An original iPhone from 2007 just sold for what’s apparently a record-breaking amount. At over $190,000, it’s more than 3X the previous top price, actually. But the latest device to sell at auction has a quirk that made it even rarer than usual.
The eye-opening price shows the market for factory-sealed 2007 iPhone units is hot.
iPhone 2007 auction breaks record
The vast majority of people who buy a new phone immediately start using it. But in rare instances the device goes on a shelf still in the original plastic. And in even rarer instances, the device in question is a 2007 iPhone, the handset that created the smartphone market we know today.
Before its release, smartphones were a niche product. Apple’s 2007 model transformed the market, and had millions of people around the world dumping their RAZRs and Nokias to buy iPhone instead.
The unit that just went under the gavel was owned by someone on “the original engineering team at Apple when the iPhone first launched,” according to LCG Auctions, which handled the sale. Presumably, the person had more iPhones than they needed and put this one away unopened.
“Virtually flawless along the surface and edges, the factory seal is clean with correct seam details and tightness,” says LCG of the item. “Labels on the reverse are correctly pristine beneath the seal. Outstanding color and gloss.”
Even rarer than usual
Over the past few months, multiple factory-sealed iPhone 2007 units have been auctioned off. One went for $40,000, another sold for almost $55,000. The previous record holder went for over $63,000 when it sold in February, also by LCG.
The unit that auctioned for over $190,000 on Sunday, July 16 had a unique feature that made it stand out — and bring in a higher price. All the others that have sold recently have 8GB of storage, while the latest to go up for auction has 4GB.
“Debuting on June 29th, 2007, alongside the 8GB model, the 4GB model was hampered by slow sales,” explained LCG Auctions. “Buyers chose to pay the $100 upcharge in exchange for double the storage space. The lagging sales resulted in Apple making the decision to discontinue the 4GB model on September 5th, 2007, just over two months after it was first released.”
But don’t think the iPhone you used back in 2007 and has been gathering dust in the back of a drawer ever since is worth anything like that much. Typically, used devices sell for a few hundred dollars.
