(SPOT.ph) You could say it was inevitable that Apple's very first smartphone would disrupt an industry—it is the company, after all, behind the gamechanging iMac and iPod. The very first iPhone was released in January 2007—and whether you love it or hate it, you can't deny that it has changed the way people connect and use their mobile phones. To jog your memory, the idea of a touchscreen smartphone was something considered futuristic back in 2007.
While Apple didn't invent the touchscreen and isn't the first to incorporate it onto a phone, they have innovated the way it's used, allowing users to do more with their mobile phones. "We are all born with the ultimate pointing device—our fingers—and iPhone uses them to create the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse," Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder and former CEO said in a statement released in 2007.
With the recent release of the iPhone 11 series and the reported leaks on the iPhone 12, which is set to be released this year, we took it upon ourselves to browse through Apple's archives to see how the iPhone has transformed through the years.
Here's a look at all the iPhones Apple has released, from the very first iPhone (2007) to the iPhone 11 (2019) series:
iPhone (2007)
The very first iPhone featured a 3.5-inch display which was already considered widescreen during its time. Apple described the iPhone as a "widescreen iPod" that lets you control your music with a flick of a finger. The iPhone (2007) also had a 2-megapixel camera—for comparison, the iPhone 11 now features multiple 12-megapixel cameras. The price of the iPhone started at U.S. $499 (roughly P25,000).
iPhone 3G (2008)
A year after Apple launched the iPhone, they followed it up with the iPhone 3G. The former only had 2G connectivity, so the iPhone 3G offered faster access to the Internet while making it easier to multitask. One thing that's also memorable about the phone is that it was a lot cheaper than the original iPhone. "Just one year after launching the iPhone, we’re launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price," said Steve Jobs in a statement. The iPhone 3G's suggested retail price started at U.S. $199 (roughly P10,000).
iPhone 3GS (2009)
Apple unveiled the iPhone 3GS, which was designed to perform twice as fast as its predecessor, making it the fastest and most powerful smartphone they've released during the time. Philip Schiller, senior vice president of Apple's Worldwide Marketing said at the time, "We think people will love the incredible new features including autofocus camera, video recording, and the freedom of voice control." The iPhone 3GS's suggested retail price (SRP) started at U.S. $199 (roughly P10,000). With its release, the iPhone 3G's suggested retail price dropped to U.S. $99 (roughly P5,000) for its 8 GB model, which made the high-end smartphone more accessible to people who wanted it.
iPhone 4 (2010)
By 2010, it was about time Apple gave their iPhones a makeover. Steve Jobs claimed that the iPhone 4 was "the biggest leap since the original iPhone." Made with glass and stainless steel, the iPhone 4 was the "thinnest smartphone in the world." It also introduced FaceTime on a smartphone and a new Retina display for crisp text, images, and video. The iPhone 4 was also equipped with an improved 5-megapixel camera for sharper images. Its SRP also started at U.S. $199 (roughly P10,000).
iPhone 4S (2011)
While it might look exactly like the iPhone 4, the iPhone 4S packed more punch thanks to its all-new 8-megapixel camera, 1080p HD video recording, iCloud, and the introduction of Siri, the built-in virtual assistant for Apple devices. It also came in two colors: black and white. The SRP of the iPhone 4S started at U.S. $199 (roughly P10,000).
iPhone 5 (2012)
In 2012, the iPhone was completely redesigned for a larger screen with a slimmer frame. The iPhone 5 featured an all-new 4-inch Retina display—which meant it had higher pixel density and that the individual pixels will be indiscernable—in an all-new aluminum design. The iPhone 5 "is the most beautiful consumer device that we’ve ever created," described Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, when Apple made the announcement for the model. "We’ve packed an amazing amount of innovation and advanced technology into a thin and light, jewel-like device with a stunning 4-inch Retina display, blazing fast A6 chip, ultrafast wireless, even longer battery life; and we think customers are going to love it." The iPhone 5's SRP started at U.S. $199 (roughly P10,000).
