The Apple iPhone made its debut in 2007 with a proud Steve Jobs leading the Keynote speech and talking the device up like it was a bar of gold. While the iPhone is certainly not a bar of gold, it has been one of the leading tech devices since 2007 and continues to influence the mobile industry. Love that or hate that.
The iPhone has reached such legendary heights that its resale value is the highest of any smartphone. That resale value shows in a recent auction that ended with a factory-sealed 2007 (Model A1203) iPhone selling for US$39,339,60. Yes, you read that right—nearly US$40K for a fifteen-year-old device that will likely stay inside its sealed box.
The phone sold was sold by LCG Auctions, but the buyer was not announced, at least on the auction page. Here is what LCG said in the listing, with bidding starting at US$2,500.
“One of the most important and ubiquitous inventions of our lifetime, the iPhone was first introduced by Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at MacWorld San Francisco. Just over five months later, it was released at retail for $499/$599 on June 29. The original iPhone included 4/8 GB of storage, an innovative touchscreen, a 2-megapixel camera, and a web browser. The iconic box featured a life-size image of the iPhone with 12 icons on the screen. It quickly became Apple’s most successful product, forever changed the smartphone industry, and was named the Time Magazine Invention of the Year in 2007.”
“This factory-sealed, first-release example is in exceptional condition. Virtually flawless along the surface and edges, the factory seal is clean with correct seam details and tightness. Labels on the reverse are correctly pristine beneath the seal—all original – no aftermarket stickers or UPC labels on this one. Brand new never activated. Collectors and investors would be hard-pressed to find a superior example. Relevance and rarity comprise a winning formula for this red hot collectible.”
I guess if you have money to burn on something like this, you do what you need to do. The buyer must be a big Apple fan or perhaps someone who works for Apple wanting to preserve a piece of history.
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