Unopened first-generation iPhone to go under hammer. See details

An unopened first-generation iPhone is going under the hammer on Thursday. The phone is from 2007 and may have an estimated value of $50,000.

The first iPhone was originally on sale for $599. It offered a 3.5-inch screen, a 2-megapixel camera, internet capabilities, iTunes, etc. It also came in 4 GB and 8 GB storage options.

The early Apple phone used to run on a 2G network, had no app store and was exclusive to AT&T’s network.


Karen Green, a cosmetic tattoo artist, was gifted the 8 GB version phone when she got a new job, Business Insider reported.

As Green already had a new phone and the iPhone was incompatible with her cellular network, she did not open it. Green kept the phone on a shelf. The iPhone seems to have remained there “wrapped in a pair of felt pajamas” for years.

Green also appeared on daytime television program “The Doctor & The Diva” in 2019 where an appraiser on the show valued the phone at $5,000. The price has increased since then.

In October, another unopened first-generation iPhone was sold for over $39,000 in an auction conducted by LCG Auctions.

When Green came to know about it, she contacted LCG Auctions to handle the sale. The phone has now been listed by the same firm and the bidding will open at $2,500 on Thursday. Until February 19, Apple enthusiasts can bid to buy the tech relic.

Green has decided to sell the phone now as she wants to support her cosmetic tattoo studio in New Jersey. Green told Business Insider that if she could hold on to the phone for like another 10 years, she would probably do. The only reason why she is selling the phone is that she needs to support this business.

FAQs:

1. How much does the 2007 iPhone weigh?
   135 grams
2. What key features did the first iPhone lack?
   App Store, 3G, etc.