TikTok Enters the Vertical Drama Race with New Standalone App "PineDrama"

TikTok Enters the Vertical Drama Race with New Standalone App "PineDrama"

TikTok is officially doubling down on the booming vertical drama trend by launching PineDrama, a dedicated standalone application for short-form series. Currently, the app has debuted in the United States and Brazil, offering an aggressive early-bird promotion: users can stream all dramas for free, entirely uninterrupted by advertisements.

From "TikTok Minis" to a Standalone Experience

FIFA has partnered with TikTok as the primary platform for promoting the 2026 World Cup.

 

FIFA has announced a partnership with TikTok, making it the official platform of choice for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This collaboration will last throughout 2026, building on the success of a similar partnership in 2023 for the Women's World Cup, aiming to distribute football content and allow fans and creators worldwide to create legally licensed content.

The partnership benefits fans (viewers/creators) and licensed media partners. Fans will have a dedicated page on TikTok featuring match content, highlights, and World Cup-themed features. Creators will have access to official FIFA footage for their content, and selected creators through the Global Creator Programme will receive exclusive World Cup access, such as attending training sessions and press conferences.

TikTok signs agreement to form joint venture; unclear who will control the algorithm.

 TikTok has signed a joint venture agreement with Oracle and other investors to circumvent a US ban due to security concerns. The deal is expected to be finalized by January 22, 2026, but it remains unclear who will hold the proprietary rights to the app's core algorithm.
 

TikTok has signed an agreement to establish a legally recognized joint venture led by a group of US investors who will gain primary control of the app. This marks the end of a long battle in which the US has pressured ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, to either sell its operations or face a US ban.