Key Highlights:

• ByteDance’s new agentic AI smartphone faces major pushback from major Chinese apps over security and fairness concerns.
  
• The company has restricted its AI agent, Doubao, after reports of blocked logins, account freezes, and privacy worries.
  
• The launch reveals both the promise and risks of fully autonomous AI systems that can control a device like a human.
  

ByteDance’s Agentic AI Smartphone Faces Major Pushback Across China

ByteDance’s ambitious new AI smartphone, the Nubia M153, is drawing significant resistance from major Chinese platforms, prompting the company to roll back several of its most advanced features. Powered by Doubao, an agentic AI capable of operating the phone like a human, this device was meant to showcase the future of autonomous mobile computing. Instead, it has triggered a wave of concerns over security, fairness, and user privacy.

Major Chinese Apps Push Back

Leading platforms, including Alipay, Pinduoduo, and Taobao, have restricted or blocked Doubao’s automated operations. These companies cite issues such as unfair engagement, potential misuse, and risks to financial security. Some users reported that their accounts were frozen shortly after the AI performed tasks inside sensitive apps, even when they logged in manually.

Only a handful of major apps, including Meituan and ByteDance’s own Douyin, continue to work normally with the AI assistant.

ByteDance Restricts Doubao’s Powers

In response, ByteDance has scaled back Doubao’s capabilities. The AI can no longer interact with financial apps, claim user incentives, or operate competitive games where automated play could offer unfair advantages. The most significant restriction concerns WeChat: users experienced app crashes and suspensions, leading ByteDance to temporarily disable Doubao’s ability to control it.

The company says it is now working with developers to set clearer rules to avoid blanket bans.

Privacy Concerns Add to User Hesitation

ByteDance insists that the phone does not store screen data on its servers and that users’ activity is not used to train AI models. Still, many early adopters remain cautious. Doubao’s “global memory,” which allows it to remember tasks across apps, has heightened worries about device-level surveillance and unintended data exposure.

Real-World Challenges

The Nubia M153 made headlines after viral demos showed Doubao navigating apps visually, scrolling, typing, posting content, and completing multi-step tasks without step-by-step commands. The system’s full-stack control surpassed traditional assistants like Siri or Google Assistant, which rely on limited API calls.

But the same power that excited AI enthusiasts also alarmed regulators, app developers, and ordinary users.

Future Plans and Industry Impact

ByteDance stresses that the Nubia M153 is a “technology preview” priced at 3,499 yuan, mainly for industry professionals. The company plans to license Doubao to more smartphone brands after refining safety controls. The episode highlights a larger industry shift as tech companies worldwide, like Apple, Google, and OpenAI, race to build action-capable AI assistants.

For now, ByteDance’s phone demonstrates both the potential and the pitfalls of giving AI near-human control over a device. As the debate continues, the industry faces a defining question: how much autonomy should AI really have?

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ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, just dropped a major piece of the future of 3D content creation. It’s called Seed3D 1.0, and it’s not your average model generator. This tool can turn a single 2D image into a complete, simulation-grade 3D model, complete with detailed geometry, photorealistic textures, and physically based rendering (PBR) materials.

It’s an end-to-end pipeline built on the increasingly popular Diffusion Transformer architecture, trained on massive datasets and clearly aiming for dominance in the generative 3D space.

Seed3D 1.0 focuses on realism, structure, and scalability

While tools like Gaussian Splatting and open-source projects such as Hunyuan3D have pushed boundaries, ByteDance claims Seed3D 1.0 outperforms both open-source and closed-source rivals in texture quality and geometric fidelity. It achieves this with just 1.5 billion parameters, beating even larger models like Hunyuan3D 2.1, which uses 3 billion parameters.

The core innovation lies in its combination of a multimodal Diffusion Transformer and a stepwise generation strategy. It begins by analyzing an image with a vision-language model to extract object-level and spatial cues. It then generates individual 3D models and assembles them into a full scene. This allows it to scale from a single chair to a fully detailed office or even a large-scale cityscape.

Seed3D 1.0 also excels at maintaining texture consistency across multiple viewpoints. Instead of relying on generic textures, it generates view-aligned materials that remain coherent from every angle, ensuring both realism and structural accuracy for simulation-grade use. The output isn’t just for research purposes; models created with Seed3D can be directly integrated into simulation platforms like Isaac Sim for embodied AI training.

As the boundary between real and synthetic content continues to blur, Seed3D 1.0 marks a significant leap forward for ByteDance, and potentially for 3D content creators, robotics developers, and spatial computing platforms around the world.

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Tesla has introduced a new AI-powered voice assistant in its electric vehicles in China, developed in partnership with DeepSeek and ByteDance. The feature is called “Hey Tesla” and is designed to give drivers natural voice control for navigation, media, and cabin functions.

Tesla confirmed that ByteDance’s Doubao large language model will manage voice commands such as adjusting the air conditioning, setting routes, and controlling entertainment. DeepSeek’s chatbot will handle conversational tasks, including news, weather updates, and casual interaction. Both models operate on ByteDance’s Volcano Engine cloud platform, which processes requests in real time through an encrypted API.

The company launched the system with the new six-seat Model Y L SUV, which went on sale in August. Unlike older Tesla models in China that require pressing a steering wheel button, the Model Y L supports a wake phrase. Drivers can say “Hey Tesla” or set a custom word to activate the assistant hands-free.

Tesla’s choice of partners reflects its push to localize features for the Chinese market. Domestic rivals such as BYD, Nio, and Xpeng already use advanced AI voice assistants, giving them an advantage in customer experience. By adopting DeepSeek and Doubao, Tesla aims to close that gap and compete more directly with homegrown brands.

In the United States, Tesla continues to use Grok, the AI model built by Elon Musk’s startup xAI. The split shows Tesla’s regional strategy, with local AI providers powering its cars in China to meet regulatory and consumer expectations. BMW has taken a similar path, working with Alibaba’s QWen LLM for its Chinese lineup.

Tesla has not confirmed when the new voice assistant will expand to other models in China. The company’s updated terms of service mention the integration, but some owners said they had not received the feature in recent over-the-air updates. Despite the delay, Tesla is signaling that in-car intelligence is now central to competing in the world’s largest EV market.

In related news, we recently covered a comprehensive guide on AI chatbot subscriptions in 2025, including all the key plans, pricing, and features you need to know.

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ByteDance is apparently working on a brand new AI model and Huawei could play a critical part in the hardware infrastructure. TikTok’s parent company could be used to train and develop the upcoming AI model. So here’s what we know so far.

ByteDance turns to Huawei for new AI

According to a Reuters report, the US export restrictions have been a hurdle for ByteDance, making it impossible for them to acquire NVIDIA chips. ByteDance’s AI project was initially using NVIDIA’s H20 AI chips that were designed for the Chinese market to avoid the US government’s restrictions. For those unaware, the US is being selective on which AI chips can be purchased by Chinese entities to stagger China’s tech growth.

So to circumvent this restriction, TikTok’s parent company is turning to Huawei to help train and develop its AI. The new model would employ chips from Huawei instead of NVIDIA. ByteDance has reportedly ordered 100,000 Ascend 910B chips from Huawei this year. Although, it has only received around 30,000 units so far. To recall, Huawei’s Ascend 910B chips are apparently better than NVIDIA’s A100 chips.

