A new TikTok app is set to debut in the United States, but this won’t be another product from ByteDance. Instead, the next version of TikTok in the U.S. will come from the company that acquires ByteDance’s U.S. operations. This fresh app aims to fully sever TikTok’s ties to China and resolve ongoing ban issues.
A Fresh Start with a New App
Reports indicate that TikTok’s current U.S. staff is developing this new platform, reportedly named “M2,” slated for release on app stores by September 5. It will serve as the official TikTok app for American users after the sale of TikTok’s U.S. business to a new owner is finalized.
Despite the shift in ownership, the new app is being developed by the same team behind the existing platform, though it is unclear how much it will differ from the original TikTok app.
The existing ByteDance-built TikTok app is expected to be removed from U.S. app stores upon the new app’s launch and will cease functioning by March 2026.
The transition to new ownership is a crucial step toward lifting TikTok’s “foreign adversary” designation in the U.S. The app has faced multiple attempts at bans, but the key condition to avoid restrictions is for TikTok’s U.S. operations to be fully owned by an American entity.
President Donald Trump has played a central role in facilitating this process, extending deadlines for ByteDance and China to approve a U.S. buyer and brokering negotiations between Beijing and prospective buyers.
Though the deal’s final approval remains pending with Chinese regulators, progress suggests the long-standing ban issues may soon be resolved.
What The Author Thinks
TikTok’s planned reboot under American ownership is a pragmatic move to ensure the platform’s survival in the U.S. market amid national security concerns. However, simply changing ownership and app branding might not fully address deeper geopolitical and data privacy worries. The real challenge will be convincing regulators and users that this “new” TikTok is truly independent and secure while maintaining the innovative spirit that made it popular.
Featured image credit: Heute
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