In January, after TikTok announced a deal to transfer its US operations, Apple began blocking people in the US from downloading or updating ByteDance apps designed for the Chinese market, reports Wired.
Though it’s mostly known for TikTok (and its Chinese version, Douyin), ByteDance develops and distributes multiple apps on the Apple App Store. They include Capcut, Lemon8, Lark, and Hypic.
Until recently, users in the US could download these apps. However, according to Wired, Apple is now blocking downloads of ByteDance-owned apps, even when users have a valid Chinese App Store account.
In late 2024, reports indicated Apple was in discussions to integrate ByteDance’s AI models into iPhones sold within China. Following the 2025 legislation, ByteDance reduced its ownership stake in TikTok to 19.9% by January 2026, with a consortium of investors owning the rest.
Apparently, the latest situation reflects ongoing regulatory pressure on ByteDance in the US, with Apple acting as a primary enforcer of these restrictions through its App Store policies.
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