iPhone

This article is about Apple's line of smartphones. For the first iPhone see: iPhone (1st generation).

iPhone 17 Pro in Deep Blue, Cosmic Orange, and Silver color.

The iPhone is a line of mid to high-end smartphones designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007,^[1] and released on June 29, 2007. The models run iOS, Apple's operating system for handheld devices such as the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

All iPhones can function as a video camera (since the iPhone 3GS in 2009), camera phone, media player, portable gaming device, and an internet client with email and web browsing capabilities. iPhones can send texts using iMessage and other texting apps, it can receive visual voicemail, and has both Wi-Fi through 4G/5G connectivity (the original iPhone only supported EDGE/2G). The user interface is built around the device's multi-touch screen with the iOS operating system, which includes a virtual keyboard rather than a physical one. Third-party and Apple-developed application software are available through the App Store, which launched in mid-2008 and now has millions of apps approved by Apple.^[2]^[3] These apps offers diverse functions. Including gaming, social networking, web browsing, social media, texting, education, workplace apps, shopping, GPS navigation, productivity apps, and many more.

Development history

Since 1982, Hartmut Esslinger and other designers at Apple Computer had been experimenting with various concepts incorporating telephone features before the advent of smartphones, though none of these ever reached the market.^[4] There were some 3rd party products based on Apple's Newton platform, such as the Siemens NotePhone and Digital Ocean Seahorse, that were released in 1993 and 1996, respectively.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]

The_Struggle_of_Building_the_Original_iPhone_-_The_Untold_Story — The Struggle of Building the Original iPhone - The Untold Story

With the increasing popularity of Apple's new iPod line in 2002, CEO Steve Jobs expressed concern about other product categories that may cannibalize its potential, such as mobile phones.^[4] Though publicly denying it, Apple began work on a touch-sensitive tablet.^[9]^[10]^[11] Apple had been a longtime partner with Motorola for its processors and announced an agreement on July 26, 2004 to jointly develop an "iTunes phone" that would become the Motorola ROKR E1.^[4]^[12] Steve Sakoman, VP of OS and server technology who formerly headed the Newton project, was concerned about development for Motorola's phone and advocated to Jobs that Apple create its own. Jobs personally had low expectations of Motorola, but was concerned about the influence of mobile carriers at the time. In the meantime, Jobs was gathering information to eventually pursue a deal with Cingular Wireless (now AT&T Mobility). Michael Bell, VP of CPU software, stated that he sent Jobs an email in November 2004 also advocating for an Apple-developed phone.^[13]^[14] Scott Forstall, senior director at the time, said that Jobs was finally motivated after being annoyed by a Microsoft executive who claimed that their Windows tablet and stylus would "rule the world". Jobs then instructed Forstall to put the tablet on hold and redirect the effort towards the phone.^[15]^[16]

At least two operating system candidates entered into development in 2004 and many user interfaces were prototyped, ranging from Multi-touch to variations of the Click Wheel interface. Jon Rubinstein led development on a lightweight Linux-based version (referred to as "Acorn") while Avie Tevanian and Scott Forstall worked to create a streamlined version of Mac OS X (codenamed "Purple") to run on the ARM chipset.^[17]^[18] "Purple" was chosen in reference to other project codenames based on color.^[19] Forstall stated that only engineers from within the company were permitted to be recruited for the project. Secrecy was so guarded that they were not told what they would be working on.^[20] The team secured a building which was nicknamed the "Purple Dorm" with a Fight Club poster on the front door.^[19] UI concepts were mocked up in Macromedia Director before being ported to run on prototype ARM hardware. Though Tony Fadell communicated that the Linux-based version may be a waste of time, CEO Steve Jobs insisted on prototyping all options for evaluation.^[17] Two of the hardware prototypes that were assembled were identified as "P1" and "P2". P1 was based on the "Acorn OS" that used a software implementation of the Click Wheel on the touch screen; P2 used a simplified version of Mac OS X with touch-based buttons. Though the OS X version was limited and took longer to boot, it was selected for final development to become the first iPhone OS.^[21]^[22]

After Steve Jobs announced the first iPhone on January 9, 2007, he complained to VP of operations Jeff Williams about the scratches that had already developed on the plastic screen of the prototype and said, "We need glass." Two days later, Corning CEO Wendell Weeks contacted Williams to tell him: "Hey, your boss called and said my glass sucks." Apple and Corning then scrambled to develop a manufacturing process for a new type of chemically strengthened glass that Corning had been researching. By late June, the iPhones began shipping with the glass screens which later became known as Gorilla Glass.^[23]

All iPhone models

Main article: List of iPhone models

There are 18 generations of iPhone models, each accompanied by a major release of iOS (formerly known as iPhone OS) and a new Apple processor.

iPhone

Main article: iPhone (1st generation)

