--- title: "Shaq Wanted The First iPhone For Ultimate Bragging Rights—So He Called Steve Jobs: 'Stevie Baby, it's Shaqy…' But Jobs Told Him No" description: "Shaquille O'Neal sought to be the first to own an iPhone, even calling Steve Jobs directly for a favor. Despite his persistence, Jobs denied his request, emphasizing the exclusivity of the launch. Sha" type: "news" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/243543748.md" published_at: "2025-06-06T22:30:36.000Z" --- # Shaq Wanted The First iPhone For Ultimate Bragging Rights—So He Called Steve Jobs: 'Stevie Baby, it's Shaqy…' But Jobs Told Him No > Shaquille O'Neal sought to be the first to own an iPhone, even calling Steve Jobs directly for a favor. Despite his persistence, Jobs denied his request, emphasizing the exclusivity of the launch. Shaq, a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast, later invested in tech companies like Ring and Oura, showcasing his passion for technology. He appreciates the collaborative spirit in the tech industry, contrasting it with the competitive nature of basketball. Ultimately, while he didn't get the iPhone first, Shaq found success and fulfillment in the tech world. **Shaquille O'Neal** didn't just want an iPhone—he wanted the first one. Before the press, before the celebrities, before the world. But even being a four-time NBA champion with global fame and a tech obsession couldn't get him ahead of Apple's notoriously secretive rollout in 2007. So what did he do? He pulled some strings, got **Steve Jobs**' personal number, and called—a lot. "Stevie baby, it's Shaqy—can I get one of those iPhones?" he recalled asking. But Jobs wouldn't cave. "He said, ‘Shaq, I can't, I can't, I can't,'" O'Neal recounted speaking to Mashable at SXSW in 2013. "I got a lot of celebrities calling me… you gotta wait, Shaq." **Don't Miss:** - **Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — **this is your last chance to become an investor for $0.80 per share.**** - **Invest where it hurts — and help millions heal: **Invest in Cytonics and help disrupt a $390B Big Pharma stronghold**.** This wasn't a one-time ask. Shaq was relentless. He wanted the first iPhone not just because it was cool, but because, as he put it, "when you're at the forefront of stuff, it's like bragging rights." In a 2012 interview with Fast Company, he gave more context—and a little more heart. "I always wanted to be the one that's on the edge of the technological curve," he said. And when the iPhone was about to drop, he did what any certified tech nerd with a rolodex full of Silicon Valley contacts would do: he called in the favor. Over and over. "The great Steve Jobs, rest in peace," Shaq said at the time. "When the iPhone was first coming out, I used to call him every other day. Can I please get one first? He never gave me one. He was a great guy." **Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: **Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation**.** **Today's Best Finance Deals** The way Shaq tells it, you get the sense he wasn't even annoyed. In fact, he seemed to respect Jobs even more for sticking to his guns. Shaq's not just a tech dabbler—he's a full-on enthusiast. "I'm a nerd, I'm a techie, I'm a geek," he proudly declared in a 2013 Bloomberg interview. "All those terms we thought were funny are now in—and I'm proud to say I'm in." And he meant it. In 2015, Shaq invested in Ring, the smart doorbell company, after installing one himself and becoming a fan. He didn't stop at writing a check—he appeared in commercials and even went door-to-door helping install units in Georgia homes. When Amazon later acquired Ring in a reported $1 billion deal, Shaq's bragging rights became even more legit. He also backed Oura, the smart ring that tracks sleep, recovery, and readiness scores. Because for a guy who's lived life at full throttle, it turns out the tech that monitors rest might be just as valuable as the tech that gets people hyped. While basketball thrives on fierce competition, Shaq says the tech world operates on a completely different vibe. "In the basketball world, it's, ‘This is mine, and you can't have it,'" he explained. "But in tech, everybody's helping each other out. Kudos to the techie guys for everybody just having handshake deals." He went on to say there's more than enough innovation and opportunity to go around. "There's enough technology and enough dream space for everybody to survive," he added. So no, Shaq never got that iPhone early. But he did get the last laugh—by diving headfirst into the tech world, not as a brand ambassador, but as a true geek with bragging rights of a different kind. Because it's not just about being first. It's about being in. And on that front, Shaq's already won. ***Image: Shutterstock*** ### Related Stocks - [AAPL.US - Apple](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AAPL.US.md) - [AAPB.US - GraniteShares 2x Long AAPL Daily ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AAPB.US.md) - [AAPD.US - Direxion Daily AAPL Bear 1x Shares](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AAPD.US.md) - [AAPU.US - Direxion Daily AAPL Bull 2X Shares](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AAPU.US.md) - [AAPX.US - T-Rex 2X Long Apple Daily Target ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AAPX.US.md) - [AAPY.US - Kurv Yield Premium Strategy Apple Aapl ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AAPY.US.md) - [APLY.US - YieldMax AAPL Option Income Strategy ETF](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/APLY.US.md) ## Related News & Research | Title | Description | URL | |-------|-------------|-----| | 為什麼蘋果現在悄然押注於視頻播客 | 蘋果正在將其播客策略從音頻轉向視頻，宣佈將在春季擴展 Apple Podcasts 以支持視頻內容。此次更新將為創作者提供新的發佈和廣告工具，使聽眾能夠在觀看和收聽之間無縫切換。這一舉措是在 YouTube 在美國播客消費中佔據領先地位的背 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276076729.md) | | 蘋果加速研發 AI 眼鏡、掛飾及攝像頭版 AirPods | 蘋果公司正在加速研發三款新型可穿戴設備，包括智能眼鏡、掛飾設備和具備擴展 AI 功能的 AirPods。這些設備將圍繞 Siri 數字助理構建，計劃與 iPhone 聯動。智能眼鏡預計最早於 2027 年發佈，而 AirPods 和掛飾設備 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276154149.md) | | Vest Financial LLC 提高了其在蘋果公司 $AAPL 的持倉 | Vest Financial LLC 在第三季度將其在蘋果公司（NASDAQ:AAPL）的持股增加了 17.8%，目前持有 322,329 股，價值 8208 萬美元。這使得蘋果佔其投資組合的 1.1%。其他對沖基金也調整了在蘋果的持倉。該 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276122567.md) | | Apple Podcasts 將在今年春季推出增強版視頻體驗 | 蘋果正在增強其播客應用，計劃在春季推出全新的視頻體驗，允許用户在觀看和收聽之間切換。此次更新利用了 HTTP 直播流技術，並支持離線視頻下載。此舉旨在與已經接受視頻播客的平台如 YouTube 和 Spotify 展開競爭。蘋果高級副總裁 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276140574.md) | | 蘋果公司將在 3 月 4 日舉辦 “特別體驗” 活動：以下是我們可以期待的內容 | 蘋果公司（NASDAQ: AAPL）將在 3 月 4 日於紐約、倫敦和上海舉辦 “特別蘋果體驗” 活動，邀請部分媒體參加。與典型的直播活動不同，此次聚會預計將更加親密。預計推出的新產品包括 iPhone 17e、搭載 M5 Pro 和 M5 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276119756.md) | --- > **Disclaimer**: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.