Apple Inc. on Tuesday said that it has no interest in buying the Chinese video sharing app TikTok, denying a report that claimed that the Cupertino-based company had expressed interest in acquiring the controversial firm.
Apple told The Verge on the same day that there were no talks to acquire TikTok. It further added that it has no plans to pursue such a deal in future.
An Axios report on August 4 cited its sources saying, “Multiple sources tell me that Apple has expressed interest, albeit no sources inside of Apple, and that at least one other strategic has expressed interest. Yes, it would be an unusual deal for Apple, given that TikTok is a cross-platform app, and a bigger political headache than Tim Cook may want (both here and in China). But if anyone has the cash on hand…”
Microsoft on Sunday announced that it was in advance stage of talks to buy TikTok’s operations in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as guided by President Donald Trump.
Last week Trump said that he could use the emergency economic powers or an executive order to ban TikTok in the US over national security issues.