Apple iPhone from 2007 sells for more than £145,000 at auction in US
Described by LCG Auctions as “one of the most important and ubiquitous inventions of our lifetime”, the lot attracted nearly 30 bids.
Monday 17 July 2023 17:26, UK
Listen to this article
0:00 / 2:11
1X
BeyondWords
Audio created using AI assistance
Apple Computer Inc. Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs holds the new iPhone in San Francisco, California January 9, 2007. Apple unveiled an eagerly-anticipated iPod mobile phone with a touch-screen on Tuesday, priced at $599 for 8 gigabytes of memory, pushing the company's shares up as much as 8.5 percent. Jobs said the iPhone, which also will be available in a 4-gigabyte model for $499, will ship in June in the United States. The phones will be available in Europe in the fourth quarter and in A
Image:
File pic
Why you can trust Sky News
A first generation 4GB model of the Apple iPhone from 2007 has sold for more than £145,000 at auction in the US.
The device was first released by the then Apple CEO Steve Jobs and retailed at a starting price of $499 (about £269 at the time), but was discontinued just two months later amid disappointing sales figures.
Consumers mostly favoured the 8GB model – launched at the same time with extra storage capacity but priced at around $100 more.
Described by LCG Auctions as “one of the most important and ubiquitous inventions of our lifetime”, the auction of the “exceedingly rare” factory-sealed 4GB model was originally expected to raise up to around £75,000.
Its final sale price was $190,372.80 (£145,531.44) with the device attracting 28 bids.
LCG Auctions said the “elusive model” is “considered a Holy Grail amongst iPhone collectors” with its “extreme scarcity directly related to its limited production”.
The auction firm’s website also said: “Our offering is an exceedingly rare, factory sealed, first-release 4GB model in exceptional condition.
MORE ON APPLE
People walk past the barricade of India's first Apple retail store, that will be launched soon, at Jio World Drive Mall, Mumbai, India, April 5, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
Apple becomes first public company to be valued at $3trn
Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering
About ducking time: Apple to tweak iPhone autocorrect function that changes common expletive
Apple headset
Apple Vision Pro: Mixed-reality ‘ski goggles’ headset unveiled – but it will set you back £2,800
Related Topics:
Apple
IPhone
“Virtually flawless along the surface and edges, the factory seal is clean with correct seam details and tightness.
“Brand new, never activated.
Pic: AP
Image:
The then Apple CEO Steve Jobs holds up an iPhone in San Francisco in January 2007. Pic: AP
Read more on Sky News:
Happy birthday to the first mobile phone call
Factory-sealed original iPhone sells for nearly £35,000
“The phone’s provenance is pristine as the consignor was part of the original engineering team at Apple when the iPhone first launched.
“Collectors and investors would be hard pressed to find a superior example.
“Relevance and rarity comprise a winning formula for this red-hot collectible.”
Related Topics
Apple
IPhone
