TikTok returns on Apple, Google US app stores amid ban delays

TikTok returned to Apple and Google app stores for downloading on Thursday (US time). This follows assurances in a letter from US Attorney General Pam Bondi that a ban would not immediately be enforced, as Bloomberg reported on Friday.

The statement released on TikTok’s official website says that “The TikTok app is now available for download from the App Store and Google Play. Our US users can download the latest version of our app and continue to create, discover, and share what they love on TikTok.”

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that his 75-day delay in enforcing a ban on the popular short-video app TikTok could be extended, but claimed he doesn’t think that will be necessary, Reuters reported.

The Chinese-owned social media app, used by 170 million Americans, went dark temporarily from the two stores before a law took effect on January 19 that requires its Chinese owner ByteDance either to sell it on national security grounds or face a ban.

On the day Trump took office on January 20, he issued an executive order to delay the TikTok ban by 75 days “to permit my Administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course of action with respect to TikTok,” Xinhua reported.

TikTok began restoring its services after about 14 hours of shutdown. Despite the delay of law enforcement, both Google and Apple had kept TikTok unavailable on their app stores in the US.

Commenting on TikTok’s return to the Apple and Google app stores, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Friday that the Chinese social media app has a large and rapidly growing user base in the US, which shows that it effectively meets the needs of American users.

“TikTok has, to some extent, become a part of the US economy. It has contributed to economic growth, job creation, and even the reallocation of resources,” Zhou said, noting that TikTok’s return to the two app stores highlights its significant growth potential in the US market, which remains a key focus for the company.

TikTok has maintained about 90 percent of its user traffic in the US, despite briefly going offline and being removed from the Apple and Google app stores, the CNBC reported on January 31, citing data from Cloudflare Radar.

Previously, Trump signaled at the White House that he thinks the US should own “half” of the social media app for it to stay in operation in the US, as media reported.

In the latest remarks to reporters about the matter in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump claimed he still hopes to make a deal on TikTok to keep the app alive in the US, crediting it with helping him win the 2024 presidential election, Reuters reported.

“Trump wants to resolve the issue quickly, and his public statements are also aimed at signaling to all market stakeholders that he hopes to resolve the matter in the short term … However, the timing of a resolution may not solely depend on any third parties or Trump’s wishes,” Zhou said.

It must also take into account the laws and regulations of countries involved, as well as the supply and demand dynamics of the market, the Chinese expert further noted, adding that “given this, resolving this issue may not be as straightforward as it seems.”

Responding to a media question over the matter of cutting a deal, Mao Ning, spokesperson from China’s Foreign Ministry, told a press conference on January 20 that “TikTok has operated in the US for years and been very popular with American users. It has played a positive role in boosting US employment and consumption.”

When it comes to actions such as the operation and acquisition of businesses, Mao said that “we believe they should be independently decided by companies in accordance with market principles. If it involves Chinese companies, China’s laws and regulations should be observed.”