According to a report from The Information, TikTok is developing a new version of its app specifically for users in the United States as it prepares for a potential sale to a consortium of investors.
This comes as President Trump said on Friday he will start talking to China on Monday or Tuesday about a possible TikTok deal.
He said the US “pretty much” has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app.
Last month, Trump extended to Sept. 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the U.S. assets of TikTok.
TikTok has developed a plan to launch the new app to US app stores on Sept. 5, the report said.
The report states that TikTok users will eventually need to download this new version to continue accessing the platform, although the current app will remain functional until next March, with the possibility of changes to this timeline.
TikTok did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report.
Earlier this year, there were plans to separate TikTok’s U.S. operations into a new company that would be primarily owned and managed by U.S. investors. However, these plans were halted when China suggested it would not approve the deal after former President Trump announced significant tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump said the U.S. will probably have to get a deal approved by China.