It seems to have better GPU performance and energy efficiency. However, the shortage of chips appears to have slowed down the AI model development project. Interestingly, while ByteDance was navigating its way through the US government’s restrictions to get NVIDIA chips, this report hints at its plans to reduce its reliance on US technologies. It is worth noting that this is still just an unconfirmed report, so take this news with a pinch of salt for now. Earlier this year, ByteDance had also unveiled Coze, which was a platform similar to OpenAI but with an innovative spin. It could be used to create and deploy AI chatbots by users who do not have any coding skills.

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TikTok is experimenting with AI-powered virtual influencers designed to help merchants promote products. This technology would create a digital celebrity persona for merchants, acting in ads based on scripts and store recommendations. However, the project raises concerns about competition with human creators and potential user backlash.

Internal testing revealed that the AI isn’t ready for replacing human influencers just yet.

According to The Information, internal testing by TikTok revealed the AI is not ready for primetime, generating fewer sales than real influencers. They believe AI will ultimately complement, not replace, human marketing efforts.

Advertisers familiar with the project say it’s in early development with an uncertain launch date. ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, may further refine or even scrap the feature entirely.

This news comes amidst a similar trend on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, where many creators rely on partnerships with established brands for income. This model gained traction after TikTok cancelled its $1 billion USD creator fund subsidy program, leaving some creators feeling financially squeezed.

Looking toward the future rollout of this AI feature, foreign media highlight the need for TikTok to navigate user sentiment carefully. The platform previously rallied users to lobby Congress against a potential ban in the US. Given this delicate situation, TikTok must ensure these AI influencers don’t alienate their human base.

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TikTok, one of the popular (yet controversial) social media platforms, is now under scrutiny by European regulators, raising questions about its compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). The EU’s deep dive into TikTok’s operations centers on the platform’s impact on the safety and privacy of its younger audience, an issue that is gaining attention worldwide. Previously, Meta and Twitter (Now X) were also under attack by the US Senate for the same reason.

The probe will also explore the platform’s user-engaging algorithms

The focus of the investigation is multifaceted, targeting the addictive nature of the platform’s algorithms, which are designed to keep users engaged for longer periods. This “rabbit hole effect” is a concern because it can expose users, especially minors, to content that may be harmful to their mental and physical well-being. Europe’s concern extends to the mechanisms TikTok uses to verify the age of its users, aiming to shield minors from inappropriate content by enforcing stricter privacy settings.

Moreover, the European Commission is not just stopping at user safety. It’s also examining TikTok’s approach to advertising transparency and the availability of its data to researchers. These efforts mirror previous actions taken against other social media giants. The implications of this probe could be significant for TikTok. The platform has already made adjustments for EU users, such as offering an option to disable algorithm-driven content recommendations and enhancing content reporting features. However, with the ongoing investigations, TikTok might need to consider further changes to its operations.

This step is important because it signals a growing awareness and action against the potential risks social media poses to users, particularly the younger demographic. As digital platforms continue to evolve, the balance between user engagement and safety becomes increasingly crucial. TikTok’s journey through these regulatory challenges will be a test of its commitment to user safety, and it needs to pass with flying colors in order to secure its future growth.

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Tech behemoths Meta and TikTok‘s parent company ByteDance are making headlines by challenging a new financial demand from the European Union. This controversy centers around the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates that major online platforms, including these tech giants, contribute to the costs of their own regulation. According to reports, the EU has tallied these costs at a hefty €45.2 million ($48.7 million), a sum that Meta and ByteDance are now contesting.

Meta has been handed a bill for $11.9 million, but Amazon and Pinterest are exempt

The crux of their argument? The method the EU has used to calculate how much each company should pay. As it stands, the fee depends on the size of a platform’s user base, with those having 45 million users or more being asked to pay up. However, not all companies are treated equally under this system. For instance, businesses like Amazon and Pinterest, which reported minimal profits, have been exempted from payment. In contrast, Meta has been handed a bill for €11 million ($11.9 million). ByteDance’s exact dues remain undisclosed, but they’re standing with Meta in questioning the fairness of this approach.

Meta has voiced concerns that the current system unfairly burdens certain companies, particularly highlighting that firms recording losses are exempt regardless of their user numbers or regulatory demands. This discrepancy, they argue, could leave a disproportionate financial load on the shoulders of profitable companies.

The stakes are high, with non-compliance risking fines up to six percent of a company’s global revenue. Beyond the fees, the DSA imposes obligations for clearer advertising, content moderation, data sharing with the EU Commission, and participation in annual audits. With the DSA now in effect, all eyes are on how this battle over the balance of financial responsibility for online safety and transparency will unfold.

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ByteDance is taking a giant leap forward in the artificial intelligence (AI) space with the launch of Coze, a platform that mirrors OpenAI‘s GPT models but with a twist. This innovative platform is set to revolutionize how businesses and individuals create and deploy AI chatbots, making it a game-changer for those without coding skills.

The new custom chatbots can be used across ByteDance’s entire ecosystem

Coze has made its debut in China, a market untouched by OpenAI’s services, presenting itself as an accessible AI development platform. This strategic move allows users to craft their AI bots swiftly, tailor-made for various tasks, without delving into the complexities of coding. This initiative is not just about simplification but also about integration, as these customized chatbots can be shared across ByteDance’s ecosystem, including the enterprise tool Feishu and even on WeChat, Tencent Holdings’ colossal app with a user base exceeding 1.3 billion.

This development is part of ByteDance’s broader strategy to pivot towards AI, also affected by its recent decision to shut down its gaming platform and a healthcare encyclopedia. These closures signal a sharpened focus on AI, spurred by the burgeoning popularity of generative AI tools like ChatGPT.

At the heart of ByteDance’s AI enthusiasm is CEO Liang Rubo’s call to action for his team to embrace and innovate with new technologies more proactively. This comes amidst the company’s ongoing success with its AI-driven content recommendation system, which personalizes user experiences in apps like TikTok and Jinri Toutiao.

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The ongoing dispute between TikTok and Universal Music Group (UMG) has taken center stage in the music industry. It’s not just about the songs of popular artists like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish possibly disappearing from TikTok; it’s a larger conversation about the value of music in the digital age.

Popular artists such as Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish can disappear from TikTok

ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has accused UMG of prioritizing profit over the interests of artists and songwriters. TikTok argues that UMG is missing out on the promotional benefits offered by its billion-user platform, which serves as a key discovery tool for new talent.

The heart of the matter lies in compensation. UMG claims TikTok’s offer for their new deal is significantly lower than fair market value, highlighting that TikTok’s massive user base and rising ad revenues don’t translate to adequate returns for music creators. UMG emphasizes that despite TikTok’s popularity, it contributes a mere 1% to their total revenue.

The timing couldn’t be more critical, as the existing licensing deal is set to expire soon. TikTok prides itself on having reached favorable agreements with other labels and publishers, but this standoff with UMG could change the dynamics.

Adding another layer to the dispute is the role of artificial intelligence (AI) on TikTok. UMG is concerned about the increasing use of AI-generated content on the platform, suggesting it could dilute the royalties for human artists. TikTok dismisses these claims, defending its use of AI as an enhancement to user experience, not a replacement for artists.

