News & Reviews:   Bytedance

ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, is reportedly working on a new pair of mixed reality (XR) glasses under the codename “Swan.” Developed by its Pico division, these upcoming glasses are designed to be lightweight and stylish, aimed at everyday users.

A New York judge has ruled that Meta and ByteDance (owner of TikTok) can face a lawsuit filed by the mother of a teenager who died while attempting a “subway surfing” stunt.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order giving TikTok a new 90-day extension, delaying enforcement of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

TikTok has now announced a variety of new features that allow users to more easily customise the display of content on the platform. These include new ways to control content choices, more sophisticated keyword filters using AI, and educational guides to help you customise your 'For You' display.

As many of you may know, TikTok has been asked to divest its US business to continue operations in the country. The platform was able to resume operations in January, but its next deadline of 5 April 2025 is looming fast. However, sources say a sale could happen soon.

Various parties are ready to express their interest in buying TikTok's operations in the United States - in line with the country's government's directive that TikTok's operations be sold due to its links to China. Among the parties that have expressed interest are Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle and a number of other investors, including the founders of Reddit and MrBeast.

According to Bloomberg, several of ByteDance's major investors now value the company at over $400 billion. This valuation was also done by SoftBank in December 2024, and some investors are targeting the technology company at a value of over $450 billion. So, what should you know about it?

Consumers in Malaysia were the 6th biggest spenders on TikTok Shop last year, as the e-commerce platform recorded an impressive gross merchandise value (GMV) of USD2.724 billion or ~RM12.07 billion in the country. Moreover, it’s a significant increase from 2023 - a 104% year-on-year increase, to be exact - when TikTok Shop recorded a USD1.3 billion or ~RM5.77 billion in Malaysia.

Since President Donald Trump signed an executive order granting TikTok a 75-day stay on a ban, many companies and individuals have been aiming to purchase the platform. It's said that Elon Musk, Microsoft, and Oracle are all in the race to buy TikTok. Now, there's a new player in the race.

The TikTok saga in the United States entered a new twist today as it was revealed that the Trump administration is reportedly working on a plan to save TikTok in the country after its ban. The move, negotiated by the White House, sees software company Oracle and a group of outside investors, including Microsoft, to take control of TikTok’s operation in the United States.