Steve Jobs walked onto the stage to introduce three new devices. The first one was a wide-screen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone and a breakthrough internet communicator. As he explained to the audience that they were not three separate devices but a single one called the iPhone. He claimed that “Apple was going to reinvent the phone”.
The iPhone was introduced in January 2007, but today’s date (29th June) was the day when users first got their hands on the device. Serpentine queues outside stores from opening day were just signs of things to come. The iPhone today has a brand name that is unparalleled in the mobile phone business. It’s success has also pushed Apple to become the world’s most valuable company.
The Touch Effect
The phone had no physical buttons, it had no stylus. It was a complete touchscreen phone. If you look at smart-phones today, almost every single one of them is a touch screen phone.
The original iPhone was not just a great product, it pretty much set the standard for all mobile phone manufacturers. The touch responsive screen of mobile phones also gave rise to exponential growth in 3rd party apps for smartphones
Touchscreens becoming common place also did play a big part in the launch and success of iPad and tablet devices as a niche.
Even though I prefer using Android, I cannot ignore the influence of iPhone on Android. If you look at the struggling phone manufacturers today which are Nokia and RIM. They both stuck with their key pad phone models for far too long.
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2 Comments
5 years is a big time and I must say iphone has really revolutionized the mobile platforms. Nowevery everybody has started using iphone style touch screens but I am still a huge fan of iphone and now eagerly waiting for the iphone 5.
@Yogindernath: Even though chances are less that I would get myself a iPhone, I also await what new it brings along with iPhone 5.