13 years ago today, then Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the launch of a device that would change all of our lives – even if one never touched an iPhone directly. It was on this day in 2007 that the iPhone was officially announced. Leading up to the launch, speculators had wondered for years if or when Apple would release a phone given the massive success of the iPod. Since Apple was already labeling many of their products as “i-something”, many had even guessed correctly that the device would be called iPhone. But what commentators didn’t realize back then was that the pinnacle device was not just a feat of engineering and design merging together, but it would begin a revolution that would put a smart phone in everybody’s pocket.
To better understand the significance, we need to go back to 2007 and understand what mobile phones were like back then. At that time, smart phones did exist – but they were very expensive and didn’t offer many features. More importantly, they were bulky, ugly, and we’re only desired by forward-thinking tech enthusiasts that were thrilled with the idea of getting your email on the go. Further, in 2007 your average person was still thrilled to have a flip phone or a candy bar phone that had a 320 x 240 resolution camera and an Edge data connection (also known as 2.5 G). Mobile browsing was practically unheard of at this time. Instead, some phone manufacturers had their own applications that could provide text-only news and updates. Data plans at this time were also incredibly meager, making mobile video streaming essentially impossible.
What the iPhone did that was most important was it made smart phones an object of desire. This is the same thing that Apple did for the MP3 player with the launch of the iPod. Prior to that, MP3 players like the Diamond Rio were clunky, ugly, and hard to use. They also had microscopic storage space. But with the reveal of the iPhone, the world was immediately clamoring for what would obviously be the start of a new revolution. One could even make the argument that the iPhone is in many ways responsible for the evolution of Android and the plethora of compatible phones that are available today.
iPhone, Smart Phones Have Come A Long Way
One of the biggest impacts on the mobile phone industry directly was the downfall of competing smart phones such as the once ubiquitous Blackberry, as well as competitors that wanted to run their own unique smart operating systems like Nokia and Microsoft. In their place, new power houses rose like Samsung which now dominates the Android phone market globally.
And while iPhones are no longer the number one smart phone globally, Apple is often times a trendsetter for features and technologies. This of course does not mean that Apple devices always have the best hardware - not even close. Instead, once Apple standardizes a feature, other manufacturers will almost certainly follow. And so today we look back on the launch of the iPhone and how much it has changed our society – for better or worse.
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