TikTok Developing New App Version Amid Looming US Ban and Potential Sale – Report

TikTok is reportedly developing a new version of its app in the United States as it prepares for a potential sale to a group of U.S.-based investors, according to The Information.

The move comes as U.S. President Donald Trump announced he will begin talks with China early next week over a possible deal involving TikTok’s U.S. operations.

He said the United States “pretty much” has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app.

TikTok has developed a plan to launch the new app to U.S. app stores on September 5, the report said.

Last month, Trump extended to September 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the U.S. assets of TikTok.

The report added that TikTok users will eventually have to download the new app to be able to continue using the service, although the existing app will work until March of next year, though the timeline could change.

TikTok did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report.

A deal had been in the works earlier this year to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a new U.S.-based firm, majority-owned and operated by U.S. investors. That was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump’s announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods

Source: Reuters