An iPhone 17 Pro Max has been sealed underground in the United States. The box containing it is not due to be opened again until 2276 - in 250 years’ time.
The United States marked its 250th anniversary this weekend. Across the country, celebrations took many forms, including fairs, fireworks displays and historical re-enactments. Unsurprisingly, the milestone also took centre stage in a host of official ceremonies.
A 250th-anniversary time capsule in Philadelphia
In Philadelphia, organisers buried a time capsule right in the middle of the city. Inside are fifty objects, each selected to represent a different US state. California’s contribution is the iPhone 17 Pro Max, chosen in its now-iconic orange colourway.
The handset was placed into a stainless-steel capsule weighing more than 400 kilograms, alongside digital "artefacts" saved within the Notes app. Once sealed airtight, the container is intended to remain closed until 2276 - the United States’ 500th anniversary (if it still exists).
Why bury an iPhone 17 Pro Max?
Including an iPhone 17 Pro Max is largely a symbolic gesture. The future team that eventually digs up the capsule will not be able to power it on: the battery will have failed long before then, degraded over time. Even so, they will still be able to hold a signature object from 2026, preserved in perfect condition.
Given that a brand-new iPhone released in 2007 is now almost impossible to find, it is easy to imagine what status an iPhone 17 Pro Max might have by 2276. By then, it would be a genuine historical treasure.
Other objects from 2026 and US history
The capsule has two aims: to showcase everyday items from 2026, and to include pieces linked to American history. For instance, it also contains a gold medal from the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, a fragment of wing from the Wright brothers’ first aircraft, and a feather from Old Abe - an eagle used as a regiment mascot during the American Civil War (1861–1865).
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is the capsule’s only piece of technology. You might ask why the organisers did not choose the original iPhone, released in 2007 and arguably more historically significant. Apple instead opted for a commonplace object from our era to illustrate what life looked like for future generations.
And, plainly, there is a marketing angle here too. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is presented as an emblem of American culture - a must-have. The irony is that while the phone was developed in California, it is assembled in China.
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