More than an iPhone, a symbol. A first-generation Apple cell phone has sold for over $60,000 at auction. The individual behind the sale had kept the smartphone for almost 16 years in its box, without opening it.
$63,356
The iPhone exceeded all expert estimates. As we mentioned in January, when the sale opened, the device was estimated at $50,000. After 27 different auctions between Feb. 2 and Feb. 19, one buyer spent $63,356.40 to get their hands on the device. The buyer did not wish to reveal his name, according to the LCG Auctions platform.
Presented for the first time by Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007 at MacWorld in San Francisco, the iPhone was marketed from $499. With internal storage between 4 and 8 GB and a 2 megapixel camera, the first smartphone from the Cupertino company was to become the precursor of a revolution in the mobile phone sector. Named Invention of the Year by the Time Magazine in 2007, the smartphone is more symbolic because of the era and the technological transition it embodies than because of the history of this specific device.
Similar devices previously sold for between $35,414 and $39,339, according to LCG Auctions.
A new market?
The first-generation iPhone was gifted to Karen Green shortly after its release. Not wanting to switch carriers, Karen never unpacked the phone. The model purchased in the past was simlocked, usable only on the AT&T network. Seeing the many offers for similar devices on eBay, the particular had the idea to appeal to a company specializing in the auction. “If I could keep the phone for another 10 years, I probably would.“, she said before the sale.
For its part, LCG Auctions predicts the emergence of a new market in the world of auctions. “There is no doubt that interest in culturally relevant collectibles is growing rapidly and, despite the impressive sales figures, many believe this sector is still in its infancy.”analyze the experts.