TikTok Plans New App for U.S. Users as Sale Nears [Report]

TikTok is reportedly building a new version of its app specifically for U.S. users, with a planned launch date of September 5, according to a new report from The Information. The new app, internally codenamed "M2," is part of a broader plan to facilitate the sale of the social media platform's U.S. operations to an investor group.

The plan would require TikTok's 170 million U.S. users to eventually download the new M2 app to continue using the service. The existing app, known as "M," will reportedly be removed from U.S. app stores on the day the new one launches, though it will continue to function until March 2026. This move, which risks losing users during the transition, is seen as a way to potentially address data security concerns that have been at the center of the debate over the app's future in the U.S.

The effort comes as the Trump administration says it is nearing an agreement for a consortium of non-Chinese investors, including Oracle, to buy TikTok's U.S. business, with Chinese parent company ByteDance retaining a minority stake. According to the report, President Trump said on Friday that a deal was close and that the administration would begin discussions with Chinese authorities this week. Chinese government approval remains the biggest hurdle to a sale.


This saga has been unfolding for some time. Last year, U.S. lawmakers passed the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act," which set the stage for a nationwide ban if the app was not sold. After the law was upheld by the Supreme Court, President Trump delayed the enforcement deadline multiple times. Meanwhile, other companies, including Amazon, made last-minute bids for the platform.

After TikTok was briefly removed from app stores, Apple restored the app in February following a letter from the U.S. Attorney General. The new app's planned launch date of September 5 is just ahead of the next ban deadline on September 17.

The Information notes that building a new version of the app and migrating its massive user base is a significant engineering challenge. It is not yet clear whether this new app was a requirement from the Trump administration or the investor group.

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