No verified report shows anyone paying $50,000 for an iPhone with TikTok installed. The figure was an asking price on an eBay listing reported in January 2025—not a confirmed sale or evidence of the phone’s market value.
What did the $50,000 listing claim?
On January 23, 2025, 9to5Mac reported an eBay listing for an unlocked iPhone 12 Pro Max advertised with TikTok installed at an asking price of $50,000. The same report described other listings priced from $2,000 to $5,000; some high-priced listings were not selling, while some best-offer listings showed a completion without revealing the accepted price. 9to5Mac’s January 23 report documented the listing, not a completed $50,000 transaction.
Did anyone actually pay $50,000?
The available reporting does not establish that anyone did. The Associated Press reported on January 24, 2025, that eBay listings ranged from $340 to $50,000, but said it was unclear how many had sold. AP also reported that listings priced in the hundreds had received the most bids. An asking price, a bid, and a confirmed final sale are different things; the $50,000 figure is evidence only of what one seller asked.
AP also spoke with New York seller Nicholas Matthews, who had listed an iPhone 14 Plus with TikTok for $10,000. As of January 24, he said his highest bid was $4,550. That was a dated bid, not a reported final sale. Matthews told AP, “I’m just expecting to sell this one phone.” The Associated Press account does not verify the final proceeds from the $50,000 listing.
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- 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak), 2532x1170px at 460ppi, 4005mAh Battery
- 8GB RAM, Apple A18 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency cores), Apple GPU 4-core, 16‑core Neural Engine
- Rear camera: 48MP, f/1.6, wide, Front Camera: 12MP, f/1.9, wide, iOS 18.3.1, upgradable to iOS 18.5
- Connectivity: Global 4G LTE, Sub-6 GHz 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB-C, Wireless Charging (7.5W). (does not have mmWave 5G or MagSafe or physical SIM card) - Dual eSIM Only
- Unlocked for freedom to choose your carrier. Compatible with both GSM & CDMA networks. The phone is unlocked to work with all GSM Carriers & CDMA Carriers Including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Straight Talk., Etc.
Why were sellers advertising phones with TikTok?
The listings appeared during a brief U.S. disruption in January 2025, when TikTok service was interrupted and the app was unavailable from Apple’s and Google’s app stores for people who had not previously downloaded it. AP reported that people who had downloaded TikTok before could use it again after Sunday. Those are historical details from January 2025, not a statement about current U.S. service or download availability.
In that moment, a phone that already had TikTok installed could look like a way around the app-store obstacle. But the listing’s headline feature was software on a used device—not a guarantee of continued access, and not proof that buyers would pay the asking price. Fast Company’s January 23 buyer guide likewise cautioned that access could change with the legal and enforcement situation then in effect.
Rank #2
- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length. There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
- This product will have a battery which exceeds 90% capacity relative to new.
- Accessories will not be original, but will be compatible and fully functional. Product may come in generic Box.
- This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 365 days of receipt if you are not satisfied.
Would buying one guarantee continued TikTok access?
No. 9to5Mac described a potential iPhone app-persistence issue: an app installed under one Apple ID may remain on a device after another person signs in, but restoring the phone from the buyer’s iCloud backup could remove apps installed under the prior account. An icon visible on a used phone therefore does not guarantee that TikTok will survive setup or remain usable.
Even if the app remains installed, an installed copy does not by itself establish that the service will work. The January 2025 reports cannot confirm current U.S. app-store availability, service status, current eBay listings, or later legal developments.
Rank #3
- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length. There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
- This product will have a battery which exceeds 90% capacity relative to new.
- Accessories will not be original, but will be compatible and fully functional. Product may come in generic Box.
- This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 365 days of receipt if you are not satisfied.
How to read a viral listing price
For this story, four measures should not be conflated:
- Asking price: what the seller advertises. The $50,000 figure belonged to this category.
- Bid: an offer from a prospective buyer. Matthews’s reported $4,550 highest bid was not a completed sale.
- Confirmed final sale: an amount shown to have been paid. The cited reports did not establish one for the $50,000 listing.
- Usable app access: whether the app persists through device setup and remains functional. The listing price says nothing about either.
Without a verified transaction and evidence that the advertised app feature would persist, the headline number is a striking listing—not a reliable measure of a phone’s value.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The large 6.9-inch display combines ProMotion 120Hz technology with advanced color calibration, giving movies, games, and productivity apps a spacious, crisp, and fluid visual experience that’s ideal for multitasking or immersive media consumption.
Rank #4
- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length. There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
- This product will have a battery which exceeds 90% capacity relative to new.
- Accessories will not be original, but will be compatible and fully functional. Product may come in generic Box.
- This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 365 days of receipt if you are not satisfied.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
