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Evolution of the iPhone

  • First generation iPhone

    First generation iPhone
    The project that yielded the first-generation iPhone started as an effort to build a touch-screen tablet, but by the time Apple’s then-CEO Steve Jobs took the stage at Mac world Conference and Expo in early 2007, it became so much more.
  • iPhone 3GS

    iPhone 3GS
    Apple launched the second chapter of the iPhone saga. According to Apple’s press release at the time, the iPhone 3G combined “all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast as the first-generation iPhone, built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services and iPhone 2.0 software.”
  • iPhone 4

    iPhone 4
    When the iPhone 4 launched in 2010 it was the thinnest smartphone at the time – 34 percent skinnier than the iPhone 3GS. People were so excited for the iPhone 4, Apple’s website crashed while trying to handle more than 600,000 pre-orders in a single day.
  • iPhone 4s

    iPhone 4s
    The fifth generation of the iPhone included several new features like a dual-core A5 chip that drastically improved performance, and an updated camera with improved optics that allowed users to record 1080p HD resolution video. But, there was one new feature that stood about the rest. The “S” in “4S” was for Siri who was first introduced on the fifth-generation iPhone.
  • iPhone 5

    iPhone 5
    Measuring 7.6mm in thickness and 112 grams in weight with a 4-inch display, the iPhone 5 was both the thinnest and lightest iPhone that Apple had made at the time. Other than a brilliant exterior design (made entirely of glass and aluminum), the iPhone 5 was groundbreaking for a couple of reasons: it was the first iPhone Apple announced in September, setting a trend for future releases. And, it was the first iPhone Apple launched under new CEO Tim Cook.
  • iphone 5C & iPhone 5S

    iphone 5C & iPhone 5S
    Apple launched the iPhone 5C and 5S on the same day to plenty of fanfare. According to the company, Apple sold nine million iPhones the first weekend these devices went on sale – compared to five million iPhone 5 smartphones the previous year. The more expensive iPhone 5S included several new and/or improved features including an 8-megapixel iSight camera with True Tone flash and Touch ID which allowed users to securely unlock their devices with the touch of a finger.
  • iPhone 6 & iPhone 6+

    iPhone 6 & iPhone 6+
    One year later, another joint release. Apple touted the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus as “the biggest advancements in iPhone history, featuring two new models with stunning 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina HD displays, and packed with innovative technologies in an all-new dramatically thin and seamless design.”
  • iPhone 6s & iPhone 6s+

    iPhone 6s & iPhone 6s+
    The S versions of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus didn’t change much cosmetically compared to their predecessors. But, the phones’ new operating system, iOS 9, was a significant overhaul from the previous operating system and included deeper app integration with Siri. Also added 3D touch.
  • iPhone SE

    iPhone SE
    The SE model was more of an upgrade of a previous model than a new release (which might explain its March release date). While it followed the iPhone 6, the SE was actually a follow up to the iPhone 5. In terms of design, the iPhone SE was almost identical, so much so that iPhone 5 users could use the same phone cases when they upgraded.
  • iPhone 7 & iPhone 7+

    iPhone 7 & iPhone 7+
    Apple returned to its regularly scheduled release timeline with the dual launch of the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus. The new phones caused some controversy with the removal of the headphone jack.
  • iPhone 8 iPhone 8+

    iPhone 8 iPhone 8+
    Apple skipped an “S” version of the iPhone 7 and moved right along to the iPhone 8 in September 2017. While the iPhone 8 models functioned as upgrades of the iPhone 7 versions, there were several significant changes
  • iPhone X

    iPhone X
    Apple announced the release of the iPhone X (pronounced “iPhone ten”) on the same day as the 8 and 8 Plus but waited another month and a half to release it. The iPhone X was Apple’s first attempt at an all-screen design, and they definitely stuck the landing with a 5.8-inch Super Retina display that “fills the hand and dazzles the eyes.”