The Birth of the iPhone (2007):-
As we welcome the iPhone 15 series, now is the ideal time to journey through the 16 year saga of this revolutionary device, exploring its transformation from a pioneering invention to a cultural icon. This is the evolution of the iPhone. In 2007, Apple launched the iPhone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone and a breakthrough Internet communications device, and disrupted a market led by devices like the Nokia 1200 and Motorola Q.
Unlike its keyboard centric competitors, the iPhone opted for a single button and a 3.5 inch display with intuitive interface and a wide range of apps. The iPhone quickly overshadowed its rivals, despite its high starting price of $499. Fun fact: the concept of the iPhone dates all the way back to 1983.
The iPhone 3G and 3GS (2008-2009):-
It started out as a landline phone with a touch screen and a stylus responding to concerns about the original iPhone’s high cost. Apple introduced the iPhone 3G in 2008 at a reduced starting price of $199. It featured 3G connectivity, hence the name and why there wasn’t an iPhone 2, and introduced a built in GPS Plus the App Store.
The next iteration, the 3GS, with ”S” standing for speed, offered a new chip and double the RAM. Apple claimed the 3GS was twice as fast as its predecessor, with a 3MP camera and up to 32 GB of storage. It sold a staggering 1 million units in its first weekend, all for $599. The iPhone’s first major redesign came in 2010 with the launch of the iPhone 4.
The iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S (2010-2011):-
It was thinner, had sharper edges and a stainless steel frame. It also came with a front camera and was the first iPhone with a high resolution retina screen. The rear camera was improved to 5MP and the RAM was once again doubled. After Steve Jobs passing on October 5th, 2011, the next iPhone to be released under the new CEO, Tim Cook, was the iPhone 4S.
This time the ”S” did not stand for speed but for Siri featuring a new Apple A5 chip that allowed for up to seven times faster graphics, The 4S came with a better camera capable of recording in full HD and the option for 64GB of storage. The iPhone 4 and 4S didn’t just succeed; they triumphed like two Olympic athletes bringing home gold for Team Apple.
The iPhone 5 and 5S (2012-2013):-
Fun fact: the original iPhone was going to have a plastic screen. However, when Steve Jobs had a prototype in his pocket, the screen was scratched by his keys. So instead they used a glass screen. Next came the iPhone five. In 2012, Hailed by Apple as the thinnest smartphone in the world, it had a thickness of just 7.6 millimeters.
It was 18% thinner and 20% lighter than the iPhone 4S and had a larger display of 4 inches. The inclusion of a new lightning connector made it charge faster and the RAM was improved 1GB. The following year, the 5S and 5C models were released. The S came with touch ID as an easier and more secure way to unlock the phone.
It also had an improved battery life and was twice as fast as its predecessors, thanks to being the first phone ever to benefit from a 64-bit SoC, meaning system on a chip. Meanwhile, the 5C had a hard coated polycarbonate shell, allowing it to be sold in a wide range of colors and for $100 cheaper than the iPhone 5.
The iPhone 6 and 6S Series (2014-2015):-
Things continued to get bigger and better in 2014 with the introduction of the iPhone 6. It was the first iPhone to have retina HD and a storage option of 128 GB. Buyers could now choose between two different screen types with the iPhone 6 plus having a larger 5.5 inch display and an improved battery costing $100 extra.
Fun fact: the iPhone 6 and its larger sibling, the 6 Plus, didn’t just succeed. They shattered records to become the undisputed best selling smartphones in history. The iPhone 6S and 6 S Plus came out in 2016 and benefitted from and benefitted from the new A9 chip with up to 70% more CPU and 90% better graphics performance.
3D touch enabled pressure sensitive touch inputs allowed the device to distinguish between normal and more forceful presses. The six s plus had a larger screen a better battery, and cost an additional $100. The first-generation iPhone SE or special edition was released in 2016. It was basically a cheaper and smaller version of the iPhone 6S with the same processor, but a screen size of just 4 inches.