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The company is also on the lookout for fresh talent in these regions

At the heart of this expansion is ByteDance’s plan to sublease a significant office space in San Jose, California, a move that echoes its commitment to deepen its roots in the tech world. But it’s not just about physical space; ByteDance is on the hunt for fresh talent, particularly computer engineers, to bolster its teams in Canada and Australia. These new recruits will be instrumental in driving innovation across ByteDance’s diverse range of apps, including TikTok, CapCut, and the lifestyle app Lemon8.

Interestingly, ByteDance isn’t just hiring locally. The company is also shifting 120 of its existing employees from China to Canada and Australia, spreading its global influence and expertise. This relocation strategy underscores ByteDance’s unique approach to fostering a diverse and experienced workforce.

While ByteDance has stepped back from video gaming, it’s making significant leaps in e-commerce. Leveraging TikTok’s massive popularity, the company has set ambitious goals for its U.S. shopping operations, eyeing a tenfold increase to a staggering $17.5 billion in gross merchandise volume. This bold target is part of ByteDance’s larger vision to not just compete but lead in the tech arena.

In 2023, ByteDance’s revenue soared by around 30%, surpassing the growth of tech giants like Meta Platforms and Tencent Holdings. With more than $110 billion in revenue, ByteDance is not just keeping up with the competition – it’s setting the pace.

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2023 was a huge year for ByteDance, the owner of the popular app TikTok. The company saw its sales skyrocket to over $110 billion. This impressive achievement not only showcases the company’s growth but also signals a significant shift in the tech world, as it potentially overtakes Tencent, one of China’s internet giants.

The company has faced major scrutiny in markets like China & India

ByteDance’s journey has been remarkable, especially considering the economic challenges in China and intense scrutiny in major markets like the U.S. and India. Despite these hurdles, the company’s revenue growth mirrored its 2022 pace, rising from over $80 billion. This is a testament to ByteDance’s adaptability and innovative approach.

The company’s strategy goes beyond just social media. It’s leveraging TikTok’s massive popularity to venture into e-commerce and other areas. This diversification is crucial, particularly in times when relying solely on social media might be risky. ByteDance’s move into e-commerce is not just about expanding its business portfolio; it’s about redefining how social media platforms can drive economic growth.

In China, ByteDance is transforming Douyin into an all-encompassing platform, offering services like food orders and hotel reservations. This expansion is directly challenging established players like Alibaba and Meituan. Meanwhile, TikTok’s strategy in the U.S. and other international markets focuses on merging entertainment with shopping, as seen in its acquisition of Tokopedia’s e-commerce unit in Indonesia.

However, ByteDance’s journey is not without challenges. Its profitability, particularly as a private company, remains unclear. Also, its efforts to address national security concerns in the U.S. highlight the complex landscape international tech companies navigate.

Looking ahead, ByteDance’s ambitions in artificial intelligence and other tech realms show its desire to be more than a social media powerhouse. Though it has faced setbacks, like in its gaming venture, the company’s willingness to experiment and adapt could be key to its future success.

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ByteDance, the parent company of the popular short video app TikTok, recently faced scrutiny over its use of OpenAI’s technology. This issue brings to the forefront the intricate balance between innovation and ethical use of technology in the fast-paced world of AI development.

ByteDance clarified that only a small group of engineers used OpenAI API

Earlier, allegations surfaced that ByteDance was using OpenAI’s technology to create a competing service. This claim was met with a firm denial from ByteDance, stating their usage was in line with OpenAI’s service terms. They clarified that their use of the OpenAI API was part of an experimental model by a small group of engineers, which was never intended for public release.

The situation underscores a broader trend in the tech world, where the boundaries of collaboration and competition often blur. ByteDance’s statement emphasized their commitment to adhering to OpenAI’s terms, particularly the clause against using outputs to develop rival models. Despite this assurance, OpenAI temporarily suspended ByteDance’s access to its services, pending further investigation.

This incident sheds light on the competitive landscape of AI technology. Chinese companies, including ByteDance, have been striving to catch up with their global counterparts in the generative AI space. The emergence of OpenAI’s advanced models like GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 Turbo has set a high bar, intensifying the race for AI supremacy.

China’s burgeoning AI scene is not without its challenges. The country has witnessed a surge in the development of local large language models (LLMs), leading to concerns about resource wastage and the need for more originality in AI development. This situation calls for a thoughtful approach to innovation, where respecting intellectual property and fostering genuine advancement go hand in hand.

ByteDance’s case is a pivotal moment in the AI industry, highlighting the fine line between inspiration and imitation. It serves as a reminder that as technology advances, so too must the ethical standards guiding its use.

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In quite another landmark decision, US district judge Donald Molloy halted Montana’s unique ban on TikTok, the popular short-video sharing app, citing a breach of free speech rights. This move, coming into effect on January 1, marks a significant moment in the ongoing tussle between individual freedoms and national security concerns.

TikTok has been under fire recently by the US officials

TikTok, a platform owned by China‘s ByteDance, has been under scrutiny for its alleged data privacy issues. Critics, including the Montana state legislature, argue that the app could potentially enable Chinese espionage by misusing the personal data of its American users. However, TikTok firmly denies these allegations, assuring that user data is secure and not shared with the Chinese government.

Judge Molloy’s decision reflects a crucial aspect of American values: the protection of free speech. By blocking the ban, he underscores the importance of individual rights in the digital age. The judge’s skepticism about Montana’s lone stance in banning TikTok further points to a need for uniformity in handling tech-related security issues at a national level.

Interestingly, this isn’t TikTok’s first rodeo with legal challenges in the US. The Trump administration’s 2020 attempt to ban new downloads of the app was met with similar judicial pushbacks. These events highlight a broader debate: how can nations safeguard their security without impinging on the freedoms of digital expression?

As global digital platforms like TikTok become ingrained in daily life, balancing user rights with national security becomes more complex. Montana’s case exemplifies this struggle, bringing to the fore the challenge of navigating the thin line between ensuring privacy and upholding freedom of expression.

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In recent developments, ByteDance, the conglomerate behind the popular app TikTok, has opted for a strategic shift in its approach to the gaming industry. Amid a market that is increasingly challenging, ByteDance is reducing its workforce in its main gaming unit, impacting numerous projects and potentially changing the landscape of the gaming sector in China.

The Chinese company is pulling out of numerous gaming projects

ByteDance’s flagship gaming studio, Nuverse, has decided to halt most of its ongoing projects that are yet to be launched. This decision reflects the intensive process and regulatory challenges involved in bringing new games to the lucrative yet highly regulated Chinese market. Nuverse’s choice to sell the rights to games such as ‘Crystal of Atlan’ and ‘Earth: Revival’ underscores the shifting priorities within the company.

This restructuring comes at a time when the Chinese gaming market, once a burgeoning field for technology giants, is showing signs of stagnation. Regulatory measures, including strict playtime limitations for minors and rigorous game approval processes, have contributed to this slowdown. These regulations have dampened the previously vibrant atmosphere for game development and release in the country.

The layoffs at ByteDance are significant, with the gaming unit previously boasting nearly 2,000 employees. While some may find opportunities within other ByteDance divisions, the overall impact is a reduction in workforce, with compensation packages reflecting years of service.

