Your old iPhone could be worth £18,000 – rare gadgets you might still own
IF YOU'VE got old Apple gadgets cluttering up your home, you could be sitting on a fortune as the value of retro gear grows.
Some ageing iPhones, iPods and Macs that were top-of-the-range a few years ago could now be worth thousands.
That's because old-school Apple products – even those that are seemingly obsolete – have become lucrative collectables.
The first-generation iPhone, for instance, is now worth as much as £18,000 in the packaging on eBay, according to the Guardian.
The original iPod classic – which launches all the way back in 2001 – reportedly goes for as much as £36,000 on resale websites.
Even newer models of used iPods go for thousands as fans like their huge storage capacities, which dwarf those of most modern iPhones.
A study on the pricing of Apple products on resale sites was published in 2016 by Terapeak, a company that tracks the pricing of collectables.
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Researchers showed that classic iPods in their original packaging were priced at collectables levels.
They noted that one fourth-generation red-and-black special edition released in partnership with the band U2 sold for $90,000 (£66,000).
Since Apple discontinued the iPod classic, the price of even more recent models had skyrocketed, they said.
Demand for retro Apple products has grown in recent years and gadgets are now collected like sports memorabilia.
Speaking to the Guardian, professional eBay trader Hermie Brieto from Los Angeles suggested that the firm's rich history was driving up prices.
"It’s because Apple’s been around for a while, and a lot of people, product-wise, they like Apple very much,” Brieto said.
“I guess the collectability is because of Steve Jobs, and the history of Apple.”
Of course, there are few things you need to do before selling off your old handset.
Remember to reset the factory settings on the phone so all of your data and personal information is wiped – you can do this using your Apple ID or through your device settings.
You should also make sure that you remove any password locks on your handset and that it is fully charged before it's sent away.
In other news, a British woman has told of her horror after scammers used photos of a "silver fox" politician to trick her out of £80,000.
Norfolk County Council is suing Apple over what it says was misleading information about iPhone sales.
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And, Apple has announced updates to AirTags following claims that the coin-sized tracking devices are being used to stalk people.
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