14 DAY TRIAL // The TikTok frenzy could soon expand beyond the software market, as the company that makes the application is said to be looking into the hardware side of the mobile world with its very own device.
A report from the Financial Times reveals that ByteDance, the company that developed TikTok, is working on a smartphone that would come pre-loaded with all of its apps, including the short video service.
Few specifics are available at this point, but it looks like ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming has already made the first steps towards a TikTok smartphone by purchasing several mobile patents which could at some point be used on this device. Furthermore, it hired employees previously working for smartphone producer Smartisan as it wants to pursue what is described as one of his main dreams.
Needless to say, there’s a lot we don’t know about this project, but it’s hard to believe that a TikTok smartphone could become a rival to high-end models like the iPhone, for example.
Possibly aimed at Chinese buyers
In fact, without flagship hardware, it would be a challenge for this device to convince buyers to pay its price, as pre-loading apps like TikTok can’t be reason enough to do it. TikTok is already available on Android and iOS, and it has recently become one of the top apps on both platforms.
On the other hand, there’s a chance that ByteDance only wants to tackle the Chinese market with such a smartphone. The company can capitalize on the popularity of TikTok with an affordable device, thus competing in the low-end or mid-range phone categories with companies like Huawei, Oppo, and others.
For the time being, however, it’s better to just take this report with a certain amount of skepticism, at least until the parent company itself confirms it’s working on a smartphone.
Meanwhile, you can join the fun (or so they say) by downloading TikTok for Android and iOS using these links.