This move by ByteDance, China’s most valuable startup, signals a recalibration in its business strategy. Initially, the company aggressively pursued gaming as a diversification strategy from its social media revenue, primarily from Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok. This included major acquisitions like Moonton Technology, aiming to establish a presence in Southeast Asia’s gaming market. However, the recent decision to scale back and even offload some of its gaming ventures points to a new direction, possibly influenced by the challenging market conditions and stiff competition from industry leaders like Tencent and NetEase.

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Where artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the entire corporate landscape, ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has taken a big leap. The launch of Feishu 7, the latest version of its online collaboration tool, marks a new chapter in workplace automation. This AI-powered platform stands as a testament to ByteDance’s commitment to innovation, aligning with the current trend where Chinese tech giants are actively integrating AI into industrial applications.

Feishu 7 derives its functionality through various Large Language Models

Feishu 7 is designed to make Chinese enterprises “AI-ready.” By incorporating ChatGPT-like functionalities through various large language models (LLMs), it promises to transform the way organizations operate. Xie Xin, CEO of Feishu, highlights the importance of adapting quickly to the AI-driven changes in the business world. This vision is not just about keeping pace with technological advancements but also about reshaping organizational structures and work processes.

The introduction of the Feishu Intelligent Buddy, an AI assistant, is particularly interesting. This virtual companion is capable of performing a range of tasks, from summarizing meetings to analyzing content from diverse formats like PDFs, videos, and audio files. Its ability to draft various types of work documents underscores its versatility and potential to boost productivity.

Feishu’s approach to AI integration is user-centric, offering customers the choice of LLMs to power the assistant. This flexibility, coupled with the platform’s multifunctionality, positions Feishu as a formidable contender in the burgeoning field of AI-augmented office tools. This development mirrors the global trend of incorporating AI into business tools, as seen with Microsoft’s integration of GPT-powered Copilot systems.

ByteDance’s stride with Feishu 7 not only signifies its ambition in the AI landscape but also reflects a broader movement among tech giants. Companies like Tencent and Alibaba are also embedding AI into their office software, indicating a collective push towards a more intelligent and efficient workplace.

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In a spectacular financial performance for Q2 2023, ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok and Douyin, reported a staggering $29 billion in revenue. This marked a remarkable 40% year-on-year growth, propelling ByteDance into the coveted top three among China’s Big Tech companies, alongside Tencent and Alibaba.

ByteDance’s meteoric rise outpaced industry giants, with its growth surpassing both Tencent’s 11% and Alibaba’s 14%. The company’s revenue even approached that of Meta Platforms, with ByteDance reporting $54 billion in first-half earnings compared to Meta’s $60.6 billion.

The driving force behind ByteDance’s success lies in its strategic business segments. A surge in advertising, particularly in the Chinese market, significantly contributed to the revenue spike. ByteDance’s aggressive foray into e-commerce through Douyin paid off handsomely, boasting an impressive 80% growth in gross merchandise volume (GMV) last year.

In contrast, industry stalwarts Tencent and Alibaba reported more modest growth. Tencent, with an 11% increase in sales, saw its advertising segment as the fastest-growing, up 34%. Alibaba, with 14% year-on-year growth, continued to rely on its core e-commerce business, constituting approximately half of its total sales.

ByteDance’s push into diversified revenue sources, including ventures into food deliveries and hotel reservations, reflects a proactive approach to adapt to economic headwinds and regulatory challenges. Douyin, with its 600 million daily active users, emerged as a formidable competitor to Alibaba, leveraging e-commerce as a key revenue pillar.

However, ByteDance faced geopolitical challenges, notably the ban on TikTok in government devices across 30 states in the US, the EU, and Australia due to data security concerns. Despite this setback, ByteDance managed to generate approximately $5.8 billion, or 12% of its Q2 2023 sales, from international markets, primarily through TikTok.

ByteDance is a big player in its home market, but its success globally and unclear IPO plans make its story even more interesting. Despite facing challenges from regulators and economic ups and downs, ByteDance’s ability to adapt and find new ways to make money shows that it’s shaking things up in the world of Big Tech.

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Another huge step has been taken with regard to TikTok, the Irish Data Protection Commission has imposed a €345 million ($368 million) fine for violating General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules. This news comes months after the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) fined TikTok £12.7 million ($15.75 million) for similar reasons.

The platform also allowed Children’s accounts to pair with Adult accounts

The root of the issue lies in how TikTok manages the personal data of its younger users, specifically those aged between 13 and 17. According to the regulator, TikTok defaulted these accounts to “public,” making their profiles and videos freely accessible to anyone. This setting, along with the absence of opt-in measures for features like Duet and Stitch, exposed young users to potential risks. Moreover, the platform also permitted children’s accounts to pair with adult accounts without validation, thereby further compromising their safety.

While TikTok is not the first social media platform to face scrutiny over data protection issues, its violations raise broader questions about the online safety of minors. The regulatory bodies’ active steps in penalizing TikTok send a strong message to all social media platforms to better safeguard young users. Unlike previous cases involving adult users, the focus here is on a vulnerable population who may not fully understand the implications of their online activities.

Though the Irish Data Protection Commission did not specifically investigate TikTok’s practices concerning kids under 13, its actions bring attention to the overall lack of secure measures for minors across the digital world. This highlights the urgency for not just TikTok but all online platforms to enforce stronger safety measures for their underage user base.

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TikTok is moving beyond just viral videos. Recent job listings show the company is planning to add more social networking features to keep users on the platform longer. TikTok is worried that people are sharing its videos on other apps to talk about them, according to insider reports.

TikTok seems to be worried about cross-platform link sharing for videos

To tackle this, the company is hiring for roles aimed at enhancing social interactions within the app. This includes jobs focused on improving TikTok’s messaging system, which the company admits is still pretty basic. The goal is to create unique ways for users to connect and chat without leaving the TikTok platform.

This shift is strategic. Other platforms like Instagram are already borrowing TikTok-like features, so TikTok is looking to offer something new. However, the company is not abandoning its core strength of entertainment through videos. A spokesperson says that viral videos will still remain central to what the platform is about.

By adding these social networking elements, TikTok aims to become a go-to place for both fun videos and social interaction. The plan could keep users engaged, making it more competitive in a crowded social media landscape.

TikTok is trying to be more than just an app for short, viral clips. It wants to be a space where users not only watch videos but also hang out and talk, making it a more integrated social experience. If successful, this could be a game-changer in how we define social media platforms today. Only time will tell if TikTok will be that staple app it is trying to be.

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In a significant update, TikTok is integrating advertisements into search results, aligning its approach with competitors like Instagram. This change will present users with branded content during their searches, with ads drawn from sponsored videos hosted on the platform.

This is the beginning of a future where search results come with added advertisements

The platform has assured that these ads will be pertinent to users’ search queries, and they will be explicitly marked as sponsored posts. The ad selection will also likely be influenced by users’ previous searches and activities on TikTok, meaning the advertising content may become more targeted and specific to individual preferences.

The user experience will remain uninterrupted, even when clicking on a sponsored post, as TikTok intends to mirror the in-feed experience during searches. While some users may view this as an inconvenience, the move is aimed at powering brand discovery and could represent a new form of engagement with advertisements on social media.

