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TikTok reportedly prepping new app in the U.S. as potential sale looms

BBG News

Reports suggest that TikTok is planning to launch a fresh app in the United States, with the aim of preserving its service for millions of users there, even if a potential sale is finalized.

TikTok, a well-known video platform owned by ByteDance (a Chinese tech company), is being urged to sell its American operations by September 17th, or risk a nationwide ban in the United States. This potential action is due to apprehensions about TikTok’s connections with China, voiced by government officials in the U.S., who have expressed security concerns.

According to reports from tech news site The Information, TikTok is planning to launch a new app on September 5. The current version of the app may cease functioning in March 2026, at which point American users will need to download the new app if they wish to continue using TikTok.

TikTok did not respond to a request for comment.

Hollywood Inc.

The President has granted TikTok a new reprieve, allowing more time to tackle U.S. national security issues related to the video app’s connections with China, as he signed an executive order.

Experts predict that the upcoming app aims to alleviate any governmental security issues. There’s been talk among officials about TikTok potentially transferring user data to the Chinese government, a claim that the company refutes.

Ray Wang, the main analyst and founder of Constellation Research, expressed his viewpoint that TikTok will continue to be well-liked in the U.S., despite being sold. With over 170 million American users, TikTok serves as a platform for individuals to amuse themselves and learn through video content. Not only do small businesses, influencers, and big corporations utilize this platform for entertainment, but they also use it for marketing their products.

Hollywood Inc.

Under a President Trump’s administration, is there a possibility that ByteDance could still be compelled to divest its stake in TikTok? Let me outline several potential outcomes.

If Donald Trump remains president, would Chinese tech company ByteDance still be pressured to relinquish control of TikTok? Here are some possible situations that might unfold.

Wang mentioned that there will be a shift from the existing app to a new one. He pondered over the method of transferring the data during this transition and was confident that they would come up with an effective solution for it.

In the previous month, President Trump extended the deadline for ByteDance to sell off its U.S. operations until September 17th, from the initial January 19th deadline set by his predecessor, President Biden, last year. However, this deadline has been pushed back multiple times by President Trump. TikTok has expressed doubts about the law, stating that it does not support the notion that its Chinese ownership poses any national security threats.

Hollywood Inc.

As the April 5 deadline approaches for a possible sale of TikTok, it’s reported that Amazon has made an offer to acquire the social media platform. In case no agreement is reached, there’s a possibility that the well-known app may be barred from operation across the nation.

Possible buyers for ByteDance’s TikTok U.S. operations could be Oracle Corp., co-founded by Larry Ellison (a billionaire), Amazon, and a group of investors led by Frank McCourt (former Dodgers owner), who has teamed up with “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary in his bid. Moreover, San Francisco-based Perplexity expressed interest in March to redesign the TikTok algorithm.

For any agreement to go through, it must receive consent from the Chinese government. Experts speculate that the sale of TikTok’s American operations might not involve the platform’s algorithm, considered a key asset due to its ability to suggest relevant videos to users.

On Friday, Trump informed reporters that he intended to negotiate a TikTok agreement with China this week, though he didn’t reveal the prospective purchaser, as reported by The New York Times.

Trump stated, “I believe this agreement benefits China, as well as us. It’s primarily about financial gain, and there’s a substantial amount of it.

Business

Instead of focusing solely on traditional movie-watching, Hollywood aims to engage young audiences where they spend most of their time – by developing immersive experiences, offering game tickets for sale, and integrating itself into popular social media platforms.

During Trump’s initial term in office, efforts were made to prohibit TikTok, but since then, there seems to have been a shift in his stance. He has recently engaged with TikTok executives at Mar-a-Lago, expressed appreciation for the app’s appeal among young people, and boasted about his substantial fan base on the platform online.

In his bid for another term, Trump took on the role of a supporter for TikTok, stating that those wishing to keep it operational within America should consider voting for him.

Multiple TikTok influencers shared with The Times that they’ve expanded the places they share their content, feeling confident their followers would move along with them to other platforms should TikTok face a ban.

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2025-07-07 23:31

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