iPod and Nest Creator Tony Fadell May Have Purchased (RED) EarPods and Mac Pro for $1.4 Million [Updated]

Earlier this year, Apple design chief Jony Ive and designer Marc Newson created a number of one-of-a-kind items to be sold at a Sotheby's charity auction to benefit Product (RED). Two items in particular were Apple related, a pair of solid gold Apple EarPods and a new Mac Pro with a special red finish.

According to a pair of tweets by photographer Kevin Abosch, Tony Fadell -- one of the creators of the iPod and the founder of Nest, the company behind the Nest Thermostat and Protect smoke detector -- may have purchased both the Mac Pro and the EarPods at the auction.

The Mac Pro sold for $977,000 while the solid gold EarPods sold for $461,000. Other items sold at the auction included a Steinway & Sons grand piano that sold for $1,925,000 and a magnum of Dom Perignon 1966 with a custom red label that sold for $93,750.

Tony Fadell With Red Mac Pro

The red Mac Pro is one of the few out in the wild at the moment, as Apple has not yet started selling the device to the public. First shipments of the new Mac are expected later this month.

We have reached out to both Kevin Abosch and Tony Fadell for confirmation of the purchase and will update if we hear back.

Image via Kevin Abosch

Update: Fadell has issued a Tweet clarifying that he did not purchase either the Mac Pro or the EarPods.


Update 2: Abosch has now tweeted a picture of himself reflected in what appears to be the surface of the red Mac Pro, perhaps supporting the theory that he is the owner of the machine.

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...

Top Rated Comments

mclld Avatar
159 months ago
Spends 1.4 million on a computer and earphones yet cant use a decent camera to show it off??
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
procrastinasn Avatar
159 months ago
Spends 1.4 million on a computer and earphones yet cant use a decent camera to show it off??

They should've bought the Leica.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CausticPuppy Avatar
159 months ago
wow, seeing that i wish they would do several colors in that amazing color chrome? look. it is really hot! like to see it in a blue too.

The aftermarket is gonna go wild with this. Personally I'd just take a clear shell-- the insides of the new Mac Pro are just beautiful.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WaxedJacket Avatar
159 months ago
Pro has gotta be the coolest PC design in years. I really really want one.

----------

Why are people making an issue with the price?

1) It's for CHARITY. Price should never be a factor in the end if it's for charity.

2) Solid gold ear pods. That would go well with the gold iPhones.

3) Both are one of a kind.

Because I've noticed people on this site are a tad bit mental.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jm001 Avatar
159 months ago
Why are people making an issue with the price?

1) It's for CHARITY. Price should never be a factor in the end if it's for charity.

2) Solid gold ear pods. That would go well with the gold iPhones.

3) Both are one of a kind.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
willmtaylor Avatar
159 months ago
Money well spent for a great cause. Kudos.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)