According to trends, there seems to be an inverse relationship between the collectability of older Apple technology and its availability in the secondary market today. The most evident, albeit extreme case of this is an unopened 2007 auctioned iPhone that recently sold for a whopping $190,372.
This was the first iPhone ever unveiled to the public by Steve Jobs in 2007. At the time of its launch, it was priced at a staggering $499 since it had not been seen in the market yet. Factory-sealed designs have been transacting for years amid spectacular figures, reflecting a growing interest in tech collectibles that they are raising for sale.
One irrefutable cause behind the record-setting price of $190,372 is the fact that it was a rare first edition 4GB model, which had no perceptible harm to either box or seals. Therefore, its perfection bears a lot of significance concerning the auction value. Not every older iPhone sells in the dragging context, but the well-taken-care-of and factory-sealed ones command a high price.
Apple has introduced new product lines almost every year, making their older models nearly extraneous. Nevertheless, the company’s revenue generation remains fantastic year after year. There is a small group of electronic items, often first-in-line releases, for which the price tag keeps appreciating. The same trend nowadays can be seen in antiques like the original Apple I computer and the first iPods which are highly sought-after collecting items.
Hence, with this background, an unopened iPhone might become a good investment for a techno-collector. The continuously increasing values for rare Apple devices show no sign of tapering off. In other simple terms, having a first edition unopened iPhone could become a winning pick since the demand and prices for rare Apple collectibles keep increasing without an apparent end.