iPhone through the ages – here’s how Apple’s smartphone has changed since 2007
APPLE'S iPhone has come a long way since it first launched in 2007.
Now that the supercharged iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR are official, we take a look back at how Apple smartphones have changed over the years.
iPhone 2007 – 'reinventing the phone'
The first Apple iPhone was announced on January 9, 2007, and didn't actually go on sale until June that year.
It was the brainchild of late Apple founder Steve Jobs, who had only envisioned a multi-touch screen on a computer just two years earlier.
At the launch event, Jobs famously said "today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone" – and he was right.
But by today's standards, the original iPhone was a bit rubbish. It had just 4GB of storage, exactly 16 times less than the cheapest 2018 iPhone.
It also had a tiny 3.5-inch screen (large at the time, of course), and couldn't even connect to then-speedy 3G phone networks.
Despite its flaws, Apple sold 6.1million units, and changed the course of tech history forever.
iPhone 2008 – 3G internet and the App Store
In July 2008, Apple gave its iconic iPhone a second attempt, trying to fix some of the big problems with the first model.
As the name suggests, the new iPhone 3G was finally able to connect to 3G mobile networks.
It also got some revolutionary upgrades like GPS and turn-by-turn navigation for Maps – features we take for granted today.
Importantly, Apple used the iPhone 3G to debut its App Store, the same digital shopping centre we know and love today.
The phone was only available in an 8GB storage option, and had a polycarbonate plastic rear, which was a side-grade from the aluminium back of 2007's iPhone.
The 2-megapixel camera from the first phone didn't get an upgrade, and lacked features that are common today – like optical zoom, flash, and autofocus.
You might be surprised to learn that the default camera app didn't even allow video recording (although you could film footage by download third-party apps).
iPhone 2009 – iOS and the first '-S' model
This year was the first time we saw an iterative "-S" upgrade from Apple, in the form of the iPhone 3GS.
The S stood for "speed", because Apple promised two times faster performance.
It basically set the precedent for Apple creating impressive devices one year, and then tweaking them with minor improvements the next.
Apple made the screen more colour-rich, added an oleophobic coating to the screen to reduce fingerprint smudging, and upgraded the camera to a 3-megapixel sensor.
Importantly, it was the first phone to feature Apple's iOS (rather than iPhone OS) software. The focus here was on gestures like swiping, tapping, pinching, and reverse pinching – all of which are still in use today.
It also launched with a base storage of 16GB (another upgrade on the previous year), though a cheaper 8GB model was released later on.
iPhone 2010 – new design and a MAJOR leak
In June 2010, Apple released the iPhone 4, marking a major change in how its smartphones looked.
Gone was the curvaceous body of yore – instead, the iPhone 4 was rectangular, with hard edges and a tough stainless steel frame (which doubled as the antenna).
The antenna placement caused major issues, with many users complaining that holding the phone during calls blocked the reception – causing signal to suffer.
The iPhone 4 was famously leaked two months before release, after gadget site Gizmodo revealed they'd bought a prototype for $5,000. The unit had been left in a California bar by Apple employee Gray Powell, and sold on.
It's also a historic for being the last iPhone launched on stage by Steve Jobs, before the Apple chief passed away from cancer in 2011.
Apple's iPhone 4 was the first model with a high-resolution "Retina Display", and included the then-new FaceTime video chat service.
iPhone 2011 – meet Siri, your new virtual assistant
The iPhone 4S landed in 2011 as Apple's second-ever "-S" model.
This time, the "-S" was supposed to stand for Siri, Apple's new virtual assistant that you could speak to.
It was considered revolutionary at the time – Siri could tell you about the weather, and even crack jokes.
Major hardware improvements were also added, including a boosted Apple A5 processor, and an 8-megapixel camera that could record Full HD video.
Apple also rolled out iOS 5, a new software update that added long-lasting features like iCloud, iMessage, and the Notification Centre.
The phone was a huge success, with reviewers particularly praising Siri and the camera as winning features.
iPhone 2012 – a bigger screen and a brand new charger
Apple launched the 2012's iPhone 5 in September – beginning a long tradition of September gadget reveals.
It was the last iPhone ever overseen by Steve Jobs, and featured some significant design changes, including a thinner, lighter aluminium body.
The biggest (and most controversial) change was the widening of the screen for the first time – from 3.5 inches to 4 inches.
This sparked panic among developers, who were then forced to change all of their apps to fit the new screen size.
Apple's iPhone 5 also made history for being the first phone to use the new Lightning charger, ditching the old, thick 30-pin connector.
According to Apple, sales were "extraordinary", with two million units sold in the first 24 hours of pre-orders – and 70million iPhone 5 handsets sold in total.
iPhone 2013 – two new iPhones and the first fingerprint scanner
For Apple, 2013 was a special year.
The company released two different iPhone models in one go: the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.
The iPhone 5S was a relatively uninspiring upgrade on the iPhone 5, adding new white/gold colour options and a faster processor.
