wechat

wechat

Mobile phone users scrambled over the weekend to prepare for TikTok and WeChat's disappearance. That was before it emerged that the bans on the two China-based social apps had been delayed.

Data from third-party analytics firm Apptopia show a 181% increase in WeChat downloads compared to the prior weekend. Several other competitors in the short-form video space also saw big gains, including L.A.-based apps Triller (4x increase on the previous weekend), Clash and Byte (both over 5x).

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The Trump administration is ordering TikTok and WeChat be banned from all U.S. mobile app stores as of Sunday, effectively pulling one of the hottest apps in America from the reach of interested new users.

The yanking of the two apps from U.S. mobile stores come after the U.S. Department of Commerce detailed on Friday exactly what President Donald Trump's Aug. 6 executive order banning "transactions" with TikTok means. Trump's ban prohibits "any provision of service to distribute or maintain" the apps in U.S. mobile app stores, the department said.

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The L.A. tech and startup community was active as ever this week. dot.LA chief host and correspondent Kelly O'Grady takes you through the key points of the top five headlines:

  • Green Rush: The Incredible Rise and Fall of L.A.'s Genius Fund
  • How the WeChat Ban Could Ripple Through California Tech
  • Ridesharing App HopSkipDrive Announces Layoffs
  • Watertower Ventures Closes $50M Second Fund
  • With $5.25M Boost, Valence Aims to Redefine How Black Professionals Connect
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