Skip to main content

Chinese teen sells kidney for an iPad 2

zheng scarIn a true show of brand loyalty, a 17-year-old Chinese teenager sold his kidney in order to buy an iPad 2. Shanghai Daily reports that Anhui Province Zheng was able to net 20,000 ($3,084.45) for the organ but now as his health is worsening, he is regretting the decision. “I wanted to buy an iPad 2 but could not afford it. A broker contacted me on the Internet and said he could help me sell one kidney for 20,000 yuan.”

Zheng sold the kidney in late April. The surgery, as it turns out, was performed at a hospital that did not meet the qualifications for organ transplants. After Zheng returned home with his new Apple electronics (reported to also include an iPhone – we’re uncertain whether this is a typo or Zheng simply stocked up on his iOS devices), his mother demanded to know where they come from. After she learned of their origin, she reported the matter to the police. The hospital is claiming to know nothing about the surgery.

The story was originally reported by SZTV news channel. In the video, Zheng reveals his large scar, and it appears that his family is very emotional discussing the situation. Apple fanboys are known to be devoted to what can be considered ridiculous, zealot-like lengths, but this type of iOS idolatry puts them all to shame. Take a look at the original TV broadcast below, reported entirely in Chinese.

Editors' Recommendations

Molly McHugh
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
Apple overhauled its two best iPad accessories. Here’s what’s new
Apple Pencil Pro

Apple has unveiled two new accessories for the iPad Pro 2024 models, an upgraded Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil that offer significant improvements compared to their previous versions.

The latest version of the Magic Keyboard has undergone a redesign, making it thinner and lighter than its predecessor. It is now available in two colors to complement the new iPad Pro models. Some new features include a function row equipped with screen brightness controls, an aluminum palm rest, and a larger trackpad with haptic feedback.

Read more
Apple just did something amazing to the iPad
The yellow iPad (2022) lying face-down on a green bush.

Apple's "Let Loose" event just wrapped up, and as expected, there was a lot of iPad news. Just like the rumors suggested, Apple gave us pretty significant overhauls for the new 2024 iPad Air and 2024 iPad Pro. But there was another iPad-related announcement that I didn't expect — and it's the one I'm most excited about.

At the end of its event, Apple announced that the 10th-generation iPad will now be available for just $349. For context, Apple originally launched the 10th-gen iPad in October 2022 for $449. A $100 price cut is nothing to sneeze at, and if you ask me, it completely changes the positioning of this particular iPad.

Read more
The new iPad Pro is here, and it looks absolutely ridiculous
Official photo of the 2024 iPad Pro.

Apple announced the new iPad Pro series, which seems like the biggest upgrade to an iPad in years, at its Let Loose event on May 7. It brings an all-new processor, design, and display. The new iPad Pros still come in two sizes — 13 inches and 11 inches — and they now carry the "thinnest Apple product ever made" badge. It's a big achievement, considering Apple is dubbing the tablets' M4 processor as a "PC chip." In short, it's a bit more impressive than today's iPad Air news.

The new iPad Pros feature an OLED display for per-pixel brightness precision and greater contrast. It also allows for better immersion in content consumption. The displays can reach 1,000 nits of sustained brightness and 1,600 nits of peak brightness for supported HDR content.

Read more