Key points
- Trump to discuss potential TikTok deal with China
- New version expected to be released by September 5
- Current app usable until March 2026
ISLAMABAD: Popular video-sharing platform TikTok is developing a new version of its app specifically for users in the United States, ahead of a planned sale to a consortium of investors, according to a report by The Information.
This move comes as US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that he would begin discussions with China on Monday (today) or Tuesday regarding a potential deal for TikTok. He remarked that the United States “pretty much” has an agreement in place concerning the sale of the short-video app.
The report noted that TikTok has outlined plans to release the new version of the app on US app stores by 5 September.
Last month, President Trump extended the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to divest its US operations until 17 September.
Downloading new version
According to the report, TikTok users will eventually need to download the new version of the app to continue using the service. The current version will remain functional until March next year, although that timeline is subject to change.
Earlier this year, a deal was being negotiated to separate TikTok’s US operations into a newly formed company, primarily owned and managed by American investors. However, those plans were paused after China signalled it would not approve the deal, following President Trump’s announcement of significant tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump stated that the US would likely need to secure approval from China for the agreement to proceed.
