TikTok's Parent ByteDance Challenges Meta with New Mixed Reality Goggles

Chinese tech company ByteDance, which is best known for creating TikTok, the global short-form video platform, is diving back into the mixed reality race with a fresh strategy.

The Beijing headquartered company is developing lightweight mixed reality goggles that overlay digital visuals onto the real world. These goggles are reportedly tethered to a pocketable puck, which likely handles processing and power — similar to Meta’s upcoming “Puffin” headset.

Tech Ambitions

• The goggles aim to minimize latency between physical movement and digital response using specialized chips.
• ByteDance’s hardware division, Pico, is leading the charge. After shelving the Pico 5 VR headset due to weak sales, they’ve pivoted to a long-term project codenamed Swan, focused on more ambitious, lightweight devices.

Why It Matters

This marks a shift from bulky headsets like Meta Quest or Apple Vision Pro toward sleeker, glasses-like wearables. It’s a response to consumer demand for comfort and portability — even if it means sacrificing some functionality.

ByteDance’s upcoming mixed reality goggles — developed under its Pico division — are still in the prototype phase, but here’s what we know so far based on the latest reports:

Design and Form Factor

• Lightweight goggles tethered to a pocket-sized puck for processing and power. 
• Similar in size to the Bigscreen Beyond headset, one of the smallest VR devices available. 
• Designed for comfort and portability, moving away from bulky headsets like Meta Quest or Apple Vision Pro. 

Core Hardware

• Custom chips in development to reduce latency between physical movement and digital response. 
• Likely to include high-resolution passthrough cameras for mixed reality overlays
• Specialized sensors for spatial tracking and environmental mapping

Processing Unit (Puck)

• Expected to house the main processor, battery, and connectivity modules. 
• May support wireless streaming and low-latency interaction with the goggles

Development Status

• Project codenamed Swan, a long-term initiative focused on high-end, lightweight MR devices. 
• Final specs and design are not yet locked, but ByteDance is working with Chinese suppliers to refine the product

Comparison to Meta’s Puffin

• Meta’s Puffin headset (due 2027) also uses a puck-based design and emphasizes eye and hand tracking. 
• ByteDance’s goggles aim for similar compactness but may prioritize cost-efficiency and content integration with platforms like TikTok.

Meta’s Puffin Project

Meta’s Puffin headset, expected in 2027, also emphasizes compact design and controller-free interaction via eye and hand tracking. ByteDance’s goggles are said to resemble the Bigscreen Beyond headset in size — one of the smallest VR devices on the market.

If ByteDance nails the balance between performance and wearability, it could reshape how we think about immersive tech — not just for gaming, but for productivity, entertainment, and even social interaction.

Google's Key Veteran Researcher Joins TikTok Parent ByteDance

Dr. Wu Yonghui, a well-known Google Fellow and former VP of Research at Google DeepMind, has joined ByteDance. He will be heading the Seed Fundamental Research team, focusing on AI for Science. Dr. Yonghui is a renowned "Google Fellow", a prestigious role equivalent to a Vice President (VP), typically awarded to experts who have made exceptional contributions to technology. 

ByteDance has confirmed that Dr. Yonghui, a a 17-year Google veteran, has left Google to join the company. According to reports by media outlets including The Information. Dr. Yonghui is currently serving as the Head of Seed Fundamental Research for ByteDance's large-scale model team, reporting directly to ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo.

Established in late January 2023, the Seed Fundamental Research Team of ByteDance is now being led by Dr. Wu Yonghui. The research team is dedicated to exploring innovative paths to general intelligence. The program focuses on long-term, aggressive, and potentially uncertain AI research projects. It encourages cross-team and cross-modal collaboration, providing an open research environment and dedicated computing resources.

The team aims to push the boundaries of reasoning, perception, scaling, learning paradigms, and model design. They are exploring areas like large-scale reinforcement learning, world modeling, next-generation learning paradigms, and efficient model design tailored to next-generation hardware.

Dr. Wu Yonghui's move to ByteDance is likely to intensify competition in the AI field. His expertise and leadership in AI research could significantly enhance ByteDance's capabilities, making them a stronger competitor against other tech giants like Google, OpenAI, and DeepMind.