This integration is not optional for advertisers, as it is automatically enabled for existing merchants. They will need to actively opt-out if they wish to avoid appearing alongside search results. This shift signals TikTok’s intention to evolve and adapt its advertising approach in line with industry trends.

While the integration of ads into the search function may not be welcomed by all users, it is an indication of the inevitable progression in the monetization of social media platforms. With competitors like Instagram implementing similar strategies earlier this year, TikTok’s decision represents a consistent evolution within the sector.

In the broader context, this move may change user expectations and interactions with social media advertising. While the era of an ad-free search bar on TikTok has ended, the platform’s new direction could herald a new phase in the relationship between users, brands, and the ways they connect.

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New York City has banned the use of TikTok on devices owned by the city, citing security worries. The city’s cybersecurity department evaluated the situation and determined that using TikTok could potentially harm the security of its technology network.

NYC Enforces TikTok Ban on Government Devices for Security

As of the directive’s issuance, immediate effect is given to the prohibition, forbidding city employees from downloading, utilizing, or accessing TikTok’s websites on any devices owned by the city.

In a statement to The Verge, a representative of the New York City government emphasized the importance of secure social media use for the city’s populace and acknowledged the consistent efforts of the NYC Cyber Command to safeguard the data of its residents. The directive aligns with guidance provided by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, which had previously curtailed TikTok’s usage on government devices. Moreover, recent federal legislation further supports the city’s stance against the application.

The concern stems from the app’s connection to Chinese tech giant ByteDance, raising worries that the app might facilitate data collection for potential surveillance purposes. Additionally, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is facing a lawsuit for collecting sensitive data, including face scans, through its app CapCut. These fears have led multiple U.S. states to limit TikTok’s usage on government-owned devices, and Montana notably went a step further by enacting a statewide ban.

TikTok has been partially or completely banned in the following countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, India, and New Zealand. In the Netherlands, although not an outright ban, officials are recommended to avoid using it. Additionally, Norway has banned TikTok on governmental devices while allowing civil servants to use it on their personal devices for professional purposes.

New York City’s decision underscores the ongoing debate surrounding TikTok’s safety and its links to Chinese technology companies. While TikTok has maintained its commitment to user privacy and security, its association with ByteDance, coupled with concerns about potential Chinese government influence, has prompted widespread action to mitigate risks associated with the app’s use on government devices.

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ByteDance, the parent company behind the popular TikTok app, was recently hit with a lawsuit that claimed that it is non-consensually collecting users’ biometric data. The lawsuit alleged that the illegal data privacy breach was from the company’s CapCut app.

Yet another data privacy breach from ByteDance

For those unaware, CapCut is a video editing application that has over 200 million active users. But apparently, this platform is collecting their sensitive private information without their consent. The lawsuit was filed in Illinois and claims that CapCut is violating the state’s Biometric Information Act. This breach is from collecting data like face scans and voice prints without informing the users.

Apart from biometrics, the app was reportedly collecting other private information like user location, gender, date of birth, and even gaining access to photos and videos. The primary focus of this invasive data collection is likely in regard to targeted ads. The lawsuit adds that the app is capable of even gaining access to the MAC address and SIM serial number as well. Apparently, CapCut’s privacy policy was intentionally designed to make it harder for users to understand.

In other words, the CapCut users aren’t giving their consent in a proper manner. ByteDance is also behind TikTok, which has faced various accusations over data privacy. Some reports have claimed that it is even harvesting user data in the US, in service of the Chinese government.

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Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly popular, and many companies are looking to integrate it into their products and services. However, creating and maintaining an AI model can be expensive and time-consuming. That’s why you have to choice, you either need to strike a deal like Microsoft did with OpenAI, or spend a fortune to create your own AI model. ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has decided to choose second option. The company has ordered more than $1 billion worth of GPUs from Nvidia. Here are the details…

The Battle for the AI Entry Ticket: ByteDance Secures Critical Infrastructure and Challenges the Status Quo

ByteDance has placed an order of over $1 billion for GPUs from Nvidia this year. This purchase aims to secure critical infrastructure for cloud service and AI, highlighting a rapidly growing trend in the technology industry. This order alone is nearing the total number of commercial GPUs sold by Nvidia in China last year, suggesting a rapid surge in the demand for powerful computing hardware.

As AI algorithms become more sophisticated, they require more computing power to train and run. GPUs are well-suited for this task because they can perform parallel processing, which allows them to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.

The increasing demand for GPUs is also being driven by the growing popularity of cloud computing. Cloud computing platforms offer businesses and individuals access to powerful computing resources on demand. This makes it possible for businesses to develop and deploy AI applications without having to invest in their own hardware.

As AI becomes more widespread, businesses will need to invest in powerful computing resources to support their AI initiatives. This will create a significant market opportunity for GPU manufacturers and cloud computing providers.

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TikTok, one of the most popular short video social media platforms, has announced that users under the age of 18 will have a one-hour screen time limit by default. This is one of the most aggressive moves by the Chinese giant in an effort to reduce criticism about teens’ endlessly scrolling the platform’s feed.

When the 60-minute or one-hour time limit is reached, then the user will be prompted to enter a passcode on the device to continue scrolling through the videos on the platform. This will create a sort of barrier to endless scrolling and bolster the digital wellbeing of young users.

Cormac Keenan, TikTok’s head of trust and safety, said that the company consulted researchers and experts from the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital to decide the time limits to set for teen users. He added, “While there’s no collectively-endorsed position on how much screen time is ‘too much’, or even the impact of screen time more broadly, we recognize that teens typically require extra support as they start to explore the online world independently.”

While the one-hour screen time limit feature will be enabled by default in TikTok’s mobile application, the user will be able to disable this new feature from the app’s settings. Nonetheless, it’s a good move from the company to enable the feature by default and have the user take action to disable the feature.

TikTok has also updated the Family Pairing feature, which allows parent or guardian to link their TikTok account to and set controls. They can also filter videos with words or hashtags, set a custom daily screen time limit, and set a custom schedule to mute TikTok notifications.

The development comes at a time when TikTok, as well as other social media platforms, have been facing scrutiny over the impact of prolonged usage of such platforms, especially on young users. Further, TikTok’s parent company is also facing pressure from the US government and others over concerns about security because of the company’s ties in China.

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PICO, a brand that makes VR products, has today announced that the company would be hosting a new product launch event in its home country China on 22nd September to unveil a new device which is likely to be PICO 4.

The launch of this upcoming product from the company marks the first VR product from the brand after it was acquired by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, earlier this year to expand its business.

If the reports are to be believed, then the PICO 4 will come with an industry-leading Pancake Optical Solution. Compared to the traditional Fresnel lens, it can reduce the size of the headset and significantly improve the wearing comfort for the users.

The PICO 4 is also expected to have significantly improved in terms of clarity, and the field of view angle has reportedly reached 105-degree, which can offer users a more immersive virtual reality experience.

There will reportedly be a Pro-tier headset from the company, which will include face and eye tracking, as well as a passthrough RGB camera that enables mixed reality experiences. It is also rumored to have an automatic IPD, which can automatically adjust the hardware for the wearer’s IPD (inter-pupillary distance).

The headset will be powered by Android Q and an unidentified Qualcomm processor. To know more about the devices, we will have to wait for the official launch event set to take place in the coming days in China.

