TECH NEWS – An unopened, factory-packaged, original 4GB iPhone 2007 sold for a staggering amount at a recent auction.

A rare, factory-sealed and never-activated original iPhone sold for nearly $40,000 at auction, giving the seller a handsome profit of $38,740. Apple’s iPhone 14 and 14 Pro were recently released with a price tag of more than $1,000. In 2007, however, the original iPhone hit stores for just $600. (About $860 if you adjust for inflation.) Year after year of iterations and improvements have reduced the market for used iPhones to the point where they are not worth much more than their material price.

The original 2007 iPhone was a severe risk to Apple in the flip-phone era.

Smartphones were still very rare in 2007. The idea of being able to play streaming games on a mobile device by connecting console controllers was pure science fiction. With just 4 gigabytes of storage and a few pre-loaded apps, the original iPhone is a relic of a bygone technological era. The touch screen was a leap forward in phone technology when it was first launched. At the time, no product could match its ease of use.

Considering the technological leaps that have taken place in the 15 years since the original device was launched, a recent auction produced a shocking result. A factory-sealed iPhone from 2007, without stickers and UPCs, now sells for $39,339.60.

While a recent survey shows that Americans are willing to go into debt for a new iPhone, the price of an ancient device at nearly $40,000 is absurd.

According to LCG Auctions, the astronomical price was helped by the rarity of the factory-sealed first-generation iPhone. In the last few days before closing, bidding was around $10,000. Apple products usually sell for a premium. The infamous $19 Macbook cleaning cloth is an extreme example. Selling an iPhone with a 2-megapixel camera and no WiFi capabilities for the price of a car is again absurd. Previous auctions of first-generation devices have closed around $30,000.

With the inevitable advances in technology and the vast leaps in consumer electronics over the past 15 years, the collector’s market of the future will be full of similar oddities. How much will a new Apple Watch sell for in 15 years? It’s been seven years since the original Apple Watch went on sale – how long before sealed versions are on sale?

Source: LCG Auctions