Apple Explains Why It Removed TikTok From the App Store in the U.S.

ByteDance-owned apps like Marvel Snap, CapCut, and Lemon8 are still inaccessible to US users following TikTok's brief ban.

Key Points:

• TikTok's partial return: While TikTok has partially returned to service in the US, other popular apps from its parent company, ByteDance, remain unavailable.

• Affected apps: This includes the digital card game Marvel Snap, the video editing app CapCut, and the social media platform Lemon8.

• App Store and Google Play: None of these apps are currently available for download on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

• Unexpected ban: The ban on Marvel Snap surprised its developer, Second Dinner, who stated it was an "unexpected outage."

• Similar messages: Users encountering these blocked apps see error messages similar to those displayed during TikTok's initial shutdown.

• Other affected apps: The ban also impacts TikTok Studio, TikTok Shop Seller Center, Hypic, Lark - Team Collaboration, Lark - Rooms Display, Lark Rooms Controller, and Gauth: AI Study Companion.

• App store notices: Both Google Play and the App Store display notices to users attempting to search for ByteDance-owned apps, informing them of the current unavailability due to US legal requirements.

• Uncertain timeline: The return of Marvel Snap, CapCut, and Lemon8 to functionality and app stores remains uncertain.

The Situation:

The recent federal divest-or-ban law enacted on January 19th led to the shutdown of TikTok and several other ByteDance-owned apps in the US. While TikTok has made a partial comeback, other popular apps from the same company continue to be inaccessible.

Impact on Users:

• Marvel Snap: Users of the popular digital card game, Marvel Snap, were met with an unexpected outage, causing significant disruption to gameplay.

• CapCut and Lemon8: Users of the video editing app CapCut and the social media platform Lemon8 are also unable to access these services due to the ongoing ban.

• Download limitations: The ban has prevented users from downloading any ByteDance-owned apps from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Developer Responses:

• Second Dinner: The developer of Marvel Snap expressed surprise at the unexpected outage, emphasizing that the game was not intended to be affected by the ban.

• ByteDance: ByteDance has not yet provided a clear timeline for the restoration of service for these affected apps.

Looking Ahead:

The future availability of Marvel Snap, CapCut, and Lemon8 in the US remains uncertain. Users eagerly await further updates from ByteDance regarding the resolution of this issue and the potential return of these popular apps to the market.