While its primary purpose remains short-form videos for teens and adults alike, businesses have used it to advertise developers, publishers, and other parties in the musical industry. The application has evolved to more than mere entertainment for social sharing. In 2019, the number of United States TikTokkers reached 14 million. It has widespread appeal with its addictive features, with 40% of the members located in China and a further 20% in India. It succeeded on mobile devices that ByteDance bought Muscial.ly in 2017 for $800 million.īoth applications are available for free under the TikTok label. Branded initially as Douyin for the Chinese market, the developer renamed it TikTok to appeal to international audiences. ByteDance sought to compete with Muscial.ly.