TikTok is back, but Android users never missed out in the first place
If you enjoy freedom from government interference, it's time to switch to Android
![Demonstrating the many ways to download TikTok on an Android phone while an iPhone sits face down](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iYp25mxcTDbEQWRud7ondm-1200-80.jpg)
TikTok and CapCut are officially back on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in the U.S. after weeks of being banned.
This came after a letter from US Attorney General Pam Bondi (per Bloomberg) assured both companies that the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" would not be enforced until at least April. A mid-January TikTok service shutdown was the first big sign of things to come, as TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, had previously said it would rather leave the U.S. than sell off its app.
However, while iPhone users in the U.S. were forced to be without TikTok and CapCut for the past few weeks if they didn't already have the apps installed, Android users were able to easily download the apps directly from the TikTok website the entire time. This underscores the importance of open ecosystems and the advantage of doing what you want with the phone you own.
You only get what Apple gives you
One of the many, many reasons I recommend Android phones over iPhones is choice. It's the primary reason to choose Android in the first place, and it ensures that you get what you want (or need) without one company telling you what to do. This came up in a very personal way when I succumbed to PWM sensitivity more than two years ago now, meaning I can't use Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, or iPhones for long periods of time without getting headaches because of the displays those companies use.
With all the uncertainty around app stores run by Apple and Google, it's clear that Android is the only choice if you want to avoid the tyranny of a government trying to tell you what you can or cannot download on your personal phone.
The first time most people likely encountered something like this was when Google banned the Epic Games Store on Android, a decision that later earned Google a loss in court. It all started on August 13, 2020, when Epic opened up its own payment system on its iOS and Android apps, purposefully defying both app stores' rules that apps must use Apple or Google's payment systems.
Apple and Google can try to take away access to your favorite apps, but Android lets you bypass this block entirely.
Today, the only way to get the Epic Games Store and Fortnite on iOS is if you live in the European Union. Otherwise, you'd need to play on a cloud gaming service.
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Meanwhile, Android users can download the Epic Games Store directly from Epic Games and play whatever they want no matter where they live or what Android device they use. Noticing a trend here? Apple users only get what Apple gives them, and while it's possible to sideload some alternative app stores on iOS, they don't usually have apps like Fortnite or TikTok — unless you live in the European Union where courts have forced Apple to offer alternatives to its Appstore.
Beyond just Fortnite and TikTok, alternative app stores like the Epic Games Store and the Amazon Appstore offer tons of free apps and other promotional content that isn't found on the Google Play Store or Apple Appstore. Sites like APK Mirror are also trusted ways to safely get apps outside of the Google Play Store, ensuring you can get what you need when you want it.
To make things even better, Android 15 helped further secure sideloaded apps by requiring extra steps to enable admin-level permissions on your phone. You won't run into rogue apps if you use a legit app store like Amazon or Epic, anyway, but if you do happen to download something from a third party, it's no longer easy to accidentally enable the wrong permissions for these apps.
While we still don't know the fate of TikTok in the U.S., it's more than likely that the company will open up U.S. app traffic to servers in other countries if the government decides to try to ban it outright. I don't personally care about TikTok but I do love using CapCut, and since the same company owns both apps, you better believe I'll be using it for as long as I'm able to install it.
The best Android phone ever made isn't from Samsung or Google. Get the OnePlus 13 with the best eye-friendly OLED on any phone, the fastest processor, the fastest charging in the U.S., incredible battery life, and six years of software support included.