Probably the most memorable addition to the phone was the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, which sparked a wave of copycat moves from Apple's Android phone rivals.
Apple also added AirDrop to the iPhone 5S, and a new dual-LED flash system that adjusted for different colour temperatures.
The iPhone 5C, meanwhile, was a cheaper smartphone designed to hook budget-conscious customers.
The handset's rear was made from polycarbonate (rather than aluminium), and came in a range of bright colour options: black, white, yellow, pink, green and blue.
Rather than featuring bleeding-edge hardware like the iPhone 5S, the iPhone 5C borrowed most of its innards from the previous year's iPhone 5 (helping keep the cost down).
iPhone 2014 – a massive size increase, and the infamous 'bendgate'
Another year, another two iPhones – and a brand new strategy from Apple.
In 2014, Apple showed off the iPhone 6, and a larger iPhone 6 Plus. This sizing-up template is still used by Apple today.
The iPhone 6 was the first Apple phone to have a 4.7-inch screen, but it was trumped by the Plus model's 5.5-inch display.
This led to rampant demand, with Apple flogging a record-breaking 10million units in the first three days after launch.
Apple sold more than 220million units of the two phones during their lifespan, making them one of the most successful smartphones in history.
The processor, camera, and various other specs were all improved, but that's not what these phones are best remembered for.
Instead, these phones will go down in history as the subject of "bendgate" – a design flaw that led to some user's handsets mysteriously bending and cracking apart.
iPhone 2015 – 3D Touch and some minor improvements
Next year came the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, updated versions of the 2014 phones.
The slim, curved-edge rectangular designs were retained, but the body was strengthened – likely to compensate for "bendgate".
The phones featured an improved 12-megapixel camera, and support for LTE-Advanced 4G connectivity.
Apple also added a new feature called 3D Touch, which let you unlock different touch inputs depending on how hard you press on the screen.
Apple's 3D Touch is still in use on current iPhones, and was even partially adopted for the touchpads on some MacBook models.
Importantly, this was the first year where Apple saw a quarterly year-on-year decline in iPhone sales in the months after launch – maybe the minor upgrades just weren't enough?
iPhone 2016 – a 'special' model and the disappearing headphone jack
In March 2016 came the surprise launch of the iPhone SE, also known as the iPhone Special Edition.
This downsized handset had a 4-inch screen, and was aimed at users who felt left out by the larger core iPhone handsets.
The exterior of the phone was basically identical to 2014's iPhone 5S – so much so that the same case would fit both phones.
Apple's iPhone SE borrowed the A9 processor from the 2015 iPhones, and had decent enough specs.
But it missed out on some iPhone 6S features, like 3D Touch and an improved Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
Then in September 2016, Apple showed off the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus – the headline handsets for the year.
They looked largely similar to 2015's iPhones, but came with new colour options – Matte Black and Jet Black.
They were also the first iphones to be water-resistant.
Importantly, the iPhone 7 was also the first Apple smartphone without a headphone jack. This controversial decision has been retained for every iPhone ever since.
The iPhone 7 Plus was also the first Apple phone to feature a dual-lens camera on the back, which enabled deeper zooming.
iPhone 2017 – the iPhone X, an all-screen smartphone
Apple's 2017 bag of iPhones was very mixed.
In September, Apple fans were able to buy the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
The problem was that the design hadn't really changed, and the only real improvements were minor performance upgrades, and the addition of wireless charging.
Matters were made worse by Apple's simultaneous reveal (and November release) of the iPhone X.
This 10th-anniversary model was the most expensive iPhone ever when it launched, costing anywhere from £999 to £1,149.
Its most notable feature was a new all-screen OLED display, which spanned edge to edge – save for a small "notch" at the top, used to house the selfie camera. The 5.8-inch screen was the biggest seen on any iPhone to date.
Importantly, this design meant that there was no room for the Home button any more. That also meant the Touch ID fingerprint scanner had to be binned, too.
Instead, Apple added a new Face ID facial recognition system, which unlocked your phone by scanning your face – verifying your identity in the process.
The handset was controversial due to the "notch" design and the high price, but ultimately proved popular.
iPhone 2018 – the most expensive Apple smartphones ever
In 2018, Apple doubled (or rather tripled) down on the iPhone X design.
It launched three new smartphones, all of which borrowed the all-screen look of 2018's top model.
These new phones were called the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR.
The XS and XS Max had 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch screens respectively, and were hugely expensive. The pair ranged from £999 right up to £1,449 – the highest iPhone price ever.
Meanwhile, the iPhone XR was cheaper at £749, but still a fair whack more than the £699 iPhone 8 from 2017.
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The XS models borrowed the iPhone X's ultra-premium OLED display, while the iPhone XR uses a cheaper LCD screen.
All three models come equipped with Apple's latest A12 Bionic chip, which promises 50% faster performance.
But it remains to be seen whether Brits will stump up their pocket change for these pricey blowers.
What was your favourite iPhone? Let us know in the comments!
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