TikTok is back, but where are Marvel Snap, CapCut, and Lemon8? Image: ByteDanceTikTok has returned — at least partially — in the US following a nationwide ban, but other popular ByteDance-owned apps, such as the digital card game Marvel Snap, video editing app CapCut, and the social platform Lemon8, are still blocked. None of these apps, including TikTok, are currently available to download on the Apple App…

TikTok is coming back online in the US Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesTikTok has announced that, after going away for about half a day, its service is coming back on in the US. The company posted on X that it is “in the process of restoring service” and thanked President Trump for “providing the necessary clarity” to do so. TikTok: In agreement with our service provid…

Trump’s second inauguration: live updates and how to watch Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Brandon Bell, Getty ImagesTech leaders are set to have a big presence. On January 20th, Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States to serve his second term. Immediately after his victory, many tech leaders publicly congratulated Trump and started making mo…

Trump says he’ll delay TikTok ban, but the platform must be sold Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo from Getty ImagesPresident-elect Donald Trump says he wants service providers like Apple and Google to put TikTok back online in the US, and proposed creating a joint venture where the US owns 50 percent of the app. “I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!” Trump wrote on Truth Social Sunday. “I will i…

The TikTok shutdown is locking out non-US users, too Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesTikTok’s US shutdown last night appears to be affecting users outside the country as well. People have taken to social media in the hours since, complaining they can’t access the app despite living in non-US countries, and it’s not always clear why. In some cases, the problem appears to be using a VP…

New year, new Switch, new Severance Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 67, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, happy Switch week, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I’ve been watching Black Doves and The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, reading about Lorne Michaels and rodeos and Ben S…

The tech to build the holodeck Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesGaussian splatting, a new way of capturing 3D content, is taking the AR / VR industry by storm — and could one day allow anyone to create photorealistic 3D worlds. Read the full story at The Verge.

TikTok starts warning US users it will be “temporarily unavailable” Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesTikTok is officially going dark in the United States now that a federal ban on the app is set to go into effect on January 19th. Around 9PM ET, the app began notifying people in the US with a message that said the ban will “make our services temporarily unavailable.” The message goes on to say that …

TikTok shuts down in the US Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesTikTok has gone dark in the US now that the ban-or-divest law passed last year is taking effect. The app has been removed from both Apple and Google’s app stores, it’s unavailable on the web, and users who open the app are blocked from viewing videos. The shutdown has the astonishing effect of removi…

Apple says it’s following the law by removing TikTok from the App Store Image: Cath Virginia / The VergeWith TikTok, CapCut, and Marvel Snap shut down in the US, Apple has taken the unusual step of articulating why it’s following the law banning ByteDance apps and removing them from the App Stores for the Mac, iPhone, and other devices. Before the ban went into effect, the Biden administration released a statement …

TikTok will be ‘temporarily unavailable’ in the US starting tonight Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesTikTok is officially going dark in the United States now that a federal ban on the app is set to go into effect on January 19th. Around 9PM ET, the app began notifying people in the US, including Verge staffers, with a message that said the ban would “make our services temporarily unavailable.” The…

TikTok is down in the US Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesTikTok has gone dark in the US now that the ban-or-divest law passed last year is taking effect. The app has been removed from both Apple and Google’s app stores, it’s unavailable on the web, and users who open the app are blocked from viewing videos. The shutdown has the astonishing effect of removi…

TikTok ban: all the news on the app’s shutdown in the US Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesTikTok shut down US access on January 18th, just before the law banning it took effect. Read the full story at The Verge.

Marvel Snap is banned, just like TikTok Marvel Snap is unavailable due to the ban on ByteDance apps. | Screenshot: Marvel SnapThe divest-or-ban law aimed at TikTok is also taking down other ByteDance-linked apps, including the popular card game Marvel Snap. The app suddenly cut off access Saturday night, seemingly without warning, surprising gamers who weren’t aware of its connection …

Genshin Impact’s developer to pay $20 million fine to settle FTC charges Genshin Impact developer Cognosphere has to change the way it does loot boxes. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The VergeThe Federal Trade Commission announced on Friday that Genshin Impact developer Cognosphere has agreed to a $20 million settlement and several restrictions on how it sells its loot boxes and manages children’s personal data. Accord…

Microsoft opens testing for Windows AI search Image: The VergeMicrosoft is testing AI-powered Windows search in a new dev channel build for Windows 11 Insider testers. Announced in October, it uses semantic indexing to let users search for local files using more casual language. Like other Microsoft AI features, you’ll need a Copilot Plus PC to use it. The feature applies whether you’re usi…

The Biden White House says TikTok’s threat to go dark is a ‘stunt’ Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesWhite House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s threat to “go dark” tomorrow a “stunt,” and said there is no reason that TikTok or any other companies should take any actions under the ban before the Trump administration is sworn in Monday morning, several news outlets are reporting. “…

Instagram Reels can be 3 minutes long now Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The VergeInstagram will now let you upload Reels that are up to 3 minutes long, doubling the 90-second limit the platform had in place before, Instagram boss Adam Mosseri announced today. He credits today’s change to users’ feedback saying that the 90 seconds “is just too short.” That’s a big turnaround for Mosse…

EV startup Canoo has filed for bankruptcy Photo by NASA / Isaac WatsonCanoo announced yesterday it is ceasing operations “immediately” and that it has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Delaware. The EV startup estimates in its filing that its assets are worth $126 million and that it owes over $164 million to its creditors, TechCrunch noted yesterday. Now, the US will appoint “a Bankrup…

The mad dash to protect environmental data from Donald Trump Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Brandon Bell, Getty ImagesWith Donald Trump stepping back into office, advocates are warning that access to important environmental and public health datasets could be at risk. Information about climate change vanished from federal websites under Donald Trump, who has repeatedly called clim…