Recent developments have seen iPhones with TikTok pre-installed being sold for exorbitant prices on platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace. This trend emerged following a brief ban on TikTok in the United States, which rendered the app unavailable for new downloads from the Apple and Google app stores. As a result, individuals who already had the app installed on their devices are capitalizing on this situation by selling their iPhones at inflated prices.
High Prices and Listings
- Price Range: Listings for iPhones with TikTok installed range from several hundred dollars to tens of thousands. Some sellers are even asking for millions; for instance, an iPhone 15 with TikTok and CapCut is listed for over $4.9 million[1][2][3][4].- Market Activity: A scan of eBay revealed over 45,000 results for "iPhone TikTok," with many devices priced significantly above retail values. For example, an iPhone 14 was listed for $20,000, while an iPhone 7 was offered for $3,000[2][3].
Seller Motivations
The surge in listings is largely driven by the uncertainty surrounding TikTok's availability. Although existing users can still access the app, those who did not download it before the ban cannot do so now. This has created a unique market where phones with the app pre-installed are considered valuable commodities[3][5][6].Buyer Interest
While it is unclear how many of these devices have actually sold at such high prices, some listings have attracted competitive bids. For instance, one seller reported receiving bids as high as $4,550 for an iPhone 14 Plus with TikTok installed[3][6].Conclusion
The phenomenon of selling iPhones with TikTok pre-installed reflects both a market response to regulatory actions and the high demand for access to popular applications. As long as TikTok remains unavailable for new downloads, these listings are likely to continue drawing attention from potential buyers willing to pay a premium.Citations:
[1] https://people.com/iphones-tiktok-installed-selling-5m-ebay-after-ban-8779751
[2] https://www.businessinsider.com/people-hawking-old-iphones-tiktok-astronomical-prices-ebay-facebook-marketplace-2025-1
[3] https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-phones-ebay-facebook-stores-fcc55bfdde7483321f86cd6b8895f189
[4] https://mashable.com/article/phones-tiktok-preinstalled-listed-thousands-of-dollars-ebay
[5] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiktok-ban-phones-devices-preloaded-ebay-trump/
[6] https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/01/23/TikTok-Apple-iPhones-eBay/5301737659353/
[7] https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/23/business/iphone-tiktok-ebay/index.html
[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqRpMSsxvpg
[9] https://www.yahoo.com/tech/deleted-tiktok-people-selling-phones-180832829.html
[10] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/01/22/iphones-ebay-tiktok-ban/77877456007/