TikTok may make a return to India soon as a re-branded TickTock. The parent company ByteDance has applied for a trademark in the country for the same name. Recently PUBG Mobile made its way to India again since the ban with a new name, Battlegrounds Mobile India.
Now similarly, we may see TikTok starting in India with the name TickTock. The short video social media network has been massively popular in the country, and since the ban, several similar India-made apps have cropped up.
Additionally, Instagram introduced Reels, following the same vertical format as TikTok, which became an instant hit.
ByteDance registered the trademark TickTock for the new TikTok name in India on July 6.
Leaked by tipster Mukul Sharma via Twitter, the parent company filed the new trademark under Class 42 of the Fourth Schedule to Trade Mark Rules, 2002, which means it can be used for “scientific and technological services and research and design relating there to; industrial analysis and research services, design and development of computer hardware and software.”
There has been an issue before. It’s not the first time. Earlier rumours suggested ByteDance would bring TikTok back to India with a new name and a wholly-owned subsidiary. Krafton successfully launched PUBG Mobile in India with a new name, so a TikTok comeback won’t be a surprise.
ByteDance, however, might have a little different story to tell. In contrast to Krafton, a South Korean gaming company, it broke off all ties with China before launching Battlegrounds Mobile India. ByteDance is a Chinese company and may have to launch TickTock in India in a different way.
The new IT rules require restoring user data locally, and the company will have to comply with them. The ban was imposed when TikTok had around 20 crore users in India. Since then, several users have switched to alternatives, and multiple such apps remain very popular. Additionally, social media companies that use Instagram Reels have captured a significant market share, so ByteDance will need to position TickTock effectively to maintain its popularity.