iPhone 5s (2013)
Apple introduced the iPhone 5s in 2013 and it's where we saw Touch ID— an electronic fingerprint recognition feature—for the very first time. Schiller described how the model "sets a new standard for smartphones," with its "beautiful and refined design" complemented by "breakthrough features that really matter to people," such as the Touch ID. The iPhone 5s was available in metallic colors like gold, silver, and space gray. It retailed at U.S. $199 (roughly P10,000).
iPhone 5c (2013)
Along with the release of the iPhone 5s, Apple showed that they are not afraid of colors with the introduction of the iPhone 5c. The playful smartphones came in fun colors like blue, green, pink, yellow, and white. While they were definitely a treat to look at, its features were even more impressive. Schiller described in a statement how the iPhone 5c is "everything iPhone 5 was and more, in an all-new design packed with great features." It came with a polycarbonate enclosure for a solid feel in your hand. Equipped with up to 13 LTE bands, the iPhone 5c also made it easier to connect to high-speed networks, improving user experience big time. Plus, it came with iOS 7, which was the most significant iOS update featuring a brand-new user interface. The best part? Its SRP started at U.S. $99 (roughly P5,000).
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus (2014)
Apple thought of going larger and thinner in 2014, with the release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Tim Cook, who at that time was already the company CEO, said that the two phones were "the biggest advancements in iPhone history." The iPhone 6 featured a 4.7-inch display while the iPhone 6 Plus sported a large 5.5-inch display. Both phones were encased in Apple's thinnest frames at the time—the iPhone 6 had a 6.9-millimeter width while the iPhone 6 Plus had a 7.1-millimeter width. The phones came in gold, silver, and space gray. The iPhone 6's SRP started at U.S. $199 (roughly P10,000) while the iPhone 6 Plus retailed starting at U.S. $299 (roughly P15,000).
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus (2015)
"The only thing that has changed with iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus is everything—3D Touch lets users interact with iPhone in entirely new and fun ways, and the innovative Live Photos brings your pictures to life," said Schiller in a statement for these two phones. In 2015, Apple launched the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Both phones had 3D touch, which basically senses force, changing the way users accessed some features of the phone. For example, if you lightly press on a photo, it gives you a peek. But if you press with force, it opens the photo completely. It was also the year Apple introduced Live Photos, which is kind of like Hogwarts' magical portraits but IRL. The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus were priced from U.S. $199 (roughly P10,000) and U.S. $299 (roughly P15,000) respectively.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus (2016)
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were unveiled in 2016 and while they looked very similar to its predecessors, it had some upgraded features that elevated the user experience. It's the first water- and dust-resistant iPhone released. Not only that, there's the cameras, which can take good photos and videos whether day or night, a stereo speaker system, and the A10 Fusion chip, which Schiller, in a statement, described as "the most powerful chip on any smartphone while delivering the best battery life ever in an iPhone." Plus, apart from the usual colors like silver, gold, and rose gold, Apple introduced two new black finishes: a matte black color and jet black with a high-gloss look. Its SRP started at U.S. $649 (roughly P32,900).
iPhone SE (2016)
Along with the launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple unveiled the iPhone SE where they went back to one of their beloved frames and reinvented it from inside out. "The result is the most beautiful and powerful phone with a four-inch display in the world,” said Schiller in a statement about the iPhone SE. The phone featured a 4-inch Retina display and was packed with Apple's 64-bit A9 chip with M9 motion co-processor, a longer battery life, a 12-megapixel camera, Live Photos, 4K video, faster LTE and WiFi, and Touch ID. The iPhone SE was perfect for those who wanted a smaller smartphone. It was available in four colors: space gray, silver, gold, and rose gold and its SRP started at U.S. $399 (roughly P20,000).
