Amazon announced that it has acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to a connected-TV TikTok app, allowing Amazon Fire TV users to stream videos from the popular social media app on their televisions.
Exclusive rights
- Amazon declined Forbes’ request to comment on whether the company and TikTok came to any sort of revenue sharing agreement with this deal, or if Amazon purchased any exclusive rights to TikTok programming.
- The TV app allows users in the U.S. and Canada to scroll through TikTok using their Fire TV remotes, or through hands-free Alexa.
- Though the connected-TV app rights are exclusive, Apple users can still stream TikTok videos to their televisions by screen-mirroring their iOS or MacOS devices to their Apple TVs while the mobile app or website is open.
- The TikTok app is available through Google TV and Android TV as well, but only in the UK, France and Germany.
Key background
Amazon announced its third-quarter earnings last week, with stock prices dropping after the company showed less-than-expected returns. In September, the company released its first line of smart TVs, offering the Omni Series and 4-Series, which come built-in with the Fire TV interface. Meanwhile, TikTok Chief Operating Office Vanessa Pappas announced in September that the app surpassed 1 billion monthly active users.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Technology Express staff and is published from a syndicated feed)