TikTok has made an unexpected comeback to the Apple App Store and Google Play, little under a month after the US government banned the app.
In a letter to Apple, US Attorney General Pam Bondi promised that the business will not face penalties under the present administration. A clause in the Biden administration’s TikTok ban would hold platform owners responsible for app installations made after January 19. Neither Apple nor Google were prepared to compromise without guarantees, as each download carries a substantial $5,000 penalties.
READ MORE: iPhones With TikTok Loaded Are Selling For Much To $10,000 On eBay
On January 19, the app was taken down from the stores of both tech giants. ByteDance created a version of TikTok that could be downloaded outside of Google Play because Android makes it very easy to sideload apps. However, as iOS is by far the most widely used mobile platform in the US, the prohibition may as well not exist now that TikTok has returned to the Apple App Store.
The Apple App Store accounted for over 52% of TikTok downloads in the previous year, according to app data analytics company Sensor Tower. The remaining 48% came from Google Play, making it easy to divide the platform between iOS and Android consumers.
READ MORE: U.S. TikTokers Come To Xiaohongshu, Confusing And Uniting With Chinese Users
Regarding TikTok, President Trump stated that while he does not believe it is required, he might extend the company’s 75-day deadline for finding a U.S. partner for sale. He has designated National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Vice President J.D. Vance to head a task force that will supervise the sale of TikTok’s U.S. business.
In recent weeks, a vast list of prospective customers has surfaced, many of whom have expressed interest in buying the social media app. In reference to his directive to establish a sovereign wealth fund for the United States, President Trump stated that he could envision TikTok joining that fund. This ominous tale seems to have deflated like a flan in a cupboard now that TikTok is back in the major app stores and accessible for download.
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