TikTok madness: Users in US willing to pay up to $5 million for smartphones with pre-installed app
TikTok was temporarily banned in the US and reinstated by newly inaugurated President Donald Trump, users who had uninstalled the app are now willing to pay steep prices for smartphones with TikTok pre-installed. Despite the ban being lifted, the app remains unavailable for download on the Google Play Store and Apple Store, leaving users searching for alternatives.
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Phones with TikTok listed at exorbitant prices
According to a report in the New York Post, an iPhone 15 Pro with TikTok installed was listed for nearly $5 million on eBay. The advertisement described the device as: «Screen protector is only damage phone perfect and has TikTok.»
Other users took to social media to express their desperation. A post on X read: «I deleted TikTok and now I can’t get it back! I will pay someone $5,000 for an iPhone 16 Pro Max with TikTok still installed. DM me.»
Another user highlighted the spike in demand on eBay, stating: «This is INSANE! eBay is full of phones with TikTok already downloaded on it selling for thousands!!»
Why TikTok remains unavailable for download
The app became inaccessible for downloads following a ban enacted on January 19. Although the ban was reversed within hours, users attempting to download or update TikTok now face restrictions. Android users
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