ByteDance has already been making strides with models like Goku and OmniHuman-1, which have reportedly surpassed some of OpenAI's models in performance. With Wu on board, ByteDance might accelerate its AI advancements, potentially leading to more innovative and powerful AI solutions.

This could push other companies to invest more in AI research and development to keep up, ultimately benefiting the field with more cutting-edge technologies and applications.

China in Early Talks to Sell Tiktok US to Elon Musk

China is reportedly considering selling TikTok's US operations to Elon Musk if the platform faces a potential ban in the United States, said a Bloomberg News reported on Monday. The discussions are still in the preliminary stages, and Chinese officials are evaluating various contingency plans.

Summarized Points:

Potential Buyer: Elon Musk, who recently rebranded Twitter as "X," is being considered as a potential buyer.

Reason for Sale: The US government has passed a law requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to either sell the platform or shut it down due to national security concerns.

Geopolitical Factors: The sale is seen as a strategic move to maintain TikTok's presence in the US while navigating complex geopolitical and financial factors.

Musk's Stance: Musk has expressed his opinion that TikTok should remain available in the US, citing freedom of speech and expression.

The situation is still evolving, and it remains to be seen how the negotiations will unfold.

TikTok's presence in the US has been a topic of significant debate and legal scrutiny.

The US government passed a law requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to either sell its US operations or shut down the app due to national security concerns. The law is set to take effect on January 19, 2025.

TikTok has challenged the ban, arguing that it violates the First Amendment's free speech protections. However, the US Supreme Court appears poised to uphold the legislation.

It is to be noted that, TikTok has dismissed reports of a potential sale to Elon Musk as "pure fiction". The company has stated that it cannot comment on speculative discussions.

TikTok has over 170 million users in the US, making it a significant platform for content creators and advertisers.

The potential sale could have broader implications for US-China relations and the global tech industry.

TikTok parent ByteDance Launches Music Streaming Service Resso

ByteDance, which runs short-video platform TikTok, has launched a new music streaming service 'Resso' to take on competitors like Gaana, JioSaavn and Spotify in the Indian market.

Resso, which calls itself the world's first social music streaming app, is also looking at expanding its service to Indonesia in the the next few months.

"India is the first market where we are rolling out. The app is targeted at 18-24 year olds. It includes many exclusive and easy-to-use social features that will enable these Gen Z users to instantly connect with a larger community," Resso India Head of Music Content and Partnership Hari Nair told PTI.

He added that the company is working on expanding to Indonesia over the next few months.

For accessing features like downloadable content, unlimited skips and high-quality audio, users will need to upgrade to a monthly premium subscription of Rs 99 for Android and Rs 119 for iOS. The basic app is free for users.

Nair said the company's initial focus is on getting more users onboard but declined to comment on specific numbers.

Noting that the company has partnered with local and international players, Nair said Resso has also inked deals with labels like Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Merlin and Beggars Group, T-Series, Saregama, Zee Music, YRF Music, Lahiri Music, Divo and Muzik 247, among others.

Resso, which allows users to generate content for the 'Vibes' feature, has set up a content moderation team to ensure that that inappropriate content is put up.

The app has a scroll format (similar to TikTok) and allows users to discover music content as soon as they open the app.

"Gen Z and millennials are at the core of our offering and both music and social networking are central to their daily lives. The relationship between music and the listener is currently passive but with Vibes, comments and other features, Resso aims to transform this through a new and compelling music streaming experience," Nair said.

With increasing availability of affordable smartphones and cheap data plans, India is the largest mobile data consumer market globally -- an opportunity that global tech companies are vying to tap into.

TikTok, which is part of China's ByteDance, has seen strong growth in its userbase in India. The platform, which allows users to create 30-second videos, has seen content being generated across categories like education, entertainment and food. It has over 200 million users in the country. PTI SR

Tik-Tok owner ByteDance mulling to Set up Data Centre in India

ByteDance, the parent company of social media platforms TikTok and Helo, Sunday said it is examining options to set up a data centre in India to store information of its Indian users.

The development assumes significance given that the Indian government recently issued notices to Tiktok and Helo along with a set of 24 questions regarding the alleged misuse of their platforms for "anti-national activities" in India.

