"Flappy Bird all over again": Internet in splits as iPhones with TikTok installed are being listed for up to $50,000 on eBay

Users of TikTok are feeling a nostalgic flashback to the Flappy Bird era in a turn of events that resembles a fever dream right out of online legend. According to a widely shared tweet,

"iPhones with TikTok installed are being sold for up to $50,000 on eBay, as the app is no longer available on the App Store."

This was the ultimate digital bombshell. Let the mayhem begin.

"Flappy bird all over again" was one comment that encapsulated the attitude of the internet as a whole.

To be honest, is there a more famous allusion? We all live in a world full of memes, as if 2024 and 2014 had a crazy love child.

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Flappy Bird déjà vu: TikTok iPhones become digital gold mines

Fans have already rushed to Twitter to express their emotions about the TikTok iPhone resale phenomenon, unleashing a tsunami of memes and hot takes.

"WAIT I CAN SELL MY PHONE FOR 50,000 DOLLARS?!?!? WTF?!?!?" one user exclaimed, perfectly capturing the collective internet shock.

Another user sarcastically observed:

"Imagine spending between 10k to 50k just to see TikToks,"

while someone else casually offered:

"$5 and a Dr. Pepper and you can have mine."

The internet's humor machine was in full swing.

Meme culture quickly took over, with one tweet featuring a Kanye West side-eye and the caption:

"25 reviews for the $10k iPhone 12"

- a brutal takedown of the absurd market.

Practical jokesters chimed in with gems like

"Listed and sold are two different things. Hope this helps" and

"Why would someone buy that hahah just buy android."

One particularly savage tweet suggested:

"Just fly to another country and get one at that point" complete with a skull emoji

- because why spend $50,000 when you can hop on a plane? The internet's problem-solving skills were in rare form.

Some users were pure opportunistic genius, with one simply stating:

"2 have sold so far" - a tantalizing hint at the actual market madness.

The collective response was a perfect blend of disbelief, humor, and that unique internet entrepreneurial spirit that turns the most ridiculous scenarios into potential cash grabs.

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The backstory: How we got here

The TikTok controversy is a complicated legal and technological chess game rather than just another app drama. TikTok was in a vulnerable position when congressional legislation targeted ByteDance, the Chinese parent firm. The measure essentially forbids the distribution or upkeep of applications that are under the control of "foreign adversaries," as defined by the US government.

Due to the forced removal of TikTok from their app stores by Apple and Google, there is a digital shortage, which is causing these exorbitant resale rates. The software still works for customers who already have it loaded, but there is a catch. No upgrades, no new downloads, and maybe restricted compatibility in the future.

The way that this is similar to the notorious Flappy Bird phenomenon from 2014, in which creators took a hugely successful program and turned it into a digital collector's item, is especially intriguing. It appears that history enjoys a good remix.

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The market's wild west

iPhones with this video-sharing app are now regarded as rare rarities on eBay, which has changed into a virtual marketplace. Some gadgets are being sold for more than $1 million, and the listings vary from the sensible to the really insane. The appeal of a single listing? "Screen protector is only damaged phone perfect and has TikTok." The current state of affairs points to an odd digital gold rush.

Those who uninstalled the clock app are rushing to rejoin the game, while those who managed to keep their installations intact are now digital landlords. Is internet culture at its height? Of course. Is it all utterly absurd? 100%. However, anything is conceivable in a world where applications become assets and memes become marketplaces.