Campaign Middle East rounds up the latest updates on social media, and content and streaming platforms from July 2026. Here are the key highlights:
Spotify
Spotify has launched Your Summer Persona in Egypt, a personalised in-app experience that matches listeners to a summer identity.
The platform also rolled out Podcast Clips, a new feature designed to make it easier for listeners to capture, revisit, and share the moments from podcasts that resonate most. For creators, Podcast Clips provides an additional discovery and engagement opportunity, allowing a single moment to serve as an entry point for new audiences and a deeper connection with existing fans.
WhatsApp has rolled out a range of new features aimed at improving how people use the app across devices, including standalone account creation on iPad, enhanced in-car functionality, PDF editing and music sharing in Status.
Users can now create and register a WhatsApp account directly on an iPad without needing to link it to a smartphone. The platform has also upgraded its Apple CarPlay and Android Auto experience, allowing users to view and reply to messages, make calls and access recent contacts from their vehicle’s display. On desktop and web, WhatsApp has added Adobe Acrobat-powered PDF support, enabling users to open, highlight and annotate PDFs directly within chats without downloading them.
The platform is also expanding Status with music sharing, allowing users to post songs directly from Apple Music and Spotify. The new features are rolling out globally over the coming weeks.
Instagram is globally rolling out Replace Audio, allowing users to change the music on published feed posts and carousels without deleting and re-uploading them – all the while, preserving all of their existing likes, comments, and reach.
Last month, Instagram also launched Instagram Plus, a new subscription designed to give users exclusive features. The new subscription is an optional upgrade for users who want more control, deeper insights, and premium features.
These include:
X
Shared an algorithm update which boosts the visibility of user posts to users mutuals, the people who you follow back. The update improves on the – data was missing from the algorithm and it made mutuals appear less in replies. This should also help clusters form around interests more easily, which many users have asked for.
X has also introducied Mentions Boost for Premium Business subscribers. This function boost organic mentions and transform authentic conversations into impactful ads with just a few clicks.
TikTok:
TikTok introduced a set of AI and creator-led advertising tools, including Symphony Agent, an agentic AI product designed to help advertisers develop platform-native campaigns more efficiently.
Symphony Agent brings together advertiser objectives with signals from high-performing content and emerging platform trends. The tool is designed to support several parts of the creative process, from building videos to identifying relevant creator content and matching creators to campaign needs.
The product will operate across TikTok’s creative ecosystem. Within Symphony Creative Studio, it uses an AI chat interface to help advertisers develop TikTok ads. Within Content Suite, it helps brands review creator videos and surface content recommendations that may be relevant to campaign planning.
TikTok has also said the tool includes safeguards such as AI labels, invisible watermarks and moderation filters. Those details matter because the next phase of AI-led marketing will be judged not only by speed and output, but by transparency and responsibility.
