Neither Apple nor Google have reintroduced TikTok to their respective app stores, and for good reasons: the proposed escape route suggested by Trump is hardly a solution. Both companies would face potentially massive liabilities worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
This past weekend, Android users eager to download TikTok found another route available – although I wouldn’t recommend it. Instead, a more advisable method would involve utilizing the approach taken by iPhone users …
Why TikTok Remains Absent from App Stores
Current regulations stipulate that the app must be transferred to an American company, and until such a transfer occurs, it remains illegal for US entities to engage in business with its parent firm ByteDance. Consequently, app stores cannot make the app available for download.
Although Trump previously issued an executive order that paused the enforcement of this law, the order is likely unlawful and provides no real protection for companies acting on it. They may still face prosecution under a future administration, or even this one, should Trump change his stance or develop grievances against one of these companies – which is a pattern he frequently exhibits.
Therefore, it’s unsurprising that none of the major app stores – including Apple, Google, Microsoft, or Amazon – have reinstated the app.
Direct Downloads for Android Users Available Now
As reported by our sister site 9to5Google, ByteDance has made the TikTok Android app accessible for direct download, circumventing Google’s app store.
The widely-used app can now be directly downloaded as an APK file while it remains unavailable on the Google Play Store […] In a post on Twitter/X, TikTok announced the opening of direct APK downloads for its Android app, alongside a “Lite” version.
This means users would be downloading the app directly from a Chinese company without any vetting or oversight from an intermediary app store in the US.
It’s possible that the direct download mirrors the exact binary previously available on the Google Play Store and is entirely safe. However, this cannot be guaranteed.
Emulating iPhone Users is a Safer Option
Apple’s enclosed ecosystem ensures that regular iPhone users cannot install apps outside of the App Store (or, in some EU countries, via a third-party app store).
Nonetheless, iPhone users can employ a workaround: simply add the tiktok.com website to your Home Screen. This is achieved by visiting the site, tapping the Share button, and selecting the Add to Home Screen option. This action grants immediate access to TikTok online.
I would recommend that Android users adopt the same approach.
White House Considers Alternatives to Full Sale
While regulations necessitate the sale of TikTok’s US operations to an American entity, the WSJ reports that the White House is contemplating a potential joint venture, which could even involve government participation.
Last week, TikTok Chief Executive Shou Chew met with senior White House officials, proposing a framework for a joint venture with U.S. investors. This new entity would be based in the U.S. and be responsible for overseeing data security, according to sources familiar with the proposal. Management would be predominantly U.S.-based, with a majority U.S. members on the board of directors. Whether U.S. government investors would be included remains uncertain.
Adding complexity to the situation is the trade conflict initiated by Trump, which may position TikTok as a bargaining chip. However, the legality of any covert arrangements with the White House is still in question.
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