TikTok was initially expected to be banned in the US on January 19, as China’s ByteDance had not yet agreed to sell its business. After a brief interruption, the platform resumed operations, but the TikTok app only returned to Apple and Google app stores last Thursday evening.
On his first day back as US President, Donald Trump ordered a 75-day delay in the TikTok ban, extending the deadline until April 5. During this period, negotiations are expected to continue with ByteDance to reach a deal that would grant American authorities control over TikTok’s US operations. Trump has advocated for a joint venture in which the US government would own at least 50% of the shares. Elon Musk, a known associate of Trump, was rumored to be among the potential buyers of TikTok’s US division, but the billionaire denied these claims.
TikTok Traffic Rebounds Despite Store Removal
Last night, American users were once again able to download and install TikTok from the official Google and Apple app stores. While Android users could still install apps from third-party sources to bypass restrictions, Apple’s closed ecosystem made it more difficult. This led to a spike in demand for iPhones with TikTok pre-installed, with some devices selling for thousands of dollars on the secondary market.
Despite nearly a month-long absence from official app stores, TikTok has managed to recover about 90% of its user traffic compared to levels before the January 19 ban, notes NIX Solutions. This suggests that the platform remains highly popular among American users. Yet we’ll keep you updated as more developments unfold regarding TikTok’s future in the US.