Apple Has Reportedly Expressed 'Serious Interest' in Purchasing TikTok [Denied]

[Rogifan]

Suddenly my thread on Apple killing Facebook doesn’t seem so far out.

How Apple can help kill Facebook

Facebook has grown very problematic in recent years, having gone from a benign friends aggregator to a monolith literally capable of destroying democracy as we know it. My intention for this thread isn't to politicize the topic. After all, whether you're conservative or liberal, we all value...

forums.macrumors.com

Except Apple told Axios they are not in discussions with TikTok and aren’t interested in buying it.

 

[Joniz]

From what I’ve read in other reports, it’s no one at Apple who are expressing the interest. It’s all outsiders saying Apple is expressing interest. Apple's simply said, “No.”

 

[rp2011]

This part of the article I agree 100% with


“and a bigger political headache than Tim Cook may want (both here and in China)”

 

[cmaier]

Except Apple told Axios they are not in discussions with TikTok and aren’t interested in buying it.

Don’t want to sound too eager

 

[Rigby]

Soon this app would come preinstalled on every iPhone, they would start collecting location history and other information on the device to better target ads, and we'd see the end of Apple's privacy oriented products. No thanks.

 

[cmaier]

Soon this app would come preinstalled on every iPhone, they would start collecting location history and other information on the device to better target ads, and we'd see the end of Apple's privacy oriented products. No thanks.

This is a strange take. Obviously if apple were to buy it (unlikely), they would conform it to their privacy practices.

 

[Rogifan]

Don’t want to sound too eager

When does Apple ever respond to rumors? Of course they would never say they were interested. They just wouldn’t comment. But like most things the rumor will get 10x the retweets/comments as Apple’s denial.

 

[Mojohanna32]

I hope not. Tik Tok is a toxic app and social environment.

curious as to why you think this app is toxic. Due to alleged data mining? The look at me nature of the app? If someone like MS or Apple purchased the app and cleaned up the data management issue, would you feel differently? Again, I am more curious here vs. making any sort of judgement on your comments.

 

[rotax]

First reaction is "oh God no" But I can understand why Apple would do this which is to attempt to find an acceptable agreement with China that does not cause blowback to them as a company trying to do business, manufacturing and selling iDevices etc. in China. After such a transaction, I hope Apple jettisons the business to a 3rd party

 

[iReality85]

Apple is pretty hands-on - if they buy it, I would expect more of a beats situation. First thing they’d do is mandate new privacy policies, sanitize the back-end infrastructure, etc. Then they’d start building hooks into iOS, to make iphones the best platform for viewing/posting stuff. They’d integrate it into the Apple TV app on Apple TV’s, etc. They’d continue to support other platforms, but I don’t think they’d be “hands off” at all.

I'd be on board with better privacy policies and a more secure infrastructure, that's really just Apple imprinting its business practices on Tik Tok.

I was replying more to the idea that these companies would buy Tik Tok, come in, fire everyone, raid the assets, and turn off the lights- which would in effect destroy Tik Tok. I don't think that's going to be the case here, and I'd be surprised if it's anything more than just title ownership and data acquisition. But like I said, famous last words.

 

[johnsc3]

Apple has expressed interest in purchasing video-sharing social media platform TikTok, according to Axios' Dan Primack:In a follow-up tweet, Primack described Apple's interest as "serious."

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said that he would shut down TikTok in the United States unless it finds an American buyer by September 15. Trump has also indicated that the U.S. Treasury should receive a "substantial amount of money" from the proposed sale, although there is some confusion as to what he exactly means by those comments.

Update 7:57 a.m.: Axios has updated its report to note that "an Apple spokesperson tells Axios that there are no discussions about buying TikTok and the company isn't interested."

Article Link: Apple Has Reportedly Expressed 'Serious Interest' in Purchasing TikTok

When does Apple tell the truth about “buying smaller companies from time to time...doesn’t discuss..” yadda yadda yadda?

 

[haydn!]

Hmmm, at face value, this doesn't seem like a strategic fit for Apple? Or even Microsoft if I'm honest. Unless Apple see it as an opportunity to drive Apple Music subscriptions.

 

[Rogifan]

When does Apple tell the truth about “buying smaller companies from time to time...doesn’t discuss..” yadda yadda yadda?

Apple is not interested in buying TikTok

Don’t count on Tim Cook to bail you out.

www.theverge.com

The company tells The Verge that there are no talks at present to acquire TikTok, and it has no plans to pursue such a deal.

 

[Rigby]

This is a strange take. Obviously if apple were to buy it (unlikely), they would conform it to their privacy practices.

