Short-video-sharing social media platform TikTok has taken the world by storm... and having players such as Facebook and Instagram strive hard in the copying game, while everyone is introducing short videos everywhere (even YouTube...). And now, TechRadar reports about a new patent TikTok's parent company, ByteDance has filed, which should make the likes of Spotify and Apple Music freeze in fear. Yes, it seems we might be getting TikTok Music, a music streaming platform.

TikTok's popularity has been ever-growing, and now the social media platform is looking to expand its horizons even more with a rival to Spotify, Apple Music, and other music streaming services. The patent we are talking about is filed by ByteDance with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The trademark is for a service that's called TikTok Music. And it's not only the name of the service that's having us think about a rival to Spotify. The application of the trademark TikTok Music is listed in smartphone and tablet computer apps 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". As you can see, it really does seem like soon Spotify and other music-streaming companies may be challenged by TikTok. And, the thing that TikTok has is this crazy-big popularity level, as well as the attention of all the young people around. On top of that, the service may also had ads, which could imply TikTok Music will have an ad-supported tier, like, for example, Spotify's free tier. At the moment, TikTok Music has not been announced or anything, and as things with patents go, it may never be announced, so do keep that in mind.

With that being said, its more than likely that we will indeed see TikTok Music launch soon. Will TikTok Music face challenges from the US government?

As TechRadar rightfully underlines, TikTok Music may face some challenges though. You may have heard that lawmakers in the United States are having some doubts about TikTok and more specifically, its parent company ByteDance, and its connections to China. For years TikTok has been suspected of having connections to China. Former US President Donald Trump tried to ban TikTok, alleging it a national security risk, but later President Joe Biden revoked this ban (in June last year). Nevertheless, if TikTok does manage to launch TikTok Music, the service may become a big threat to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and other music streaming platforms, mainly judging by the way TikTok has managed to rule the world in the past few years.