An iPhone 17 Pro has been sealed inside a time capsule as part of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations. The cosmic orange device will remain unopened until 2276, when the nation marks its 500th birthday, effectively locking the smartphone away for a quarter millennium.
Why the iPhone 17 Pro Was Chosen
The time capsule project aims to give future generations a snapshot of everyday life and technology in 2026. Alongside items representing all 50 states, organizers selected the iPhone 17 Pro to represent modern consumer technology. This is not the first notable moment for the model; earlier this year, the same device was used during NASA’s Artemis 2 mission to relay images from space back to Earth.
Will the iPhone Survive 250 Years?
It is highly unlikely that the iPhone 17 Pro will function when the capsule is opened. Lithium-ion batteries typically degrade within 10 to 20 years, even under ideal storage conditions. Moreover, software, charging standards, and data formats in 2276 will likely bear little resemblance to today’s technology. The phone is thus expected to serve as a preserved historical artifact rather than a working device.
Inside the Sealed iPhone 17 Pro’s Specs
The specific unit placed in the capsule features a 6.3-inch OLED display with 120Hz ProMotion refresh, always-on display, and Ceramic Shield 2. It runs on Apple’s A19 Pro chipset with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. Apple rates the 3,998 mAh battery for up to 39 hours of video playback. Camera specifications include triple 48MP rear cameras, an 18MP front camera, 8x optical zoom, and 8K video recording capability. Two and a half centuries from now, this spec sheet will likely be referenced as a benchmark for smartphone technology in 2026.