Title: Insane Bid for iPhones Preloaded with TikTok on eBay
In the current state of affairs, TikTok finds itself in a bit of a gray area. Although it didn't face an outright ban during the Trump administration, it was barred from app stores on both iOS and Android due to liability concerns. This predicament leaves TikTok enthusiasts who missed the app installation before the ban with few options.
Enter eBay, where sellers are capitalizing on this situation by listing phones pre-installed with TikTok for exorbitant prices. As reported by Wired, there are approximately 9,000 such listings, offering a variety of devices from different brands and carriers. For instance, you can secure a TikTok-equipped Samsung Galaxy A54 5G on Consumer Cellular for $250 or an iPhone 11 Pro Max compatible with T-Mobile for $450.
However, the real shocker is the asking price – most listings have at least three zeros at the end, with some reaching into the tens of thousands of dollars, like the iPhone 14 currently listed at $7,500. The most expensive listing, tagged at a whopping $50,000, is likely a stretch, but even the pricier options have attracted interest.
It's important to note that sheer interest doesn't always translate into sales. While some top-priced listings have racked up views, fewer have converted into orders. Most sellers appear to have accepted lower offers, but some have successfully cashed in on opportunism. A listing for an iPhone 16 Pro Max reportedly sold for its $12,999 list price.
This phenomenon isn't a first. Back in the days of Flappy Bird mania, pre-installed game-laden phones also found buyers on eBay, with one device fetching a $99,900 winning bid, only to be canceled by eBay due to platform policies requiring all phones to be wiped and restored to factory settings before shipping. Given eBay's current stance, it's essential that sellers have fulfilled their obligations before pocketing their profits.
While the market may offer some extreme prices, it's best to exercise caution. Buying pre-installed apps from unauthorized sellers can raise legal and security concerns, and it's wise to stick to authorized retailers or manufacturers. At the very least, we can appreciate the enterprising spirit of these TikTok bootleggers.
In the future, tech enthusiasts might explore alternative markets to obtain restricted apps like TikTok, as seen with the surge in pre-installed phone listings on eBay. The increasing reliance on technology also opens up new avenues for innovative business models, such as capitalizing on the demand for popular apps that are temporarily unavailable through official channels.
