「The eBay seller who sells iPhones with TikTok installed is asking for between $20,000 and $50,000.」

People are selling iPhones with TikTok installed on eBay for thousands of dollars, claiming they have been unlocked. One listing is asking for $50,000 for an "unlocked iPhone 12 Pro Max (with the TikTok app)".

The US government has issued an executive order asserting that companies responsible for legal violations should not be shielded from liability, but Alibaba, Amazon, and Google continue to exclude TikTok from the US App Store.

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Last Friday, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld a law prohibiting TikTok in the US. This means that the law will take effect on January 19th. As a result, TikTok went offline in the US on Saturday and was also removed from the App Store. Apple stated that it must comply with the law.

On Sunday next week, Trump announced in a social media post that he would lift the ban starting the following afternoon, while also including language stating that companies found to be violating the law will not be held responsible. The app's access permissions were restored by ByteDance because Oracle (the host in the US) judged that Trump's liability waiver was trustworthy.

Trump then issued an executive order promising not to enforce the law for approximately 75 days, asserting that companies found guilty of legal violations would not be subject to fines. However, lawyers immediately pointed out that this command may not comply with the law and that there is a possibility of a fine totaling $85 billion due to legal violations. Other lawyers noted that Trump could potentially revoke his promise if he later decides to target specific companies.

Information on eBay listings for iPhones with TikTok installed

"Wiredspotted tried to sell used Android phones and iPhones with the TikTok app installed at prices far above their market value, hoping to take advantage of the situation for personal gain. Some eBay users were attempting to do this."

A simple search for "TikTok phone" revealed over 9,000 used smartphones listed on eBay from brands like Apple and Samsung, all with TikTok already installed.

Using Alibaba's Buy It Now format, the highest price found for a phone with TikTok listed was $50,000. There were also many phones listed in the range of $2,000 to $5,000.

The site reports that it is functioning properly and there are no phones being sold at exceptionally high prices. Additionally, buyers can submit their own offers using the "best offer" feature, which may be lower than the asking price.

Some iOS devices are able to use iCloud purchases due to a quirk in the system. If User A downloads an app using their Apple ID and then User B signs in with their own Apple ID, the existing app will remain installed. However, when restoring from their own iCloud backup, the old app is lost.

Accessing TikTok through the web may be a better choice.

Image: eBay screenshot