First gen iPhone sells for $190,000 at auction

[Retro]

Someone won the jackpot as it's brand new in a sealed box. The biggest irony is if there's actually a brick inside there, or a smashed iPhone - anything other than a brand new iPhone, basically, which would make its value zero. Of course, it's impossible to find out as one would have to break the seal, hugely devaluing it.

Another issue is the state of the battery since they age regardless of use. In particular, lithium ion batteries are damaged should they go totally flat and after 16 years of no charge, it's most likely to be completely flat. It's therefore quite possible that should the iPhone be connected to a power supply it won't turn on, or in the worst case scenario start smoking, or perhaps even turn into a little flamethrower for a few seconds as the battery destroys itself, the iPhone and anything around it.

Usually iPhones plummet in value as soon as you take them out of the shop.

But there are some special cases, as seen at an auction in the US, where a first edition, unopened 4GB model sold for $190,372.80 (£145,416).

Not many of these were made at the time, leading the model to be considered the "Holy Grail" by iPhone collectors.

Apple iPhone from 2007 sells for $190,000 at auction

The rare first-edition, unopened 4GB model sold for almost 400 times its original value.

www.bbc.co.uk