Released on June 29, 2007, this is the first iPhone model. The first iPhone was a GSM model that established design precedents like screen size and button placement that have persisted through many models until the iPhone 5. It's design features a glass touchscreen with metal back and a bottom plastic for antenna.

iPhone 3G

Main article: iPhone 3G

Announced on June 9, 2008, the iPhone 3G added 3G cellular network capabilities and A-GPS (Assisted GPS) location.

iPhone 3GS

Main article: iPhone 3GS

The iPhone 3GS was announced on June 8, 2009 and used the same case designs, but added a faster processor, compass, and higher resolution camera, including video recording at 480p.

iPhone 4

Main article: iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 was released on June 24, 2010. It is the first iPhone to feature a higher-resolution 960x640 IPS Retina display. This iPhone has a glass back with a stainless steel chassis. Its processor is the Apple A4. The iPhone has an improved rear-facing camera (720p video) and introduced a front-facing camera (at a lower VGA resolution) for FaceTime video calling and use in other apps like Skype. In the U.S., AT&T was the only authorized carrier until February 10, 2011, when a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 launched for Verizon. The CDMA iPhone 4 has no SIM tray.

iPhone 4s

Main article: iPhone 4S

On October 4, 2011, Apple announced the iPhone 4s. The iPhone 4s added a higher resolution 8MP camera with 1080p video recording capabilities. It has a faster, dual core Apple A5 processor. This iPhone introduces a new virtual assistant called Siri. It supports multi-standard wireless support (allowing a single handset to operate on networks based on both GSM/UMTS and CDMA technologies), GLONASS support, and Bluetooth 4.0. It was available in 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB capacity options. In the United States, it was announced that two carriers, C Spire and Sprint, would begin carrying the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s on October and November 2011, respectively.^[24] The difference between the iPhone 4s and iPhone 4 are the different antenna band design on the left side by the volume buttons.

iPhone 5

Main article: iPhone 5

The iPhone 5 was introduced on September 12, 2012, then released on September 21. It features a dual-core Apple A6 processor with 1GB of RAM, the Lightning connector, and a new 4-inch Retina Display. This iPhone has a new redesigned aluminium chassis with glass on each ends of the phone near the camera, and lightning connector.

iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c

Main articles: iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S

On September 10, 2013, Apple announced the iPhone 5C and 5S. The iPhone 5S introduces a new 64-bit Apple A7 processor for a faster performance. It comes with iOS 7 preinstalled, the new iOS introduces a new flatter design. This iPhone has a new security feature added to the home button called Touch ID, a fingerprint scanner to secure the iPhone. The camera module has been updated by replacing the LED flash with True Tone Flash, a dual-tone flash that has two colours of white and amber to improve the appearance of photos. A new colour finish added to the iPhone 5S is the gold colour option.

Released along with the iPhone 5s is the iPhone 5C. It is the cheaper model that sported five colours, white, pink, yellow, blue, and green. This phone new chassis design that has a plastic exterior like the iPhone 3GS. Like the iPhone 5s, this iPhone came with iOS 7. This iPhone runs on the same Apple A6 processor like the iPhone 5, however it has a slightly larger battery capacity.

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

Main articles: iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

On September 9, 2014, Apple announced the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Both iPhone features a larger screen size. The iPhone 6 Plus is the first plus-sized iPhone with a 5.5 inch 1080p Retina Display, and the iPhone 6 has a 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 1334x750. Exclusive for the iPhone 6 Plus, its camera has optical image stabilization. Other features on both iPhone models included an 8MP main camera, NFC, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi. The iPhone 6 is the best selling iPhone model with over 222 million units sold in total.^[25]

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus

Main articles: iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus

On September 9, 2015, Apple announced the iPhone 6S and the larger iPhone 6S Plus. The main feature is the 3D Touch, which feature shows different options depending on how much pressure is being pressed on the screen. This iPhone has new hardware improvement such a faster Apple A9 processor, Taptic Engine, 4K main camera, Retina Flash, a second-generation Touch ID home button, better cellular connection, and improved durability. The preinstalled iOS 9 has improved performance and has the capabilities for 3D Touch. This is the longest supported iPhone model, as it can be updated all the way to iOS 15. The iPhone 6s lineup introduces a new Rose Gold colour option.

iPhone SE (1st generation)

Main article: iPhone SE (1st generation)

Apple first revealed the first generation iPhone SE on March 21, 2016 in the "let us loop you in" keynote at Cupertino, California. It was released ten days later on March 31, 2016. This iPhone was announced to be a mid-range smartphone. The design is based off the iPhone 5S, but with the components of an iPhone 6s. Such as the Apple A9 processor and a 12MP main camera. The available colours were rose gold, gold, space gray, and silver.

iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus

Main articles: iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus

The iPhone 7 lineup was announced by Apple on September 7, 2016, and released on September 16. It features many new hardware changes including an Apple A10 processor, solid state home button, 256GB storage option, wide colour gamut display, quad-LED True Tone flash, and improved camera sensors. The iPhone 7 Plus is the first iPhone to feature a dual camera system, and the iPhone 7 has optical image stabilization. This is the first iPhone to be water resistant with an IP67 rating. This model eliminated the 3.5mm headphone jack, and for the future models. In March 2017, Apple released a special edition Product Red model of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, making it the first iPhone to have a red colour finish.

