TikTok's parent company ByteDance has filed a trademark application for a new TikTok Music service that could be used to purchase, play, share, and download music.
A new trademark application was filed with the USPTO in May. As reported by Business Insider, the application is for an app that can be used either on a computer or a smartphone "allowing users to purchase, play, share, download music, songs, albums, lyrics, quotes, create, recommend, share his/her playlists, lyrics, quotes, take, edit and upload photographs as the cover of playlists, comment on music, songs, and albums."
The trademark also has provisions for the sharing of other digital content including music, photos, videos, apps, live streaming, and a karaoke function.
TikTok social media?
The trademark is clear proof that the hit video platform is trying to branch out into music streaming to compete with the likes of Apple Music and Spotify, currently the best iPhone apps for streaming music on devices like iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. However, the trademark also has plenty of scope for other functionality, such as sharing photos, that make it sound as much like a social media platform as a streaming service. This could just be because the trademark is designed to be broad in scope to cover any possible future endeavors.
However, TikTok's expansion into music streaming seems nailed on. The trademark also has provisions for advertising that could be used to power its music streaming platform the same way Spotify does, possibly with the option of paid tier.
Given this application has not been reviewed yet, the USPTO will have to review the trademark filing before granting it, although that should hopefully be a formality for parent company ByteDance, to whom it belongs.
As BI notes TikTok already runs a streaming app called Resso in India, Brazil, and Indonesia that has seen some success. The report cites experts who say that it would be unlikely ByteDance has filed for such a trademark without having any intention of actually pushing ahead with such a service, indicating the filing is a good sign TikTok Music might be a real thing someday soon!
