8 Years Ago You Could Buy an iPhone 17 with 1 Bitcoin – How Many Can You Get Now That It’s Launched?
Eight years in the past, in early 2017, Bitcoin traded round $1,000 whereas the iPhone X launched at $999, which means one Bitcoin might get you one iPhone. Today, with Bitcoin at roughly $112,000 and the brand new iPhone 17 beginning at $799, one Bitcoin can purchase 140 iPhones.
When the iPhone X debuted as Apple’s first $1,000 smartphone, Bitcoin was climbing towards its 2017 peak of almost $20,000.
The Great Reversal in Digital Wealth
Bitcoin’s value has elevated 2,700% since September 2017, whereas iPhone costs have remained comparatively steady with inflation changes.
The iPhone 17 base mannequin prices $799, which is $200 lower than the iPhone X’s launch value eight years in the past.
Apple maintained regular pricing by bettering effectivity and introducing tiered fashions. The iPhone 17 lineup contains the bottom mannequin at $799, iPhone 17 Air at $899-$949, iPhone 17 Pro at $999, and iPhone 17 Pro Max at $1,199.
The authentic iPhone launched in 2007 at $499, equal to $760 in at the moment’s cash when adjusted for inflation.
Bitcoin’s journey from near-zero worth in 2009 to present ranges has handed a number of main milestones. The cryptocurrency crossed $1 in 2011, reached $1,000 in 2013, and surpassed $100,000 in December 2024 earlier than settling round present ranges.
The famous Bitcoin pizza transaction from May 2010 valued 10,000 Bitcoin at $41 for 2 pizzas. Those similar Bitcoin are actually price $1.12 billion, able to buying 1.4 million iPhone 17 models or working Apple’s retail shops for months.
When Bitcoin Was Cheaper Than Your Morning Coffee
Bitcoin’s earliest recorded value was roughly $0.0009 in 2010 when the New Liberty Standard Exchange established the primary change charge.
What adopted was huge adoption and infrastructure growth that pushed it to succeed in significant buying energy.
The 2017 bull run marked Bitcoin’s entry into mainstream consciousness as retail buyers drove costs from $1,000 to just about $20,000. This interval coincided with the iPhone X launch.
Following the 2017 peak, Bitcoin entered an 84% correction, dropping to $3,200 by December 2018.
The extended bear market examined investor conviction whereas Apple continued to launch annual iPhone iterations with incremental enhancements.
Bitcoin’s restoration accelerated in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic as institutional buyers, together with Tesla, MicroStrategy, and main firms, started making treasury allocations.
PayPal, Square, and conventional finance corporations built-in crypto providers, which drove mainstream adoption.
The 2021 bull market pushed Bitcoin to $69,000, making one Bitcoin price 86 iPhone 12 Pro fashions. However, macroeconomic pressures and rising rates of interest brought about one other correction to $15,600 by November 2022.
Current Bitcoin costs round $112,000 characterize a mature asset class with institutional backing, regulatory readability, and international recognition.
Major monetary establishments, like BlackRock, (*17*), and VanEck, supply Bitcoin ETFs, whereas nations have acknowledged it as authorized tender.
Skip the iPhone 17 Today, Buy 24-25 iPhones in 2033?
If somebody chooses Bitcoin over the iPhone 17 at the moment, historic patterns present an extraordinary future buying energy potential. Buying Bitcoin as an alternative of the iPhone 17 base mannequin for $799 would buy roughly 0.00713 Bitcoin at present costs of $112,000.
Following Bitcoin’s historic 8-year progress sample of two,700% will increase, this funding might theoretically attain $21,573 by 2033. Apple’s pricing historical past signifies regular inflation-adjusted prices, with the iPhone sustaining $700-$800 base costs since 2014.
Assuming comparable patterns proceed, the 2033 iPhone might price roughly $850-$900, accounting for technological development and inflation. The Bitcoin funding would theoretically buy 24-25 future iPhones in 2033 as an alternative of 1 iPhone at the moment.
However, this calculation assumes Bitcoin maintains equivalent progress charges, which turns into more and more tough as market capitalization expands.
Historical Bitcoin efficiency exhibits diminishing returns over successive cycles. The 2009-2017 interval delivered over 2,000,000% good points, whereas the 2017-2025 interval generated roughly 460% returns regardless of reaching new all-time highs.
Market dynamics recommend future Bitcoin appreciation could reasonable as institutional adoption matures and regulatory frameworks stabilize, however it might nonetheless serve its function as a retailer of worth.
Expert Predictions Point to Massive Future Gains
Alternative eventualities embody Bitcoin reaching $500,000-$1,000,000 by 2033 as predicted by numerous analysts.
Bitcoin might hit $175K this yr and presumably $1M by 2030, in line with @LeahWald, CEO of SOL Strategies. #Bitcoin #BTChttps://t.co/I0bEzniQUa
— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) August 21, 2025
At $500,000, the $799 Bitcoin funding would buy roughly 135 future iPhones, whereas $1,000,000 Bitcoin funding would purchase 170 iPhones.
Conservative projections assume Bitcoin grows at 20-30% yearly, much like historic inventory market leaders. This would worth Bitcoin round $350,000-$450,000 by 2033, buying 90-110 future iPhones as an alternative of 1 present mannequin.
The calculation assumes iPhone utility stays fixed whereas Bitcoin maintains store-of-value properties.
Apple might improve gadgets via augmented actuality, synthetic intelligence, or biotechnology integration, affecting pricing constructions. iPhone subscription fashions or service-based income might exchange conventional {hardware} gross sales, making direct value comparisons out of date.
Apple’s providers income already exceeds many Fortune 500 corporations’ whole revenues.
Bitcoin’s deflationary nature is totally different from fiat forex inflation affecting iPhone pricing. If Bitcoin achieves international reserve forex standing, iPhone costs may decline in Bitcoin phrases no matter greenback inflation.
Based on how it’s seen traditionally, expertise adoption follows predictable curves with early adopters incomes disproportionate returns.
Bitcoin’s present place resembles web adoption within the Nineteen Nineties, with sturdy progress potential remaining.
What If You Bought Apple Stock Instead?
The $799 iPhone 17 price range might alternatively buy 3.36 shares of Apple inventory on the present $238 value. Over eight years, the ROI is totally different in comparison with Bitcoin.
Apple’s historic efficiency exhibits 22% annualized returns over the previous decade, considerably decrease than Bitcoin’s 83% however with lowered volatility.
Following conservative progress projections of 7-15% yearly, the Apple funding might attain $1,400-$2,500 by 2033. At Apple’s midpoint 10% annual progress charge, the $799 funding would develop to roughly $1,719 after eight years.
This might buy 1-2 future iPhones, assuming the corporate maintains its present $700-$900 base mannequin technique. Bitcoin’s potential 20% annualized returns over the identical interval would remodel the $799 into roughly $3,437, buying 3-4 future iPhones.
However, Bitcoin’s volatility contains potential 50-80% corrections that might quickly scale back buying energy.
But since huge institutional adoption, yearly corrections have drastically dropped under 20%.
Additionally, Apple’s $3.7 trillion market capitalization represents an established expertise chief requiring huge income will increase for substantial inventory good points.
Bitcoin’s $2.2 trillion market cap in contrast with Gold’s $24T, nevertheless, suggests extra room for institutional adoption progress.
The submit 8 Years Ago You Could Buy an iPhone 17 with 1 Bitcoin – How Many Can You Get Now That It’s Launched? appeared first on Cryptonews.