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus

Main articles: iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus

The iPhone 8 lineup was announced on September 12, 2017, and later released on September 22. It has a new glass chassis for the wireless charging feature. This iPhone has many hardware changes including the Apple A11 processor, Qi wireless charging, improved speakers, a Retina Display with True Tone, and a 12MP camera. The iPhone 8 Plus has an exclusive "Portrait Mode" lighting system. It comes installed with iOS 11.^[26]^[27]

iPhone X

Main article: iPhone X

The iPhone X was announced alongside the iPhone 8 on September 12, 2017, with a scheduled release date of November 3, 2017. It has a 5.8-inch edge-to-edge Super Retina OLED display, Apple A11 Bionic processor, 3GB of RAM, facial recognition technology dubbed "Face ID", and a new improved 12MP main camera. Some new features includes wireless charging, a glass body, and Portrait Mode from the iPhone 8 lineup. The iPhone comes installed with iOS 11.^[28]^[29] It is the first iPhone model to have an OLED display.

iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max

Main articles: iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max

The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max were all based around the Apple A12 Bionic processor. The XR utilized a slightly larger Liquid Retina display, which used a more conventional panel than OLED, but shaped to resemble the edge-to-edge display of the iPhone X, and single-lens camera to reduce its cost to customers.^[30] The iPhone XS used the same OLED panel as the iPhone X, but included a larger camera and upgraded the 2x2 MIMO antenna to 4x4, improving 4G bandwidth. The XS Max included these improvements with an even larger OLED display.^[31] It has the same design as the iPhone X, but with slight hardware improvements.

iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max

Main articles: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max

The iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max were the first iPhone models to feature a triple camera system. Other new features includes the Apple A13 chip, a Super Retina XDR OLED display, 12MP selfie camera, and improved water resistance. The iPhone 11 features a dual camera layout, and has a Liquid Retina display of the iPhone XR. This lineup includes an improved battery life over the previous models.

iPhone SE (2nd generation)

Main article: iPhone SE (2nd generation)

The 2nd-generation iPhone SE is a mid-range smartphone that featured the design of the iPhone 8, but with the A13 processor from the iPhone 11. Most of its hardware specifications like the display, camera, storage, and battery capacity are the same as the iPhone 8.^[32]

iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

Main articles: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max

The iPhone 12 series was the first offer a mini model with OLED displays throughout the entire lineup. It also introduced the Apple A14 Bionic processor, and Ceramic Shield to improve the durability of the phones. The casing featured flattened sides in aluminum for the standard models and stainless steel for the Pro models.

iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max

Main articles: iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 series incorporated the faster Apple A15 Bionic processor and an upgraded camera systems with new features such as larger lens, cinematic mode, photographic styles, and a smaller front-facing camera notch. Regular iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini includes a redesigned camera layout where the cameras are diagonal. The Pro models introduced ProMotion displays with refresh rates of up to 120Hz, support for ProRes video, and an option of up to 1 TB of storage. iPhone 13 has an improved battery life from the predecessor models.

iPhone SE (3rd generation)

Main article: iPhone SE (3rd generation)

The 3rd-generation iPhone SE features the A15 processor and 5G support in the same external form factor as the iPhone 8 / 2nd-generation SE, but with stronger glass also used on the back of the iPhone 13 series. It uses the same 12 megapixel rear camera as the previous model, but the A15 processor improves image computation support. It is also the last iPhone model to still use Touch ID.^[33]

iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max

Main articles: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max

The iPhone 14 and 14 Pro lineup introduces Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite. The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus introduces a new, larger 6.7-inch size option, which replaces the mini size, in which it also features the Apple A15 Bionic chip with 5 GPUs that was previously featured in the 13 Pro. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduces the new Apple A16 chip, Dynamic Island, an Always-On Display, as well as a brand new 48-megapixel wide camera sensor.

iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max

Main articles: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max

The 17th generation models, the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max, were announced on September 12, 2023, and run iOS 17. The base models feature the Apple A16 chip previously used in the 14 Pro models, along with Dynamic Island. The 15 Pro models feature the faster Apple A17 Pro chip.

iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and iPhone 16e

Main articles: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16e

The 18th generation models, the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max, were announced on September 9, 2024 with new camera configurations and a new Camera Control button. The iPhone 16e was released in February 2025 as a budget smartphone.