TikTok Makes Android Packaging Kits Available To Allow Android Users to Download The App

Lindsey Gamble / TikTok Android Package Kits

For users who deleted the TikTok app in preparation for its ban or for anyone new who hasn’t downloaded it yet but wants to, there’s now a way to do so for some. While TikTok is still unavailable in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, the company announced that Android users can download the app via newly available Android Package Kits (APKs) at TikTok.com/download.

Why It Matters: Even though an executive order from President Donald Trump put a 75-day pause on the law banning TikTok, both Google and Apple have yet to restore the app, likely due to the steep fines they could face: $5,000 for every download.

As TikTok scrambles to secure a deal before the deadline, offering APK downloads gives Android users a workaround. Meanwhile, phones with TikTok pre-installed are selling for thousands of dollars on eBay and Facebook Marketplace, turning them into hot commodities.

This also comes as reports indicate that many smart TVs and streaming apps have removed the TikTok TV app, including on Samsung, LG, Vizio, Amazon, as well as Google and Apple.

This is likely less of an issue for TikTok, as most consumption happens on mobile, but bigger screens like TVs and tablets have become growing entry points for social media consumption. This could halt any progress TikTok has made in that space.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see if any metrics emerge in the future regarding the impact of TikTok’s absence from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store on user growth or engagement in the U.S.