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Duoyin, also known as ByteDance, the company that owns Tiktok is perhaps trying to milk the popularity of the video-sharing platform both in China and overseas, going by its upcoming product. The company is said to have got a live-streaming gadget equipped with a flippable camera in the works and a render of the gadget has appeared online.

The product is known as Lingjing Live Streaming All-in-One Machine and has a more professional outlook than a mobile phone. It is foreseeable that TikTok creators will adopt this device for creating professional-looking content, but it is not very affordable. The gadget is said to carry a steep 15,800 yuan (~$2346) price tag.

The render of the product spotted on MyDrivers shows it adopts a vertical screen design similar to a mobile phone, which matches the Douyin live broadcast interface. It has a flippable camera on top similar to the camera design of the iconic OPPO Find N series. The camera design allows for adjustment within a 180-degree axis as desired.

The device packs a large display screen but the size is not known at this time. There are three control knobs right under the screen. The knobs are for the microphone, background sound, and volume controls. There is also a base on the back of the screen, which also functions as a speaker. It is unclear whether there is a built-in battery.

We hope to get more details about the ByteDance Live-streaming device in the coming days.

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In a move targeted at several popular mobile applications, China’s internet regulatory watchdog, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), has named several companies for being involved in the unauthorized collection and use of personal data of users of these applications. Some of the popular applications mentioned were TikTok, LinkedIn, Kuaishou, Microsoft’s Bing, and Kugou.

In a statement posted on its official WeChat account, the regulator said that it received complaints from users that prompted it to launch an investigation into the data collection activities of several apps. The CAC noted that 105 apps were, after the investigation, found to have violated extant privacy laws by collecting excessive personal information through illegal access. According to the CAC statement, the owners of the 105 apps are required to remedy the observed breaches within 15 days.

The Chinese internet watchdog says it will continue to scrutinize mobile applications for possible breaches regularly. The CAC approach comes on the heels of the recent new regulations that provide stricter monitoring and controls for the public’s overall safety. The crux of the new rules is that app providers are held accountable for collecting excessive user data unrelated to the app’s core services and forcing users to give uninformed consent to how their data are used. These regulations cover a wide range of mobile applications of different hues.

China continues to strengthen its laws and regulations to be responsive to the evolving technological space. Some major brands like Alibaba and Tencent have been fined heavily for observed breaches of the rules governing their operations and anti-monopoly laws. These new moves by the CAC will help shore up consumer confidence in the system and ensure mobile applications do not take undue advantage of users.

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(via)

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ByteDance, the makers of TikTok, is having a major shake in its leadership. Its CEO, Zhang Yiming, has announced that he will be stepping down from his role.

The news which was first reported by Reuters and confirmed by the company said Zhang will be leaving his position for a “key strategy” position at the end of the year. He will hand over to Liang Rubo, his long-time friend who is the current head of Human Resources and who he describes as “an invaluable partner” with “strengths in management, organization, and social engagement”.

Zhang Yiming revealed that he lacked some of the skills that make an ideal manager and that he is better at analyzing organizational and market principles rather than actually managing people”.

Zhang will work with Liang for the next six months for a smooth transition. The CEO currently owns about 20% to 30% of the company which was founded in 2012 and 50% of voting rights. It is not known if he will give up his voting rights.

There are speculations that the decision might be to take the spotlight away from him when the company eventually has its IPO which was supposed to happen this year but was suspended last month. The IPO is expected to result in a significant increase in his wealth which may put him on Beijing’s radar.

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Donald Trump isn’t the president of the United States but TikTok’s battles are far from over. The US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has unanimously passed a bill that would restrict federal workers from downloading Chinese social networking and video-sharing app TikTok into US government devices. The bill is sponsored by Senator Josh Hawley, who released a press statement on Wednesday confirming the development. A search through the US Senate and Congress records shows that this is not the first time a bill of this nature would scale through the committee level.

There are rising concerns in the US that TikTok is growing rapidly in its popularity, especially among teens, amidst accusations that ByteDance, the app’s owner, is connected with the Chinese government. TikTok continues to insist that it has no relationship whatsoever with Beijing.

Senator Hawley insists TikTok is an immediate security threat to the US. He is also calling out his colleagues across the partisan divide to unify to give the bill full bipartisan support as the Senate continues to address Beijing’s covert data collection campaign using apps like TikTok.

In another development, the Italian data protection regulator has asked TikTok to strengthen measures to prevent underage users from accessing the app after TikTok removed up to half a million users under age 13 within the past three months. This followed closer regulatory scrutiny of the app in the aftermath of the death of a 10-year old girl who participated in a breath-holding challenge on the platform.

The regulatory body has directed the social networking platform to cancel any accounts linked to users under 13 years within 48 hours and prevent access to underage users. TikTok has also been mandated to launch communication initiatives that would clearly specify that the app is not open to children under the age of 13.

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(source 1, 2)

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A former Tencent employee Chen Shuo has been fined about $167,000 by a Beijing court for breaching the non-compete agreement he signed with Tencent. The Beijing Number 1 Intermediate People’s Court ruled that Chen was guilty of interacting in a manner that indicated he could have joined TikTok-owner ByteDance less than six months after leaving Tencent. The Beijing Court then ordered Shuo to pay 1.1 million yuan (about $167,000) to his former employer for the breach.

A growing rivalry has been observed between Tencent and ByteDance in recent years, as both companies continue to battle for market superiority in various areas of their businesses. Chen was a former Senior Editor in Tencent who left the company in March 2019. He was spotted in ByteDance premises on several occasions in August 2019 that indicated he could have joined the company before the expiration of the mandatory period of the non-compete agreement.

Tencent insisted that Chen’s presence in ByteDance premises was different from an ordinary visit, and the company also tendered evidence of email communication between Chen and ByteDance.

Chen, in his defense, claimed that he did not sign a new employment contract directly with ByteDance, and therefore could not have been deemed to have breached the agreement. He also claims that Tencent had no proof that the video evidence tendered to the court was during the non-compete agreement period. He also said that he was filmed without his content, and Tencent had violated his privacy.

However, the court ruled that Chen should pay a fine totaling more than 1.1 million yuan in compensation and also refund Tencent’s 158,900 yuan payment that came with the signing of the non-compete agreement.

ByteDance presently has a case against Tencent in court, alleging that the company violated Chinese antitrust laws by restricting access to content from Douyin, ByteDance’s local version of TikTok its platforms, and is requesting damages of 90 million yuan. Chen joins the growing list of former Tencent employees who had been fined for breach of its non-compete agreement.

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(source)

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ByteDance, the parent company of the popular short video social media platform TikTok, has told the Indian court that the freeze on its bank account in the country by the government amounts to harassment.

As per the court filing, the Chinese giant says that the freeze on its bank accounts in a probe of possible tax evasion amounts to harassment and was done illegally. India’s tax intelligence unit ordered HSBC and Citibank in Mumbai to freeze bank accounts of ByteDance India as it probed some of the unit’s financial dealings.

The company has challenged the freeze on the four accounts in a Mumbai court. ByteDance had reduced its Indian workforce after the government maintained a ban on TikTok which was imposed last year amid a border clash between India and China.

Because of the account freeze, none of ByteDance India’s employees have been paid their March salaries, claims report from Reuters citing two people familiar with the matter. The company told the court it has a workforce of 1,335, including outsourced personnel.

