The world is no longer the same. In good and poor ways, 15 years after Apple released its popular smartphone.
Nokia was the largest phone manufacturer in the world in 2007. Windows Vista was about to be released, and Microsoft was ready to launch it. A wireless TV and an MP3 player that streamed internet radio were among the coolest new goods at CES.
Then, on Jan. 9, 2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs presented a gadget that would alter the world: a $499 iPhone with 4GB of storage that would transform the globe. A phone, a music player, and an Internet gadget all rolled into one. Six months later, on June 29, 2007, it went on sale.
Jobs noted that the “iPhone is a revolutionary and miraculous device five years ahead of any other mobile phone.”
Since then, Apple has sold over 1.2 billion iPhones, making it the world’s most lucrative public business. In addition, copycat phones from firms such as Samsung, HTC, Motorola, and Xiaomi multiplied over the world, and today even individuals living in areas with intermittent power have cell phones.
“It’s tough to overstate [the iPhone’s] influence,” said Ross Rubin of Reticle Research. “The waves it has caused have an impact on a large part of our life.”
Here are some of the ways the iPhone has altered our lives:
1. We’re always available.
It used to be that you’d turn on your computer, wait for your Wi-Fi to connect (or, if we’re going back farther, your dialup connection), open Internet Explorer, Safari, or another online browser. You’re always linked to the internet now. You’re connected to your cellular network if you’re not connected to Wi-Fi.
The iPhone is responsible for more than simply unavoidable connectivity. It is also how we connect to the internet. For the first time, the iPhone made mobile web browsing practical.
2. Tablets, watches, and headphones are all examples of electronic devices.
Several gadgets are either linked to the iPhone or exist due to the phone’s creation. The iPad, which is simply a bigger iPhone that you use at home, is one option. The Apple Watch, linked to the iPhone, is another option.
3. The secret to contentment
You may not recall, but third-party apps and the App Store were unavailable on Apple’s initial iPhone. However, when Apple released the iPhone 3G and its iPhone 2.0 software in July 2008, that changed.
The App Store is what cemented the iPhone’s status as a must-have gadget. The App Store currently has more than 2 million apps, with almost every firm producing one or more. In addition, the iPhone and App Store have produced companies that would not have existed otherwise. For example, there would be no Uber or Lyft to get us from one point to another and no Instagram or Snapchat to share our images.
4. Gaming has progressed to a new level.
The iPhone revolutionized the mobile game industry. Apps like Angry Birds, which anybody could play with their fingers on a touchscreen, were extremely popular, and payment patterns shifted. Many games are now available for free to play; instead of charging a purchase fee, developers devised the concept of in-app purchases, which allow you to pay for more levels and features as you progress.
Mobile gaming subscriptions have also grown in popularity, with Apple’s Arcade and Google’s Play Pass both touting ad-free games on iOS and Android, respectively. In addition, more businesses plan to employ cloud services to broadcast games to mobile devices, with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia’s GeForce Now, and Google’s Stadia all stepping up their efforts.
5. Adding the numbers to the digital
Touchscreens were formerly uncommon. Babies are now swiping at televisions, perplexed as to why the screen does not change. Virtually everything now has an interactive screen, even freezers. “We are all born with the ultimate pointing device — our fingertips — and iPhone exploits them to build the most innovative user interface since the mouse,” Jobs stated on introducing the iPhone.
He was more correct than he could have guessed. Microsoft was compelled to adopt touch in its software and work with its hardware partners to create touchscreen phones, tablets, and desktops due to the popularity of touchscreen phones.
Today, it’s practically unthinkable to see a gadget without a touchscreen (though Apple claims that touchscreens will not be included in Mac laptops).
There’s no way to summarise what the iPhone accomplished in just five points. As a result, here’s a grab bag of extras.
Apple effectively eliminated Adobe Flash and turned continuous scrolling into a positive experience on mobile devices. You’ll never need a calculator or a torch again, and visual voicemail allows you to go along in a long message quickly. Podcasts allow you to skip the commercials on the radio and have become a competitive market where Spotify, Stitcher, and others negotiate exclusive arrangements for popular programs.
From desktop computers, social media has switched substantially to mobile devices, allowing consumers to stay in touch with pals.
Simultaneously, the iPhone has been connected to increased attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and low attention spans among children. Moreover, consumers give up much personal information in return for services like Uber trips, while governments utilize mobile devices to spy on their subjects.
