The first iPhone was a revolutionary device that some experts refused to call a smartphone.
When Apple unveiled the iPhone in 2007, it promised to reinvent the phone by merging a widescreen iPod, a mobile communicator, and an internet device. Yet, because it lacked third-party app support at launch, some industry analysts dismissed the breakthrough hardware as nothing more than a high-end feature phone.
Announced by Steve Jobs at Macworld in January 2007, the first-generation iPhone was the product of 'Project Purple 2,' a secretive effort to replace stylus-based interfaces with a finger-friendly, capacitive multi-touch screen. By eliminating most physical buttons, Apple broke with the design standards set by industry leaders like BlackBerry and Palm. The device featured a 3.5-inch display, a 2-megapixel camera, and a custom-built operating system that brought desktop-class web browsing to a mobile form factor.
Despite the hype, the device faced significant skepticism. Critics pointed to the lack of 3G connectivity, the slow 2.5G EDGE network, and the absence of essential features like copy-and-paste or third-party apps. Because users could not install new software, firms like ABI Research argued it was not a true smartphone. European markets were particularly lukewarm, with some analysts noting that consumers there were more attuned to the device's functional limitations compared to the more competitive local landscape.
The device's legacy, however, is undeniable. It forced a global shift toward touchscreen-focused designs and paved the way for the App Store, which arrived with the iPhone 3G in 2008. While the original model sold just over 6.1 million units before being discontinued in July 2008, it fundamentally expanded the smartphone market from a niche tool for business professionals to a ubiquitous consumer product. Today, the original iPhone remains a cultural icon, with unopened units fetching nearly $200,000 at auction.
Source: IPhone (1st generation)
