The Complete History of Apple’s Iconic iPhone

The iPhone Evolution: The Complete History of Apple’s Iconic iPhone

Do you want to learn about the origins of the iPhone?

More people own a mobile device for themselves nowadays. This is because of the convenience and portability these devices offer. Among these mobile devices, smartphones are the most common because they’re the most portable and versatile.

Among the smartphone brands, you’ll see Apple’s famous iPhones the most. This is because Apple knows how to balance functionality, luxury, and user-experience in a smartphone. Have you ever wondered about the iPhone evolution and how it all started, though?

Read on to learn about the history of the iPhone and how it all started. We’ll go back to the first time when the iPhone got introduced to the latest news of the newest iPhone in the market.

Apple Looks for a New Way to Handle Computers

The timeline for the iPhone evolution starts with the iPod. This was Apple’s first attempt at remaking computers to fit users under any circumstance. A big part of this was to remove the mouse from being an essential part of a computer.

The mouse was essential, but having one meant you had to have a setup to be effective in using it. Apple experimented with using finger gestures instead to control a computer. They tried to implement this to the iPod, but the interface was too small for anybody to use finger gestures with the device.

Apple even partnered with Motorola to see if they could produce a suitable device. The result was Rokr E1, a phone capable of storing iTunes songs from the Internet. They deemed the project doomed to fail, though, since the device was too slow to use.

Steve Jobs Introduces a New Idea

Steve Jobs prompted making a device to accommodate their ideas by themselves. This birthed Project Purple, a secret project dedicated to developing the device Steve was thinking of. Apple’s main research and development branch dropped all its projects to focus on Project Purple.

The only problem was that Steve didn’t allow anyone unless he was confident in them. He didn’t want any of their competitors to find out about their secret project. This caused it to become harder to develop since even recruits taking part in software and hardware development had no clue about the project they were working on.

Race for Development and Launch

The secret project that Apple had under wraps was close to completion. There were some problems during its development, though. The device’s rounded edges were among these issues that kept on coming back during discussions.

With the expected date of announcement approaching, these discussions became more pressing. It was only in the final month of development that they had dropped the issue. Another one came up, though, this time regarding the screen.

Apple settled on using the same screen they used for the iPod. This was a hard plastic that protected the device while saving on costs. Steve approached the vice president of operations, Jeff Williams, and insisted on turning the screen into a kind of glass.

With only a few days before the introduction, they couldn’t do much about it. Steve got his way later on and iPhones with glass screens were the ones shipped around the world.

Birth of the iPhone

In January 2007, Steve Jobs strode across the stage of the MacWorld convention. He then unveiled the iPhone to all the attendees and fans across the world. This iPhone still had the plastic screen, though.

It was visible enough to dissuade most people from getting one. Despite most people opting out of the iPhone, though, it still sold many units across the world. People also noticed some flaws in the system, causing Apple to take action.

This led to the iPhone 3G and 3GS. These products had many improvements to the software of the original iPhone. They also introduced using the user’s voice for control and accessibility.

These improvements prompted more people to buy their products. It wasn’t long before Apple then released the next iPhone in their lineup, the iPhone 4. This featured the innovative talent that Apple surprised people with.

People often look back at this as the first modern phone. This is because it was also the first iPhone to have a camera at the back. This set the stage for Apple to become known for their amazing cameras.

Apple Launches 2 iPhones at the Same Time

Following the success of the previous iPhone, Apple wanted to capitalize. This led to the release of the iPhone 5. There were some issues right before the supposed release date, though.

These issues caused it to be a year later in its release. But it was worth the wait, as it was the first iPhone to use the LTE-network. The speed at which it sent signals to and from the phone was astounding.

It also introduced improved versions of Siri and Apple Maps. It also allowed users to use FaceTime over cellular networks. Their success was immense, but it was too expensive for some people.

This prompted Apple to release 2 iPhones the following year. These were both upgrades to the iPhone 5 but with distinct differences. These were the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C.

The iPhone 5C was to be a more affordable and practical iPhone. It was a great choice for anyone looking to use the iPhone for talking and photography. The iPhone 5S was a direct upgrade from the iPhone 5, which also improved on the more luxurious aspects of the iPhone.

The Bend Gate Controversy

The following product, the iPhone 6, was one that people wanted more than any other release. This was because it promised to change the way people looked at iPhones. What greeted them was a product faced with 2 controversies.

The first one wasn’t a big deal. It was only the inclusion of a U2 song after they partnered with Apple. The only problem was that people couldn’t delete it.

Apple then released a tool to have it removed from the libraries of users who didn’t want it. What’s worse was the bend gate controversy. This was an issue that appeared when you put too much pressure on your iPhone 6.

It would cause the device to bend, alarming its users and making Apple the butt of many jokes. This caused most people to lose faith in Apple. This loss in faith became worse with the iPhone 7.

For reasons unknown, Apple removed the headphone jack from the device. They argued that cords were non-essential. Bluetooth was the new way to connect to your device for music.

Heavy criticism hit Apple hard after its release. It also caused them to lose a lot in stocks.

Apple Wins Back the Crowd

With their next product, Apple aimed to please the crowd. This meant that they had to improve the processor of the next product and give it a better camera. The iPhone 8 arrived with those exact changes, giving people hope for Apple.

Apple then wanted to prove they’re innovators in their next product. This made the iPhone X the host of many new features. This included an extra camera at the back for better photos.

It also featured augmented reality capabilities. These features along with the increased battery life pleased the crowd even more.

It was then that Apple wanted to become more consistent with their releases. This gave us the iPhone 11. The product didn’t have many new features, but many improvements in hardware.

The powerful device prompted many people to do an iPhone 11 review. Regardless of which review you check out, you will find nothing but praise for the iPhone 11. This makes more people excited about the coming iPhone 12.

If Apple stays true to its trend, they’ll release a new iPhone with major improvements. This makes people confident in Apple yet again.

Learn About the iPhone Evolution Today

The iPhone evolution story is a long and interesting one. Read their history and learn about how the iPhone improved throughout the years!

Do you want to learn more about Apple’s products? Look no further! Check out more of our articles here to discover all the details, tips, and tricks you need!

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