Beijing time on June 30 news, exactly 15 years ago, an epoch-making product forever changed the world. The clock was set back to the United States on June 29, 2007, local time, and the first generation of iPhones was officially launched. In January of that year, Apple co-founder and late CEO Steve Jobs said in his release of the iPhone that it “combines iPods, phones and Internet communicators.”
Although Jobs knew that the iPhone would change the way people communicate and surf the Internet, perhaps even he himself could not predict exactly how much of an impact it would have.
The original iPhone laid the foundation for modern smartphones, ushering in an era of pocket computers. People tap their phones to get them to answer any question, and their use has become the norm. The Global Association for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) thinks tank estimates that more than 5 billion people around the world currently use mobile services. From work, communication, shopping, traveling, managing finances, and experiencing entertainment, people can do it from their smartphones. For tens of millions of people around the world, the iPhone is a tool.
The following is a review of the evolutionary history of the iPhone in the form of graphics:
In 2007, Apple released the first iPhone. Apple described it at the time as a “widescreen iPod that supports touch.” It comes with a 3.5-inch screen, 2-megapixel camera. After 74 days, it sold 1 million units.
Then in 2008, Apple introduced the iPhone 3G. As the name suggests, it supports 3G networks for the first time. The iPhone 3G has built-in GPS, App Store app store, and is priced at half the price of the first generation of the iPhone.
In 2009, the iPhone 3GS was released, and the camera was upgraded to 3 megapixels. The new operating system supports copy, paste, and multimedia messaging.
In 2010, the iPhone 4 was introduced. It was the first iPhone to feature a front camera, a rear 5-megapixel camera, and a Retina HD screen. Its design has also been overhauled, abandoning the curved border used in the previous version and replacing it with a tougher flat-edged design that offers both black and white appearances.
In 2011, the iPhone 4S became the first upgraded model with an “S” in its name. Apple launched its voice assistant Siri on this phone. It also supports the iMessage service, equipped with an 8-megapixel camera. In the picture, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is holding the iPhone 4S.
In 2012, when Apple released the iPhone 5, it claimed that it was the thinnest smartphone in the world, with a thickness of 7.6 millimeters, which is 18% thinner than the iPhone 4S. It is equipped with a 4-inch screen and supports LTE 4G networks.
In 2013, Apple began to cater to users in different price segments, introducing the iPhone 5S and 5C. The more expensive 5S supports touch ID fingerprint recognition, replacing the Home primary key. The relatively inexpensive 5C offers more exterior color options than the previous model.
In 2014, the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus announced that Apple was finally embracing large-size screens. The two models, which measure 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches respectively, support Apple Pay’s payment service and allow users to shop in stores using a contactless reader.
In 2015, the iPhone 6S and 6 S Plus began equipped with 12 million cameras, introducing a live photo feature capable of capturing a still photo before and after it was taken. It also supports 3-D
Touch function, which unlocks different menus and functions by sensing the pressure level of the finger.
In 2016, the new affordable iPhone SE was introduced. It’s back on the 4-inch screen, but retains the 12-megapixel camera, divided into rose gold and space gray colors. For now, Apple is still operating the SE product line and upgraded it in 2020 and 2022.
Also in 2016, Apple also launched new flagship machines, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, introducing waterproof and optical image stabilization. The 7 Plus also adds a 12MP telephoto rear camera for 2x optical zoom. Apple also removed the headphone jack and used the Lightning interface instead.
In 2017, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus featured a new glass back cover that supports wireless charging. The 12MP camera features a faster, larger sensor.
In 2017, Apple also launched the tenth anniversary edition of the iPhone: the iPhone X. It became Apple’s largest iPhone model at the time: the 5.8 inches. It also ditches Touch ID, supports face ID for facial recognition, and introduces the controversial “bangs” that include a front-facing camera and speakers.
In 2018, Apple launched the “Max” model for the first time in the iPhone XS series, and the screen size was further increased to 6.5 inches. Both models support better water resistance, with a maximum depth of 2 meters underwater for 30 minutes.
In 2018, Apple also introduced the relatively inexpensive iPhone XR. It has a 6.1-inch screen and is available in six colors, including coral, yellow and blue.
In 2019, Apple added a new ultra-wide-angle camera to the iPhone 11 series. The iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max have three rear cameras: wide-angle, telephoto, and ultra-wide-angle.
In 2020, the iPhone 12 series returned to a tough flat-edge design, supporting 5G networks for the first time. Among them, the 12 Max comes with a larger 6.7-inch screen.
In 2021, Apple adopted a smaller “bangs” design for the latest iPhone 13 series phones. 13 Pro and Pro Max launched with 1TB of storage, the most ever.