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (2017)
In 2017, Apple released the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. While the phones looked pretty similar to the iPhone 7, Apple redesigned the phones with glass and aluminum materials, giving the phones a more elegant look. Schiller described the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus to "have new glass and aluminum designs, new Retina HD displays, and A11 Bionic—the smartest chip ever in a smartphone." The phones also introduced Portrait mode and Portrait Lighting for professional looking photos. These two models came out in three colors: space gray, silver, and gold. During its release, its SRP started at U.S. $699 (roughly P35,400). Currently, the iPhone 8 starts at P30,990 while the iPhone 8 Plus starts at P36,990.
iPhone X (2017)
One of the highlights of WWDC 2017 was the unveiling of the iPhone X. Apple's chief design officer Jony Ive said: "For more than a decade, our intention has been to create an iPhone that is all display. The iPhone X is the realization of that vision." The iPhone X stands out from the rest of the iPhones ever released, thanks to its all-screen display and back camera layout. Plus, the iPhone X introduced Face ID which changed the way people unlocked phones (and currently, make purchases, log into accounts, et cetera). During its release, the iPhone X's SRP started at U.S. $999 (roughly P50,600). Apple discontinued the iPhone X less than a year since its release, together with the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6S Plus, and iPhone SE.
iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max (2018)
Just a year after the launch of the iPhone X, Apple released the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max. During its release, the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max featured their largest displays, with 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch screens, respectively. "The iPhone Xs is not one, but two new iPhone models, and iPhone Xs Max offers the biggest display ever in an iPhone with the biggest battery ever in an iPhone, delivering up to an hour and a half more battery life in your day," said Schiller in a statement for these releases. The sleek smartphones had the same all-glass design and dual camera system as the iPhone X. The iPhone Xs retailed starting at U.S. $999 (roughly P50,600) while the iPhone Xs Max's SRP started at U.S. $1,099 (roughly P55,800). The models have been discontinued since September 2019, about a year after its launch.
iPhone XR (2018)
Together with the launch of the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max, Apple introduced the iPhone XR. Schiller shared how the phone is "packed with the newest technologies including a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display that goes edge to edge, the latest TrueDepth camera with faster Face ID authentication, new 7-nanometer A12 Bionic chip with second generation Neural Engine, and a 12-megapixel camera that takes advanced Portrait mode and Portrait Lighting photos." The iPhone XR featured the same all-screen glass design and came in six colors: white, black, blue, yellow, coral, and red. During its release, the iPhone XR's SRP started at U.S. $749, which is about the same as its current Philippine price of P40,990. Apple pays it forward by donating a portion of the proceeds from the red iPhone XR purchases to Global Fund HIV/AIDS grants that provide testing, counseling, treatment, and prevention programs.
iPhone 11 (2019)
Apple unveiled its latest series of iPhones in September of 2019 and the iPhone 11 led the pack. With a dual camera system that features a Wide lens, the new iPhone lets you take breathtaking shots with minimal effort. "The iPhone 11 is the next generation of iPhone, packed with great new capabilities in an incredible design, including new Ultra Wide and Wide cameras for gorgeous videos and photos, the power and ease of use of iOS 13, and A13 Bionic—the fastest chip ever in a smartphone that quickly handles the tasks that matter most to people every day," said Schiller. Not to mention, the smartphone has a powerful battery life that can last all day. This model comes in six colors: purple, green, yellow, black, white, and red. In the Philippines, the iPhone 11 retails starting at P47,990.
iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max (2019)
By now, you've probably seen the iPhone Pro's famous triple-camera system all over your feeds. According to Schiller, this model "has the first triple-camera system in iPhone and is far and away the best camera we’ve ever made." The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro Max both feature Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto modes that'll get every shutterbug excited. "It provides our customers with great range of creative control and advanced photo- and video-editing features in iOS 13. The Super Retina XDR is the brightest and most advanced display in iPhone and the A13 Bionic chip sets a new bar for smartphone performance and power efficiency." The iPhone 11 Pro has a 5.8-inch display while the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch display—the same as the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max. The phones come in four colors: space gray, silver, gold, and midnight green. In the Philippines, the iPhone 11 Pro starts at P67,990 while the iPhone 11 Pro Max starts at P73,990.
Images of the iPhones released from 2007 to 2016 were taken from the Apple website via WayBack Machine Internet Archive.
