On a brisk January morning in 2007, Steve Jobs took the stage at Macworld in San Francisco and boldly proclaimed that Apple was about to “reinvent the phone.” Little did the world know just how prophetic those words would prove to be. The iPhone, a seamless fusion of cutting-edge technology and Apple’s signature minimalist design was born – and it would forever change the course of mobile computing.

Fast forward over 16 years, and that original iPhone model, with its mere 4GB of storage, has become a coveted relic of technological history. An auction house is now offering one of these rare iPhones, still sealed in its original packaging from that pivotal year, but be prepared to open your wallets wide – the current bid stands at a staggering $11,000, and it’s expected to fetch at least $100,000 by the time the auction closes in two weeks.

LCG Auctions, the house facilitating this sale, is no stranger to the frenzy surrounding these first-edition iPhones. Just last year, they successfully auctioned off two similar 4GB models, one fetching an eye-watering $190,000, and the other a cool $133,000 – a markup of over 38,000% from their original $499 price tag.

“One of the most important and ubiquitous inventions of our lifetime, the iPhone,” LCG Auctions proudly declares in its product description, underscoring the device’s seismic impact on the tech landscape.

It’s a testament to the iPhone’s enduring legacy that a device with such paltry storage by today’s standards can command such astronomical prices. The base model iPhone 15, Apple’s latest offering, comes equipped with a whopping 128GB of storage, while the more premium variants boast a cavernous 512GB – a far cry from the 4GB of yore.

Yet, it was this inaugural model that set the wheels in motion, sparking a revolution that would redefine the very notion of what a mobile phone could be. The iPhone’s success was so immediate and overwhelming that Apple swiftly discontinued the 4GB variant a mere two months after its retail release on June 29, 2007, opting instead to focus on the higher-capacity 8GB model.

In the intervening years, the iPhone has evolved into Apple’s crown jewel, consistently ranking as the company’s best-selling product and earning the coveted distinction of Time Magazine‘s Invention of the Year in its debut year.

For collectors and tech enthusiasts alike, the allure of owning an unopened, pristine example of this game-changing device is undeniable. LCG Auctions notes that the box they’re offering has never been opened, and the phone inside has never been activated – a veritable time capsule capturing the excitement and anticipation that surrounded the iPhone’s unveiling.

As the bidding war rages on, one can’t help but marvel at the trajectory of this humble 4GB device. From its modest beginnings as a seemingly niche product, it has ascended to the ranks of a cultural icon, a symbol of innovation that irrevocably shaped the course of modern technology.

For the fortunate few who emerge victorious from this auction, the hefty price tag will be a small price to pay for the privilege of owning a piece of history – a tangible reminder of the day Apple dared to “reinvent the phone,” and in doing so, revolutionized the world.