Apple Shows Serious Interest In Buying Chinese Video Sharing App TikTok - Reports

Apple Shows Serious Interest in Buying Chinese Video Sharing App TikTok - Reports

Apple has emerged as a potential contender to Microsoft in the purchase of the Chinese video sharing service TikTok, Axios reported on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th August, 2020) Apple has emerged as a potential contender to microsoft in the purchase of the Chinese video sharing service TikTok, Axios reported on Tuesday.

"Apple has expressed serious interest in buying TikTok," the report said, adding that the company did not immediately respond for comment.

On Monday, Microsoft said that it plans to finish negotiations with ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, on the purchase of the video-sharing application no later than September 15.

US President Donald Trump proclaimed September 15 as the deadline for the purchase to be completed or the US government will issue a ban over privacy concerns.

The report said there was no confirmation that Apple was pursuing TikTok, which is available as an application on its Iphone.

Multiple sources have noted that Apple has expressed interest, albeit no sources inside the tech giant, and that at least one other strategic party has also expressed interest, the report said.

It would be an unusual deal for Apple, given that TikTok is a cross-platform application and a bigger political headache the company may want in the United States as well as in China, the report also said.

Yet, if anyone has the cash on hand to complete the purchase, it would be Apple, the report added.

Trump told reporters on Monday that a substantial portion of the sale's proceeds, speculated in US media to be as high as $50 billion, should go to the US Treasury.