TikTok has returned to both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store in the United States. The app was removed from Apple and Google’s stores on January 19, 2025, due to a brief nationwide ban. Although the app’s service was swiftly restored following President Donald Trump’s assurance not to enforce the ban, it remained unavailable for download in US app stores.
Apple has since changed its stance, as reported by Bloomberg. The company decided to act after receiving a letter from US Attorney General Pam Bondi. Trump had beforehand instructed the Justice Department via an executive order to postpone enforcing the ban for 75 days. Apple has not yet provided comments on the matter. TikTok is now officially back on Google’s Play Store as well, which followed the company’s prior advice for Android users to sideload the app.
What will happen to TikTok long-term is still uncertain. Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to reach a “deal” that would enable the company to continue its operations in the US, possibly including agreements that would grant the US government a stake in the company. Various investors and companies have made proposals to acquire parts of TikTok, but the company has not made it clear which offers are being considered seriously.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-is-back-in-apples-app-store-in-the-us-014013369.html?src=rss
