The internet is generally a great place to waste time, but TikTok is the current king in this regard. I resisted installing it on my phone as I get enough second hand video smoke from my girlfriend but this new development is worrying. TikTok for Android TV is now available in the Play Store, which could put an end to the semblance of productivity we pretend to still be capable of.
I was able to install the TikTok app on my Chromecast with Google TV, but for some reason (in the UK) it is not compatible with my Shield TV. This also seems to be the case for other members of the team in different regions, except for Rita in Lebanon, where it is not available at all. It also does not appear to be available for the new Chromecast in the US yet.
Almost everything you can do in the app is available here. When you open it, you can jump right in and watch some videos or sign in to see your personal stream. You use the left and right buttons on the remote control to fast forward or rewind between videos and press for options like Profile, As, en Comments. I could not see any comments on the videos I watched, but maybe you should be logged in. Further options – Report, Not interested, en Lusvideo – is hidden behind the More button. Pressing again allows you to access different categories to browse for more content.
If you’re watching a video, the title and view count are on the left and music information is at the bottom right. This is a fairly faithful reconstruction of the mobile app for the big screen. To reveal the option to log in, simply press the remote control and you can enter a code at tiktok.com/activate or scan a QR code with the mobile app to see your stuff easily. I wish more programs would sign up so simply: passwords should be condemned.
I’m sure more Android TV devices will get support for the TikTok app soon, and we’ll be sure to update this post with such news. If you want to give sideloading a try, we have it on APK Mirror.
