Last month, millions of TikTok account users in the United States had one of their most memorable (and for some, forgettable) experiences when their beloved app shut down for several hours. The app shutdown, which occured on the night of January 18th, lasted for about half a day before users could finally log onto it again. However, for many TikTok users who already deleted their app (and not offloaded the app data instead so that they can still easily log back in), they could not reinstall the app due to it not being available on the Apple App and Google Play stores. Fast forward to the present day, TikTok has finally makes its anticipated return to those app stores.
The return of Tiktok to the Apple App and Google Play stores sent shockwaves
According to an article from Bloomberg about the breaking news, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi assured Apple in a letter that the company would not face fines under the current administration, following a TikTok ban that threatened significant penalties for app downloads after January 19. As a result, that is why both Apple and Google removed TikTok from their respective app stores. However, ByteDance managed to offer a sideloadable version of the app for iPhone and Android users. The return of TikTok to Apple’s App Store raises questions about the viability of the ban, especially since iOS is the most popular mobile platform in the U.S. currently.
According to data from the app analytics firm Sensor Tower, approximately 52% of TikTok downloads last year originated from the Apple App Store, while Google Play accounted for the remaining 48%. This indicates that the platform is has a strong balance of representation among both iOS and Android users.
The search for a potential U.S. buyer is still ongoing
President Trump has suggested the possibility of extending the 75-day deadline for finding a U.S. buyer for TikTok but sees no immediate need to do so. He has assigned Vice President J.D. Vance and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz to oversee the sale process, with a growing list of potential buyers expressing interest. President Trump also indicated that TikTok could play a role in creating a U.S. sovereign wealth fund. With TikTok available for download again, the urgency surrounding its status seems to have diminished significantly.
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