Apple unveiled a verified TikTok account

• Apple has created a verified TikTok account, "@apple".
• At the time of writing, the account hasn't posted anything and has just over 5,000 followers. It isn't following any other accounts itself.
• It's possible Apple will mainly use the account for advertising purposes, having run several ads on TikTok prior to setting up the account.
• A verified account for Apple Music already existed on TikTok prior to today's news, boasting over 200,000 followers.
• Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Apple has created a verified TikTok account, "@apple".

At the time of writing, the account hasn't posted anything and has just over 5,000 followers, while it isn't following any other accounts itself. We first saw the news via 9to5Mac.

It's possible Apple will mainly use the account for advertising purposes, having run several ads on TikTok prior to setting up the account.

It could also use the account to extend the reach of its preexisting ad campaigns such as "#ShotoniPhone," which is aimed at showcasing its smartphones' video quality and editing prowess.

A verified account for Apple Music already existed on TikTok prior to today's news, and boasts over 200,000 followers. That account is mainly used to post short clips showcasing major artists, and follows around 50 other accounts.

Since TikTok was launched by Beijing-based tech firm ByteDance in 2017 (the Chinese equivalent and precursor to TikTok, Douyin, was founded in 2016), it has amassed an estimated 800 million users worldwide. Its success hasn't been without controversy, though: the app is often accused of maintaining close ties to the Chinese communist party.

Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.