaging threads go public on November 4.