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 Series (2016-2017):-
The iPhone SE’s slogan was “a big step for small”, and it had a starting price of just $399. iPhone 7 is the most singular, the most evolved representation of this design. That same year, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were launched. Notably, the headphone jack was removed, meaning users required a lightning cable headphone jack or wireless AirPods that were released at the same time.
The seven was the first water resistant iPhone model and came with a 256 GB storage option. The 7 Plus had two cameras at the back to improve the quality of photos and videos when zooming in. Fun fact: in 2016, Apple managed to sell its billionth iPhone. If you thought that was impressive, wait until the end to find out how many iPhones have been sold in total.
In 2017, the iPhone 8 and 8 plus hit the market with wireless charging capabilities. They also came with the A11 bionic chip, making them 30% faster than the iPhone 7. As with its predecessor, the plus model was larger and featured an improved dual camera at the back. In the absence of an iPhone nine, the iPhone X was the next model to be released in 2017.
The iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR (2018):-
It marked the 10th anniversary of the release of the original iPhone and was the first iPhone not to have a home button. It did, however, have an OLED screen and face ID. The price for this new tech, an eye watering $999. One year later, the iPhone, Xs and Xs Max came with a very advanced A12 Bionic chip and a storage option of 512GB.
The iPhone XS featured a 5.85 inch OLED display increased RAM and a battery that lasted up to 30 minutes longer than the iPhone X. The XS Max had a larger 6.4 inch OLED display and a battery that lasted 1.5 hours longer. The iPhone XR was released alongside the XS and the XS Max and became Apple’s best selling model in 2018.
It was available in six different colors and featured a 6.1 inch liquid retina display. The fact that it was slightly larger yet significant, cheaper than the iPhone X probably helped boost sales the iPhone XR come in six finishes and in three sizes 64GB, 128GB and 256 gigabytes of storage. It was considered an affordable or budget flagship model, although it still wasn’t cheap with a starting price of $749.
The iPhone 11 Series (2019):-
2019 saw the arrival of the iPhone 11 11 Pro and 11 Pro max. The iPhone 11 offered a night mode for taking better images in low light conditions, as well as a wide camera feature. The front camera was also upgraded to 12 MP. The pro version came with three cameras on the back, making it possible to capture the highest quality video of any smartphone while supporting a 4K video resolution of up to 60 frames per second.
It had 4GB of RAM and was sold for $999. The iPhone 11 Pro max had a larger display and was sold for $1,099. The second generation iPhone SE was released in 2020. It was 30% larger than the original model and had a 4.7 inch true tone retina HD display. Its speed was boosted by the A13 Bionic chip. Other upgrades included a 7MP front camera and 3GB of RAM.
The iPhone SE (2020):-
Despite being significantly better than the first generation, the starting price for this one stayed at $399. The iPhone 12 series was introduced in 2020. It was the first of Apple’s lineup to support 5G and the first to feature the ceramic shield, which makes the screen up to four times tougher. Buyers could choose between the standard 6.1 inch display for $799.
The iPhone 12 Series and 5G (2020):-
The iPhone 12 mini. 5.4 inch display for $100 less. A re-engineered chip and 5G. This is iPhone 12 Pro. The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro max were the flagship smartphones in the 14th generation of the iPhone. Utilizing an A14 Bionic chip with 6GB of RAM. The iPhone 12 pro cost $999 at launch and the 12 pro max with the largest ever display on an iPhone of 6.7 inches went on sale for $1,099. A faster chip, a high performance display, and the biggest upgrade ever to the camera. Introducing iPhone 13 pro. It’s ready for in 2021, the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini were released. as well as the Pro and Pro max versions making use of the A14 Bionic chip.
The iPhone 13 Series (2021):-
A new feature called Cinematic Mode allowed for automatic changes in focus so that you could film impressive movie quality action scenes. The battery life of the iPhone 13 was extended to offer 2.5 hours more compared to the iPhone 12. as before The Mini lived up to its name as a cheaper, smaller version, while the 13 Pro increased performance and battery life even further.