The company told the High Court that authorities acted against the company without any material evidence and gave no prior notice, as required by Indian law. It added that blocking accounts “during the process of investigation amounts (to) applying undue coercion” and is “intended, improperly, to harass the petitioner.”

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ByteDance, the parent company of the popular video-sharing app TikTok has been reported in the past to be planning to go public with one or some of its businesses. The company has just fed the rumors with news of the appointment of Xiaomi executive Shou Zi Chew to a newly created role as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

The company has reportedly been indecisive as to if it should go public with just Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, or if it should group some other of its Chinese businesses such as news aggregator Jinri Toutiao and Douyin and list as a single entity on the Hong Kong or Shanghai Stock Exchange. Outside China, the company is also looking to go public with its non-China business such as TikTok in Europe or the U.S.

The new CFO position is the first executive-level management position the company would be creating for its global operations aside from the Chief Executive Zhang Yiming.

Xiaomi earlier on Wednesday revealed via a Hong Kong Exchange filing that Chew had resigned. The exec later disclosed on his personal social media account that the new job will see him moving to Singapore.

Shou Zi Chew joined Xiaomi in 2015 as the Chief Financial Officer and oversaw the company’s landmark stock market launch on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in July 2018. He left the role in November 2019 after he was elevated to the role of President of Xiaomi International while he continued to serve as an Executive Director and Senior Vice President. Chew also worked previously at Goldman Sachs.

TikTok was consistently under scrutiny in the U.S over national security concerns during the tenure of former president Donald Trump. TikTok actually got into trouble with Trump after it was successfully used to get people to boycott a Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The group TikTok Teens had encouraged people to register online for the free event and not show up and it was a massive success to the embarrassment of the then U.S president.

After that, Trump’s administration began several moves to get the company sold to a U.S company or face an outright ban. ByteDance later got a court order stopping the planned ban. The new Biden administration has discontinued the lawsuit which would have cleared the way for a total ban of TikTok in the United State.

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Apple had recently announced a new set of changes in its privacy rules. These would essentially block third party applications from tracking users’ data. But now, it seems that Chinese companies already working on a new tool to bypass these new rules to continue tracking iPhone users.

According to a FinancialTimes report, the new tool is being developed to enable these Chinese tech giants like ByteDance and Tencent, to serve iPhone users targeted mobile advertisements. The Cupertino based giant is expected to roll out the new privacy updates in the coming weeks. This would offer its userbase a higher degree of privacy. For those unaware, apps were generally able to use Apple’s IDFA system to track the users that click on ads and the apps they use.

But now, these firms would need to ask for permission to gather this tracking data. This might not seem like a major change, but in practice, it implies of a multi billion dollar worth shift in the advertising industry. The change has met opposition from major firms like Facebook, as most users would most likely decline on being tracked. Thus, the China Advertising Association, with over 2,000 members, has decided to launch a new method of tracking and identifying iPhone users. This new tool is dubbed as CAID.

This new tool is being widely tested by tech companies and advertisers at the moment in China. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, stated that advertisers “can use the CAID as a substitute if the user’s IDFA is unavailable.” Furthermore, sources close to both Tencent and ByteDance have confirmed the news, although, both companies have yet to comment on the matter. Similarly, even Apple has yet to offer a statement regarding CAID. But, it has stated that the rule will be universally applicable and will not have any exceptions.

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A buzzword in the global social networking firmament is audio chat, as several of the big players in the space are introducing audio chat service into their functionality spurred by the overnight success of Clubhouse. Just this week, Twitter announced the incorporation of Spaces into its Android app so that Android users could enjoy the audio chat feature, as well as users of iOS devices. However, Clubhouse remains the trailblazer in this regard and all others are on a catch-up race.

Now, reports coming from China say that TikTok owner ByteDance is already at an advanced stage of developing an audio chat app that seeks to replicate the Clubhouse app which is banned from China. It is quite obvious that US-owned Clubhouse has been a huge success, and this may have propelled a rash of development of Clubhouse-like audio chat platforms across the world.

It is even estimated that within the first quarter of 2021, up to a dozen Clubhouse-like apps have been launched. A number of these apps are coming from China, where there is a rush to fill the void left behind by Clubhouse after it was banned in February 2021. Clubhouse had witnessed a rapid rise in numbers as it afforded users to ventilate their views without fear of censorship or repercussions on a number of issues not openly canvassed in the country.

Censorship considerations will be a critical part of the China-based audio chat apps, as politics and several other areas will be out of bounds.

Some of the frontrunners in China include Lizhi’s Zhiya app and Xiaomi’s Mi Talk app, which had undergone some retooling to make it an invitation-only platform and enhanced holding capacity. The Zhiya app had earlier found itself on the wrong side of the government and has now put in place several protocols to identify all users and even listen to conversations in rooms to remove offending contents.

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ByteDance, the parent company behind the popular short video social media platform TikTok has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for $92 million, reports Reuters. The lawsuit is related to the data privacy claims from some users in the United States.

Confirming this development, the company said in a statement: “While we disagree with the assertions, rather than go through lengthy litigation, we’d like to focus our efforts on building a safe and joyful experience for the TikTok community.”

Do note that the settlement still requires court approval. It combines 21 proposed class action lawsuits against TikTok over alleged privacy violations. The lawsuit makes some substantial claims, from allegations that the company analyzed users’ faces to determine ethnicity, gender, and age to alleged violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act over its transmission of private data.

Apart from $92 million, the company has also agreed to avoid several behaviors that could compromise user privacy unless it specifically discloses those behaviors in its privacy policy. It includes storing biometric information, collecting GPS or clipboard data, and sending or storing US users’ data outside the country.

Earlier, in 2019, TikTok had settled a lawsuit over alleged children’s privacy allegations. In the same year, it had paid $5.7 million to the Federal Trade Commission over accusations that its predecessor, Musical.ly didn’t gain parental approval for young users.

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ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is apparently looking into the sale of its Indian operations of its popular short video sharing app. The company is said to be in talks with its rival Glance to bring back TikTok in the region, which is currently facing an indefinite ban.

According to a Bloomberg report, the talks regarding the possible acquisition of TikTok’s Indian assets was initiated by the Japanese conglomerate, SoftBank Group, as per sources close to the matter. SoftBank is a known backer of Glance’s parent company, InMobi Pte, and TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, as well. The sources stated that the discussions would involve four parties in total, including SoftBank, ByteDance, Glance, and finally the Indian authorities, which would have to approve of the deal.

For those unaware, the social media platform along with 59 other applications from China were banned by the Indian government, over security fears. This was also amid growing tensions between India and China, over military clashes at the Indo-Chinese borders. At the moment, SoftBank and ByteDance have yet to offer any statements regarding this news, while a Glance spokesperson declined to comment on the matter. Recently, the company even had to downscale its workforce in the Southeast Asian nation due to the indefinite ban.

Furthermore, it has also been attempting to resuscitate the popular app in the region, which was once one of its largest markets as well. Notably, if the deal were to go through, the Indian government would likely insist on the user data and technology being housed within its borders, due to strained relations between India and China. Meanwhile, China’s new regulations over export of technology would make the deal even more difficult as it would also require the Chinese government’s approval as well.

