After the recent TikTok ban in the U.S., the app has been restored, but it still remains missing from American app stores.
TikTok-Installed Phones Selling for Thousands on eBay
According to CNN, thousands of people have taken advantage of this situation by listing smartphones with TikTok pre-installed on e-commerce website eBay at inflated prices.
When TikTok was banned, it was also removed from mobile app stores in the U.S. The restriction was set to remain until the app was sold to a U.S. company or one of its allies. However, after about 12 hours, TikTok was restored when former President Donald Trump signed an executive order delaying the ban.
TikTok Users Struggle Without App Store Access
Although TikTok is now operational in the U.S., it is still unavailable for download on app stores. This means that users who deleted the app or never installed it before are currently unable to download TikTok.
No Clear Timeline for TikTok’s Return to App Stores
There is no official confirmation on when TikTok will return to the app stores, leading some entrepreneurs to profit from the situation.
According to Wired, thousands of listings have appeared on eBay, advertising phones with TikTok already installed. Some of these phones have been listed for thousands of dollars, with certain sellers even asking up to $1 million. A notable case included a TikTok-installed phone that sold for $21,000. However, it is important to note that sellers on eBay do not always sell at the listed price—they often accept offers from buyers.
By Thursday, eBay had recorded over 27,000 searches for TikTok-installed phones, indicating a rising demand for devices with the app.
Experts Predicted TikTok’s Removal from U.S. App Stores
While TikTok’s disappearance from app stores wasn’t a major shock, experts had already predicted this move. However, the future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain.
TikTok Ban Comes with Heavy Penalties
Under the new ban law, technology partners hosting TikTok are required to block access to the platform, or they could face fines of up to $5,000 per violation.
These technology partners include:
- Oracle, which hosts TikTok’s U.S. content
- Apple and Google, which provide access to the app through their respective app stores
What’s Next for TikTok in the U.S.?
The executive order issued on Monday has delayed the ban by 75 days, but it does not provide a long-term solution.
To keep TikTok available in the U.S., ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company) must either sell the app to a U.S.-based buyer or the Trump administration must revoke the previous law and pass a new one.
Initially, ByteDance had no intention of selling TikTok, but now reports suggest that negotiations for a potential deal are underway.