The 13 Pro also included three new cameras, which, according to Apple, was its “biggest camera advancement ever.” It allowed for much higher quality photos and videos, further improving upon the new cinematic mode by allowing for stunning images, even in dark settings. Another first was the one terabyte storage option, which cost a whopping $1,499 at launch, while the starting price for the 128GB was $999.
As for the iPhone 13 Max Pro, it came with a 6.7 inch display and added $100 to the cost. The third and latest generation of the iPhone SE was announced in March 2022, just like the iPhone 13, It uses the toughest glass available and features a 4.7 inch retina HD display. However, this smartphone is much faster due to the A14 Bionic chip.
It can also connect to 5G networks, and we’re bringing 5G to our most affordable iPhones and has a longer battery life, resulting in 2 hours more video playback than the second generation model. As a result, the price is slightly higher than before at $429 it’s time to go beyond what a smartphone can do.
The iPhone 14 Series (2022):-
The iPhone 14 and its variants launched in 2022. It marked the first time that Apple has completely done away with physical SIM cards and is now using esim. Satellite connectivity resulted in a range of safety features such as emergency S.O.S. and crash detection. Meanwhile, there were improvements in the rear facing camera and autofocus was added to the front facing camera.
The iPhone 14 plus replaced the mini variation and instead offered a larger display of 6.7 inches. The 14 pro and pro max were the first to make use of Apple’s fast and powerful A6 chip. What’s more, they had storage options of up to 1TB and always on functionality for reading information. While the phone was locked and introduced the Dynamic Island feature, the 14 Pro’s main camera has an impressive 48 MP and offers substantially more detail than the 13 pro.
The starting prices for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max were $999 and $1,099. iPhone 15 is absolutely incredible. All of this brings us to the most recent seventeenth generation of the iPhone. The iPhone 15 released in September 2023. A major change to the iPhone is its adoption of Usb-C with Apple getting rid of the Lightning Connector after a proposed mandate from the European to make all devices compatible with Usb-C.
The iPhone 15 Series (2023):-
In terms of hardware, the iPhone 15 has a 6.1 inch display with a super retina XDR led technology. Super retina XDR display, which uses OLED technology. It provides an exceptional viewing experience with thinner borders, rich color, and support for Dolby Vision. The 15 plus has a 6.7 inch display featuring the same tech.
Both models use the A16 Bionic chip and have 6GB of RAM, whereas the iPhone 15 is capable of 20 hours of video playback. The 15 Plus boosts that up to 26 hours. As for higher priced versions, the iPhone 15 pro and pro max will take advantage of an all new A17 pro chip and use USB 3 transfer speeds up to 10 Gbit/s as opposed to USB 2.0 for the cheaper models using a usb 3 cable with iPhone 15 PRO enables incredibly fast transfer speeds. An action button replaces the mute switch on the Pro and Pro max and can now be configured by the user to do other things like open the camera or record a voice memo. So with iPhone 15 Pro, we are reinventing the experience with a customizable action button the higher end models will also be encased in titanium with four colors available.
The iPhone 15 pro and pro max boast 8GB of RAM, a memory capacity you’d usually expect to find in a laptop. As for the pricing, the pro model starts at $999. While the pro max has increased in price to $1,199.
Fun Fact: iPhone Sales Milestone:-
Fun fact: Apple so enormous at 2.7 trillion that even Scrooge McDuck would need a bigger vault. My money my beautiful money. Apple is in fact the largest company in the world. It was 27.6% of the world’s smartphone market with the iPhone. Any guesses on how many iPhones have been sold in total? A mind blowing, 2.3 billion iPhones.
That’s enough iPhones to give every person in China. The United States, Brazil and Mexico one and still have some left over for Mars when we colonize it. It’s amazing how far the iPhone has advanced and continues to progress year after year wonder what it will be capable of five or ten years from now.