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ByteDance has pulled the plug on Smartisan, the Chinese company known for its well-designed smartphones. Both companies had worked together last year to release the Smartisan Nut R2 after reports surfaced that ByteDance had acquired some of Smartisan’s patents and also employed some members of its staff.

According to Chinese media, ByteDance suspended the mobile phone hardware business on January 13. The Chinese company which owns TikTok announced that it has integrated the R&D team established by Smartisan into its own educational hardware team. This educational hardware team is said to be led by Yang Luyu, the founder of Musical.ly. The team will report to Chen Lin, the senior vice president of ByteDance and the head of the education business.

There are a handful of reasons that have surfaced regarding ByteDance’s decision to shut down the Smartisan mobile business. ITHome reports that a mobile phone distributor had revealed that the popularity and sales of Smartisan phones are very low. This is said to be partly because they are sold only online, and those sold offline are usually second-hand units. Another distributor revealed that he purchased a few second-hand units last year but he is yet to sell them. He has decided to write them off as a bad purchase.

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Bigger outlets such as JD.com and Taobao have reported that total sales of the Smartisan Nut R2 flagship phone launched last year is less than 100,000 units. At the moment, the stores have slashed the price from ¥4499 (~$694) to ¥2299 (~$355). Now that news of the business shutting down has surfaced, we do not think anyone will want to buy such a phone.

Another reason that has surfaced is the cost of production. ByteDance doesn’t have the supply chain advantage that bigger manufacturers such as OPPO, Vivo, and Xiaomi boast of, so the production cost is more expensive. It has been reported that ByteDance has switched to the development of desk lamps for its education business.

Wondering why desk lamps? A research institute, Multi-Whale Capital Education Research, predicts the K12 education smart hardware market will reach ¥57 billion by 2022 and smart lamps are part of the products that have gained popularity. Last October, ByteDance announced the Dali Smart Tutoring Lamp which has a screen and an educational coach built-in.

This may not be the end for Smartisan as there is a possibility that an investor or buyer may enter a deal with the owners to bring its products back to the market. However, if that is going to happen, the mistakes of the past will have to be avoided.

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ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, has recently applied for a new trademark for “TikTok Payment.” The international classification covers 36 categories of “Financial Property Management,” which is currently waiting for approval.

Notably, this news arrives after the company indirectly won a payment license back in September 2020, when it bought UIPay to boost its own e-payment capabilities in China. At the time, the company stated that the acquisition will help in improving its user experience through other payment options, whilst also serving users of ByteDance’s other products and services as well.

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Furthermore, back in June 2020, the company behind the popular short video sharing application also managed to obtain three financial licenses for third party payments and insurance through acquisitions and other means. These were likely intended for the purpose of developing and launching its own payment system, which would likely be seen first in its home country, China.

Since the beginning of the year, ByteDance has also been hiring globally to expand its team, which would be in charge of building the network and a platform that can provide cross border payments solutions. The company has even applied for digital banking licenses in countries like Singapore, as per a Reuters report.

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Chinese firm Bytedance gained prominence with its popular apps Tiktok and its Chinese version Duoyin. The company recently signified interested to venture into hardware manufacture with the acquisition of Smartisan. ByteDance has today announced a new education brand known as Dali Education. Interestingly, the company also unveiled the first hardware product under the brand dubbed the Dali Smart Tutoring Lamp T5.

The Dali Smart Tutoring Lamp T5 is a utility lamp which focuses on the child’s homework scene. It combines intelligent guidance with the desk lamp necessary for each child’s desk, which can protect the eyes and aid the child to complete his/her homework.

The lamp is a national AA-level professional eye protection light, and has obtained a number of certifications from authoritative organizations, including TUV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification and National CQC Certification. At the same time, Dali Smart Tutoring Lamp T5 also draws on the inspiration of the “shadowless lamp” in the operating room, and uses the double-wing lamp holder design to solve the shadow problem of children when writing. This prevents the need for the child to want to tilt their heads to read words, thereby preventing incorrect sitting posture.

Secondly, the lamp is integrated with an intelligent coaching feature. It is equipped with an AI camera. With the help of artificial intelligence and related technologies, the camera is capable of performing several functions such as intelligent fingertip search for words, intelligent English follow-up reading, and intelligent calculation problem explanation to help solve children’s homework problems.

The lamp comes with a companion app known as “Daily Love Tutoring” app which parents can use to plan the child’s homework plan and completion progress can be synchronized in real time. Parents can also grasp the homework status remotely. In addition, the Dali Smart Tutoring Lamp is also equipped with smart dual cameras. Parents can not only see their children’s desk remotely but can also use real-time communication to interact with their children through video connections to understand their children’s learning status. The lamp is integrated with a smartphone size display with touchscreen functions.

The smart lamp is already on sale in China via major e-tail platforms such as Jingdong (JD.com). It carries a retail price of 799 yuan (~$119).

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Last week, TikTok had asked a Judge in the United States to block the order from the Trump administration from banning the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store and the company’s request has been accepted.

Judge Carl Nichols of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia has temporarily blocked an order from the Trump administration that would have banned TikTok from being downloaded from U.S. app stores.

In a statement released to the media, the company said: “We’re pleased that the court agreed with our legal arguments and issued an injunction preventing the implementation of the TikTok app ban. We will continue defending our rights for the benefit of our community and employees. At the same time, we will also maintain our ongoing dialogue with the government to turn our proposal, which the President gave his preliminary approval to last weekend, into an agreement.”

Unlike the recent block on the ban of WeChat in the United States, this order related to TikTok doesn’t block the broader ban on the app which is set to come into effect from 12th November in the U.S.

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The U.S. Department of Commerce had announced earlier this month that TikTok would be removed from U.S. app stores on 20th September. However, it was delayed by a week to 27th September because of the on-going talks about the app’s acquisition.

In order to avoid getting banned in the United States, ByteDance has agreed to set up a new entity called TikTok Global with 80 percent of the stake. The remaining stake will be acquired by Oracle and Walmart.

While Oracle will take 12.5 percent stake, Walmart will be taking a 7.5 percent stake as well as a seat on the board. Donald Trump has already approved the deal but it remains to be seen if the Chinese government has any say related to this development.

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After a judge blocked the Trump administrator’s ban on WeChat, now TikTok is also asking a U.S. judge to block order that would require Apple App Store and Google Play Store to remove the TikTok application for new downloads.

The ban on new downloads for WeChat and TikTok was set to take effect from 20th September but TikTok was given another week because of the “recent positive developments” where the company was in talks with Oracle for a deal.

The United States government is citing national security risk as a reason for banning Chinese apps but TikTok has said that the restrictions “were not motivated by a genuine national security concern, but rather by political considerations relating to the upcoming general election.”

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In order to avoid getting banned in the United States, ByteDance has agreed to set up a new entity called TikTok Global with 80 percent of the stake. The remaining stake will be acquired by Oracle and Walmart.

While Oracle will take 12.5 percent stake, Walmart will be taking a 7.5 percent stake as well as a seat on the board. Donald Trump has already approved the deal but it remains to be seen if the Chinese government has any say related to this development.

Recently, U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler blocked the ban on WeChat just as the restrictions were about to go into effect. She also ruled to temporarily halt ban on transactions for the application in the United States.

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