Fri Jan 24 21:50:00 UTC 2025: **TikTok Ban Briefly Revived, Sends Prices of Used Phones Soaring**
NEW YORK – Following a brief, highly publicized ban and subsequent reinstatement by President Trump, the availability of TikTok in the US remains a chaotic situation. The app’s temporary removal from the Google Play and Apple app stores has created a bizarre market for used smartphones with TikTok pre-installed.
Reports surfaced of iPhones with TikTok already downloaded selling for exorbitant prices, including one iPhone 15 Pro listed on eBay for nearly $5 million. Numerous users on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have also openly offered thousands of dollars for iPhones and other smartphones with the app already installed. These users, many of whom accidentally deleted TikTok during the ban, are desperate to regain access.
The issue stems from the fact that while President Trump lifted the ban, Google and Apple are reportedly awaiting further clarification and legal protections before reinstating TikTok on their app stores. This delay, analysts suggest, is due to potential penalties for distributing the app without sufficient safeguards. The President’s extension of the deadline is intended to allow time for the sale of TikTok’s US operations to a potential buyer, with names like Elon Musk being floated as possibilities. Until then, users are left scrambling for costly workarounds.
First Piper 