Rare 'Stealth iPod' Prototype Surfaces, Expected to Fetch Over $50,000 at Auction

A rare prototype of Apple's original iPod, known as the "stealth iPod," is expected to command over $50,000 when it goes to auction on August 20. The oversized pre-production unit was created to allow Apple engineers to test the device in public without revealing the compact design of the final product.

Instead of the planned smaller form factor, this cream-colored prototype, internally designated the Apple P68, housed the electronics in a significantly larger case. This allowed staff to discreetly conduct tests while keeping the final aesthetic under wraps until its official debut.

The prototype has been preserved by Jim Dumont, one of the initial engineers on the iPod team who joined Apple in 2001. Dumont worked on the first iPod through multiple generations and later contributed to the iPhone. The P68 retains many of its development-era features, including engineering switches, barcode labels, exposed wiring, and the distinctive oversized casing. It also comes with an archive of Apple development materials from Dumont's tenure, documenting aspects of one of Apple's most secretive product launches.

Steve Jobs famously introduced the iPod in 2001, announcing the revolutionary capability of carrying "1,000 songs in your pocket." The auction, hosted by Boston-based RR Auction as part of its "Steve Jobs & the Computer Revolution: The Apple 50th Anniversary Auction Part Two," concludes on August 20.