Footage from what is believed to be Elvis Presley's final concert has resurfaced, drawing attention to a woman in the audience who appears to be holding a device that some observers claim resembles a modern smartphone. The grainy image, captured during Presley's June 1977 performance at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, shows a woman holding a black, rectangular object with a reflective square at the top.
This sighting has fueled speculation and theories about time travel, as the object bears a resemblance to contemporary mobile phones, particularly the iPhone, which was released nearly 30 years later. The first mobile phone, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, went on sale about six years after Presley's last show.
However, skeptics and other viewers have offered alternative explanations for the object. Some suggest it could be an autograph book with a silver pen, an early tape recorder, a primitive portable camera, or even a whiskey flask. Another argument against the smartphone theory is the lack of cell towers in 1977, though proponents of the time travel idea counter that a phone could still function for recording or taking pictures without a signal.
Presley, the 'King of Rock and Roll,' died just seven weeks after this final performance, on August 16, 1977, at his Graceland estate. Televised recordings of his last concert did not air until October of that year. The resurfaced footage adds to a collection of historical images and videos that have previously sparked similar time-travel discussions, including alleged sightings of modern devices in World War II-era photos and a 1995 boxing match.
Beyond the alleged anachronistic technology, other unproven theories have long surrounded Presley's death, with some suggesting he faked his own demise to escape the pressures of fame or due to alleged threats from the Mafia. These theories are sometimes cited in relation to his tombstone, which reportedly bears the name 'Aaron' instead of his middle name, Aron.