Neil Hughes
This Monday, Jan. 9, will mark exactly 10 years to the day since the first iPhone was unveiled at the Macworld 2007 expo by Steve Jobs. Apple acknowledged the milestone a day early, on Sunday, with Tim Cook promising: "The best is yet to come."
"iPhone is an essential part of our customers' lives, and today more than ever it is redefining the way we communicate, entertain, work and live," Cook, Apple's CEO, said in a press release. "iPhone set the standard for mobile computing in its first decade and we are just getting started. The best is yet to come."
It was on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007 that Jobs touted the iPhone as three game changing products in one: a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and a breakthrough internet communications device.
Competitors scoffed and initial sales were tepid, but by the time the formula was refined for the iPhone 3G, the iPhone quickly began to take off and ultimately defined the modern era of personal computing. Today, the iPhone is the single most important product in Apple's entire lineup, accounting for well over half of all of the company's revenue, and making Apple the most valuable company in the world.
This year, Apple is expected to create a 10th anniversary iPhone — Â which has come to be known colloquially as the "iPhone 8" — Â with a complete redesign that could change the game once again. It's believed that the device will have an edge-to-edge OLED display that could hide components, like Touch ID, the home button, earpiece and FaceTime camera — within or behind the display, presenting users with a true edge-to-edge screen.
Other rumored features of the so-called "iPhone 8" include a glass back, curved screen, wireless charging, and a new 10-nanometer "A11" processor.
New iPhones will have to wait, however, as Apple typically refreshes its flagship handset around September. Until then, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus remain the flag-bearers for the world's most popular smartphone model.
"It is amazing that from the very first iPhone through to today's newest iPhone 7 Plus, it has remained the gold standard by which all other smartphones are judged. For many of us, iPhone has become the most essential device in our lives and we love it," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "iPhone is how we make voice and FaceTime calls, how we shoot and share Live Photos and 4K videos, how we listen to streaming music, how we use social media, how we play games, how we get directions and find new places, how we pay for things, how we surf the web, do email, manage our contacts and calendars, how we listen to podcasts, watch TV, movies and sports, and how we manage our fitness and health. iPhone has become all of these things and more. And I believe we are just getting started."
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Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
35 Comments
It seems like yesterday and yet so long ago. Happy Birthday iPhone.
Congrats Apple and iPhone. Was a little late to the game with ya. 1st iPhone was the 4s. Brilliant piece of machine, just makes me mad that i never bought the 1st. I have been the " s " model upgrader since my start, now the rumor mill is running rapid with 3 phones and a possible all glossy white version. I know you all at Apple will once again knock it outta the park with this years and many more years to come with the best phone in the world. You reinvented the phone and you reinvented the way we live our lives today, tomorrow and in the future. To all the other phone makers out there....... imitation is the sincere form of flattery. Congrats again Apple and the iPhone team.
I still love watching the introduction of the iPhone. It one of the greatest presentations I've ever seen. So hard to believe its been 10yrs since the original iPhone was introduced. I sorta wish I still had mine for history sakes.
Damn It the 5 series (nonC) is by far the best on balance version of the iPhone to date yet gets relegated to half shots in the graphics.
The most awesome keynote and product intro. ever! So many people poo-poohed it. Even seeing it in person, neophytes had no idea of the revolution at hand and couldn't imagine the potential. And oh, the number of poo-poohers who did see the potential and hoped Apple would fail so they could take its place. I've bought every year's flagship model. Only regret is I sold the original (and for only a few dollars).