The Centre has warned these apps that they might face a ban if they do not submit appropriate responses by July 22, according to sources.

"As a testimony to ByteDance's recognition of India's efforts to frame a new data protection legislation, we are pleased to announce that we are taking a significant step towards establishing a data centre in India. We are now in the process of examining options for safe, secure and reliable services for our Indian users within India's borders," ByteDance said in an emailed statement to PTI.

It added that since the launch of its platforms in India, the company has stored the data of its Indian users at third-party data centres in the US and Singapore.

"India is one of our strongest markets and we are happy to be part of the mainframe of Digital India in 15 Indian languages... We now believe that the time has come to take the next big leap...In line with this effort, we are looking forward to having a more active dialogue with relevant stakeholders and setting new benchmarks along the way," it said.

While the company did not provide more details, sources privy to the development said ByteDance has started discussions with local players and it could take between 6-18 months to start the process of local storage of data.

The Indian government is also crafting a personal data protection bill that moots seeking "explicit consent" for processing 'sensitive personal information' like religious or political beliefs, sexual orientation and biometric details, defines obligations of data processors as also rights of individuals, and proposed penalties for violation.

The draft of Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 -- drafted by a high-level panel headed by Justice B N Srikrishna -- also restricts and imposes conditions on the cross-border transfer of personal data.

ByteDance -- touted to be among the world's most valuable startups with investors like SoftBank, General Atlantic, KKR and Sequoia on board -- had earlier this year announced its plans to invest USD 1 billion in India over the next three years.

TikTok, which allows people to create short videos and share them has over 120 million users in the country, had its share of troubles in the Indian market.

In April, the Madras High Court had directed the Centre to ban TikTok app, saying it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile apps. The order was later lifted and the app was back on app stores.

Earlier this month, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor - while speaking during the Zero Hour in Lok Sabha - had alleged that TikTok app is illegally collecting data which is being received by China and termed it as an issue of national security.

RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch had also written to the Prime Minister alleging that these platforms are being used for anti-national and illegal activities.

TikTok, on its part, had termed the allegations as "untrue" and said it abides by local laws and regulations in the markets where it operates. It had said the Chinese government has no access to TikTok users' data.

It has also started a #EduTok challenge on its platform that encourages users to create content around themes like education, health and wellness etc. PTI

TikTok is Reportedly Working on its Own Smartphone

ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, is reportedly working on its own smartphone, which will come with all of Bytedance's apps pre-installed. The phone-in-making will also debut with another music streaming app, said a report by Financial Times.

The preloaded ByteDance apps in the upcoming smartphone will include TikTok, chat app Flipchat, video-messaging app Duoshan, Slack-like work messaging app Lark and news aggregator Jinri Toutiao.

Designed for the new generation of creators, Tik Tok is a global video community powered by music. Whether it’s dance, free-style or performance, creators are encouraged to let their imagination run wild and set their expressions free.

There's no fixed date on when the smartphone will launch now any official confirmation. It is to be noted that Bytedance also has its own suite of media apps in China.

Notably, ByteDance isn't the first company to make smartphones as a growth hack. China's largest Selfie app Meitu also builds smartphones pre-loaded with photo editing apps, and recently sold this arm of its business to Xiaomi. Amazon tried this with its Fire Phone (launched in 2014) and Facebook with 'Home' (launched in 2013). However, both companies eventually discontinued these products.

To recall, in October last year, ByteDance or Bytemod Pte Ltd raised massive $3 billion in a funding that made the startup become most valuable in the world, beating Uber Technologies.

India is a prime market for Bytedance and its TikTok generates revenues worth millions in the country. This makes India a possible first launch market for Chinese firm.

Earlier this year, TikTok faced a temporary ban in India post the Indian judiciary discovered that TikTok was hosting child pornography related content. The court issued a notice to the Indian government for ensuring the app was taken off from the both the Google PlayStore and Apple App Store. However, Bytedance stated in its defence that it wasn't opposing the constitution of India and already had tools in place to flag inappropriate stuff.

