To mark the United States’ 250th birthday, organizers buried a massive time capsule containing memorabilia from every state, including a iPhone 17 Pro Max in the limited‑edition Cosmic Orange finish. The capsule will be sealed for 250 years and opened in 2276, coinciding with the nation’s 500th anniversary. Apple’s flagship device joins artifacts ranging from coins to cultural snapshots near Philadelphia.

Critics note the phone’s lithium‑ion battery will almost certainly degrade long before 2276, making functional operation doubtful. Even if power fails, the device stores a “digital artifacts” folder accessible through the Notes app, offering future viewers a glimpse of today’s software ecosystem. The inclusion highlights Apple’s cultural cachet and the novelty of preserving consumer tech for centuries. Experts will monitor the seal for corrosion.

The stunt underscores a broader trend of tech companies seeking legacy status by embedding products in historic timepieces. While the odds of a 2025‑era smartphone surviving two and a half centuries are slim, the gesture fuels public fascination with long‑term preservation and sparks debate over what digital relics future societies will value. If it powers up, it becomes a benchmark of mobile hardware evolution.