TikTok parent shuts down music service in India
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, have announced that they will be shutting down their music service Resso in India.
Music streaming service Resso will be shutting down in India after the government ordered Apple and Google to pull the app from stores, according to those familiar with the matter.
Resso is owned by the same company as TikTok; ByteDance. The Chinese company has begun to expand its music service TikTok Music. However, ByteDance have confirmed that they have no plan to launch TikTok Music in India.
A spokesperson for ByteDance said: “Unfortunately, owing to local market conditions, we can no longer continue to serve users of Resso in India. We have therefore taken the decision to shut down Resso and its associated operations on January 31st. Users will be offered a refund of their remaining subscription fees.”
Resso first launched in 2020. The service was ended in Brazil and Indonesia last year to make way for TikTok Music. It seems that the decision to end their service in India is not to be replaced by TikTok Music but instead due to conflict with the Indian government.
In summer 2020, the Indian government outlawed TikTok alongside other Chinese apps. They cited national security concerns as the reason. Resso managed to avoid the persecution of Chinese apps until now.
The app was said to have had at least 250 million installs in India. ByteDance will be missing out on converting those users to their new music service. Competing music streaming services in the country are likely hoping to receive a fresh flock of displaced music streamers.