[Top Featured Image - Gadgetbyte Nepal]

China Startup that owns Musical.ly Beats Uber to become World’s Most Valuable Startup

A Chinese internet technology company that operates several content platforms powered by machine learning and which recently had a rough interaction with Chinese government when China’s central government ordered to close its flagship popular app, Jinri Toutiao, because of its rude and sexually explicit content that are mostly jokes, is now the world's most valuable startup beating America's Uber.

Beijing, China-based ByteDance or Bytemod Pte Ltd has just raised a fresh round funding amounting US$3 billion that will value the startup at US$78-75 billion, more than Uber Technologies, which currently valued at US$72 billion, reported Bloomberg.

Bytedance is company behind popular video app Musical.ly and News Republic, a news and video aggregator . The startup is also the owner of popular apps in China including TikTok, karaoke video app, and huge Chinese news aggregator Toutiao.

With this remarkable achievement, ByteDance has done an unexpected thing no 'Business Pundit' had ever thought of, particularly because at $75 billion valuation this largely unknown startup has not just outran Uber but have also broke the dominance of its local competitor in China and internet giants Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent -- the so-called BAT big three.

Now, ByteDance founder Yiming Zhang will join league of Alibaba's Jack Ma and Baidu's Robin Li and one may expect an increased traction of ByteDance in south east Asian countries particularly in India, Singapore and Indonesia. Zhang has recently been included in a China's list of 100 entrepreneurs lauded for their “great achievements in the development of the private economy” over the past 40 years.

ByteDance has an India connection too, as in 2016 the Chinese firm had made a major investment of $25 million in DailyHunt, India’s leading local language app.

In 2017, ByteDance had acquired a US-based popular short-form video app, Flipagram. In 2017, ByteDance acquired global news app News Republic and global video community musical.ly. After it acquired music start-up musical.ly, the company combined the two platforms into a single application under the TikTok name. It also runs BuzzVideo and Vigo Video.

In global tech community, ByteDance is known for its flagship app Toutiao, which is also the startup's core product. Toutiao was started out as a news recommendation engine and gradually evolved into a platform delivering content in a variety of formats, such as texts, images, question-and-answer posts, microblogs, and videos. Toutiao offers its users personalized information feeds that are powered by machine learning algorithms. A content feed is updated based on what the machine learns about a user’s reading preferences.

ByteDance’s investors include General Atlantic, SoftBank, KKR & Co and Primavera Capital Group, according to Crunchbase, which tracks venture capital investments.

Matrix Backed Dailyhunt Raises $25M in Series D Funding Led by ByteDance

Dailyhunt – India’s leading local language app has raised $25 million in its Series D funding round led by ByteDance. ByteDance is a global digital content platform with over 138 million monthly active users of its news app Toutiao in China. Arun Sarin, former CEO of Vodafone & existing investors of Dailyhunt - Matrix Partners India, Sequoia Capital India, Omidyar and Falcon Edge also participated in the round.

Dailyhunt is India’s most popular local language app with over 28 million monthly active users and over 4.5 billion page views monthly. Through its platform, it provides the widest collection of regional language content in form of news, eBooks, magazines, comics and videos.

Zhang Yiming, Founder and CEO of ByteDance, said, “Dailyhunt is serving a huge unmet need of providing local language content to Indian mobile users and has grown with its localized approach ad business model. We are excited about a long-term partnership here and believe in Dailyhunt’s long term potential to be the leading mobile content platform in India”.

Virendra Gupta, Founder and CEO of Dailyhunt, said, “Dailyhunt has grown by partnering with publishers, developers, OEMs, advertisers and other ecosystem partners. We want to thank our partners for their support and reaffirm our commitment to the local language digital ecosystem. The investment by ByteDance, who has done this at scale, reinforces our belief in the opportunity. We look forward to learn from ByteDance on personalization and large scale machine learning to continue to offer a unique experience to our users”.

“Dailyhunt is addressing the next 400M users who will be brought online by the coming explosion in data usage. We believe in their approach of working with every ecosystem player to bring the best content to the user. We are privileged to partner with Viru and the team at Dailyhunt and welcome ByteDance to the board and look forward to partnering with them to build a local language platform” said Vikram Vaidyanathan, Managing Director, Matrix India.

Image: Virendra Gupta, Founder and CEO of Dailyhunt