Apple’s New iPhones in the US Can’t Download, Use TikTok — Including Reset Devices

It has been a week since President Donald J. Trump gave ByteDance and TikTok the green light to reinstate their services and provide 170 million Americans with the platform, but the sad news for Apple fans, it is still not available. Although there are users who opted not to delete the app despite being unusable when it shut down, there are those who are now regretting that as they cannot redownload TikTok.

On the other hand, users who recently got a new iPhone from Cupertino, also cannot download the app from the Apple App Store, as the tech giant still upholds the ban against TikTok, including another service provider, Google.

New Apple iPhones Can’t Download, Use TikTok

According to the latest report from 9to5Mac, iPhone users in the United States may still not download and use TikTok which applies to newly-bought iPhones recently picked up from Apple or delivered by the company. This is because TikTok remains unavailable on the Apple App Store as part of their adherence to the United States government’s H.R. 7521, a.k.a. “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.”

This act previously prohibited Apple, Google, and more from distributing TikTok on the market, and others to allow the Chinese social media platform to run its services in the country once the deadline elapsed.

New iPhones that were recently bought have a dilemma, and this is because they indeed have a current model on their hands but cannot download TikTok from the App Store as part of Cupertino’s decision.

TikTok Is Still Banned From Service Providers

Since Apple still adheres to the Foreign Adversary Act, it has TikTok banned on the platform until further notice, particularly as according to 9to5Mac’s repair, Trump’s executive order and promise do not guarantee that they will be safe from the law’s implications. This also affects users who have recently received new iPhones from service and want to simply transfer their data and those who have reset or restored their devices.

TikTok and Its Massive Support from Trump

The dreaded day of millions of Americans this January was the 18th, particularly as it was the day of TikTok’s deadline to sell the platform to a US company or buyer, as part of the law’s mandate as it was designated as a foreign adversary. Despite fighting against the United States, TikTok promptly shut down the platform and adhered to its ban in the country which led to many protesting and joining alternatives.

However, almost immediately after the ban, then-President-elect Trump gave TikTok his approval to continue their operations in the country, promising them that they would not face repercussions if they reinstated their services. The same goes for service providers who are responsible for distributing TikTok and running its services in the country, as Trump signed an executive order that effectively delayed the ban.

That being said, the service providers did not risk this, as despite being the President of the United States’ executive order and promise, there may still be legal implications against them which could lead to fines worth billions of dollars. Until now, these service providers have not yet brought back TikTok on their devices, and this affects new, newly-serviced, reset, or restored iPhones in the US.