History of the iPhone

History of the iPhone‏‎

The iPhone is a line of smartphones designed and marketed by Apple Inc. It uses Apple's iOS mobile operating system. The first-generation iPhone was announced by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007. Since then, Apple has annually released new iPhone models and iOS updates.

First Generation iPhone

The first-generation iPhone was a GSM phone that established design precedents like screen size and button placement that have persisted through all models. The touchscreen device was first sold on June 29, 2007. Some elements of the design were changed in subsequent models.

iPhone 3G and 3GS

The iPhone 3G added 3G network support and was followed by the iPhone 3GS with improved hardware, the iPhone 4 with a metal chassis, higher display resolution, and front-facing camera, and the iPhone 4S with improved hardware and the voice assistant Siri.

iPhone 5 to 5S and 5C

The iPhone 5 featured a taller, 4-inch display and Apple's newly introduced Lightning connector. In 2013, Apple released the iPhone 5S with improved hardware and a fingerprint reader, and the lower-cost iPhone 5C, a version of the 5 with colored plastic casings instead of metal.

iPhone 6 to 6S and SE

Apple released the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as part of the iPhone series on September 19, 2014. The iPhone 6 series included a number of changes over its predecessor, including models with larger 4.7-and-5.5-inch displays, a faster processor, upgraded cameras, improved LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity, and support for a near-field communications-based mobile payments offering.

iPhone 7 to 7 Plus

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were announced on September 7, 2016, and were released on September 16, 2016. The iPhone 7's overall design is similar to the iPhone 6S, but introduces new color options, water and dust resistance, a new capacitive, static home button, and removes the 3.5 mm headphone jack.

iPhone 8 to X

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were released in 2017, the iPhone X was released alongside the 8 and 8 Plus in celebration of the iPhone's tenth anniversary. The X featured a different design than its predecessors, with a nearly bezel-less face and a facial recognition unlock system called Face ID.

iPhone XR to 11 Pro Max

The iPhone XR was a lower-cost device featuring an LCD display and a single rear-facing camera, with the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max featuring OLED displays and dual rear-facing cameras. The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max were announced on September 10, 2019.

iPhone SE (2nd generation) to 12 Pro Max

The iPhone SE (2nd generation) was announced on April 15, 2020, and the iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max were announced on October 13, 2020.

See Also

• History of Apple Inc.
• List of iOS devices
• Timeline of iPhone models