Makeover apps now take over internet

[Photo provided to China Daily]

"We will develop tailored tools for users to look different and with their own personalities. That's a future endeavor, more natural and more personalized," says Jiang from MeituPic.

Apart from making people look beautiful, photo-editing apps now develop entertaining tools for people to make funny photos, which is very popular in Asia where the "cute culture" is deeply rooted, says Jiang.

With the technology of artificial intelligence, people can be pictured like caricatures of different styles.

Bunny and cat ears, sunglasses, funny beards and cute slogans are common to see in photos posted on social networks among the young in Asia.

Chen Ye, 29, a bank accountant in Shanghai, says she has seen a rise of friends posting photos with cat ears and whiskers since last year.

Even her boss' daughter, an 8-year-old primary student, is a big fan of such cute tools of photo-editing apps offered by various companies.

"Although it's a little bit childish, I love it. Very funny," says Chen, who is a die-hard fan. She even used such cute tools to help edit her mother's photos.

Jiang says the entertainment function of MeituPic is now more popular and a new trend in Asian market after users have used its beauty function for years.

"To be beautiful and to be funny are parallel functions for app developers, " says Jiang.

Since January, MeituPic has launched its caricature tool across the world. Some stars and celebrities post their caricatured photos on Instagram and Facebook, which attracted lots of followers and went viral on social media.

The caricature tool even helped MeituPic climbed to top of the app list within weeks in many countries, according to Meitu.

"The entertainment function is to allow users to collectively take part in a funny activity. Asians are going forward while the Westerners are catching up," Jiang says.