- TikTok-loaded phones are being sold online for thousands of dollars.
- The app was temporarily shut down in the U.S. due to national security concerns.
- Preloaded devices are in high demand while TikTok remains unavailable for download.
Phones preloaded with TikTok are selling for thousands of dollars online after the app was temporarily blocked in the U.S. due to national security concerns.
Listings on platforms like eBay feature devices with TikTok installed, with prices ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars.
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One notable listing is for an Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max preloaded with TikTok, priced at $50,000.
The seller reports significant interest, with nearly 80 potential buyers monitoring the offer.
Other devices feature the app installed either with or without active user accounts.
The surge in demand follows ByteDance’s voluntary decision to temporarily shut down TikTok in the U.S. on January 19.
This came hours before a federal deadline requiring the company to either sell the app to a U.S.-based entity or face a nationwide ban under the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.”
TikTok went dark for its 170 million U.S. users but was later reinstated on January 20 after former President Donald Trump extended the ban deadline to early April.
While the app remains accessible for current users, it is still unavailable for download on U.S.-based app stores.
The new law does not target individual users but restricts companies like Apple and Google from hosting or distributing TikTok.
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This has created a niche market for preloaded devices.
Ebay has yet to respond to inquiries about these listings. Meanwhile, sellers continue to cash in on the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s availability, capitalizing on its massive popularity among U.S. users.
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