How do you think Apple would monetize a social network? Social media are all about collecting information and building profiles to keep people "engaged" in their bubble and target them with ads. The business model is fundamentally incompatible with privacy.

 

[ipedro]

Unless Apple see it as an opportunity to drive Apple Music subscriptions.

Bingo. Apple understands that what people use their devices for, is where both the value can be found but also an existential threat.

This is why Apple acquired Beats. They couldn’t afford to lose their iTunes dominance. People used Apple products for music and having Spotify call the shots could represent a real threat to Apple. Apple Music averted that threat, maintaining a healthy counter balance.

This is also why they’re spending massive sums on tv. These days, people use their Apple devices for watching video. They don’t have to become the leader in TV but they need to fend off monopolitisc threats from Netflix or other emerging streamers.

TikTok has strong tie-ins to music and to overall pop-culture. While Apple doesn’t necessarily have to acquire it, they have to make sure Facebook or Google doesn’t. if I were Apple, I’d sit on the sidelines with an offer, allowing Microsoft to get Tik Tok but jumping in if Facebook or Google are about to take it.

 

[Rigby]

Unless Apple see it as an opportunity to drive Apple Music subscriptions.

That would be the tail wagging the dog. Tiktok is a far bigger business than Apple Music.

 

[techwhiz]

If Apple buys it, they will kill the Android option.

 

[BWhaler]

Nonsense. This is not Apple’s bag. This is either the company trying to bid up prices with fake demand or the media speculating. Either way, it’s nonsense.

 

[ArPe]

Can’t believe anyone fell for this story.

Policing the porn, child abusers, spammers and scammers on social media isn’t in Apple’s interests and those platforms go against Apple’s ethical beliefs on privacy.

Steve Jobs was told to look at Instagram in 2010 and knew it would be bad for Apple. His IG account still exists @SJobs

 

[nfl46]

Just no, Apple! Stay far away from this!

 

[Waragainstsleep]

This is how a company gets distracted, with too many irons in the fire, and things eventually slide downhill on all fronts. Just sayin'. There is such a thing as simply "too big".

Compared to most other companies a fraction of their size, Apple doesn't make that many products. Physical products that are still in production probably number in the hundreds if you count every different model of Mac, iPhone, iPad and every cable and adaptor they make. Compared to someone like Samsung who make hundreds of different chips, a bunch of memory products, phones (dozens of them), billions of laptop models at one time, SSDs, displays, printers, probably a whole pile more I'm forgetting. LG Philips make phones, displays, light bulbs. Panasonic make everything from DVD players to heavy construction vehicles via industrial air conditioners. Yamaha make pianos and motorcycles. Apples portfolio is tiny given their worth. TikTok would likely just be added to their services division and be given the odd dictations regarding feature sets and APIs. Otherwise leave them to it, they're doing pretty well as-is.

Apple is pretty hands-on - if they buy it, I would expect more of a beats situation. First thing they’d do is mandate new privacy policies, sanitize the back-end infrastructure, etc. Then they’d start building hooks into iOS, to make iphones the best platform for viewing/posting stuff. They’d integrate it into the Apple TV app on Apple TV’s, etc. They’d continue to support other platforms, but I don’t think they’d be “hands off” at all.

Apple is as hands-on as they need to be. Above most other companies acquiring companies, they know the value is in the talent and they don't want to stifle the talent. Other giants buy the company, relocate the staff, reassign them to other groups and make them start working the way their other employees always did. Then they wonder why the lose the magic. Compared to that, Apple is pretty hands-off I think. If it ain't broke....

The only question is whether the kids who love TikTok will accept Apple as their new overlords. That will likely depend on whether Apple manages to succeed in getting older users onto it or not.

I do think they'd keep the Android version though. Just add features sooner/better for Apple devices and make the experience better on those devices as you say.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

There is something creepy about a bunch of old men watching 16 year old girls dance. I know that’s only a subset of the user base, but it is a disturbingly large subset. Hopefully Apple changes the culture of the app somehow.

 

[macwant]

Soon this app would come preinstalled on every iPhone, they would start collecting location history and other information on the device to better target ads, and we'd see the end of Apple's privacy oriented products. No thanks.

You do realize Apple could accomplish the same thing, and probably do it better, by utilizing the OS that comes preinstalled on iPhones?

Why would an app acquisition of all things be what changes how Apple treats user data and privacy?

 

[carestudio]

glad that Apple denied it... good to see Apple prefers to work on something that's more useful for our lives...

 

[Appleman3546]

Personally, I use "vineyard - compilations" instead of tiktok, but this acquisition by Apple would peak my interest because it may correct a lot of the mistakes that PING made back in the day