The iPhone Turns 15: A Look Back at its Evolution

On Wednesday, June 29th, marked 15 years since the first iPhone went on sale when Steve Jobs introduced it. He hyped the iPhone as three revolutionary products – an iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator. The first iPhone came in one size and the only decision you had to make was whether they get one with four gigabytes of storage or eight at the time. The idea of carrying an iPhone instead of a flip phone and an iPod was enough to convince many people to buy one for others like me. The iPhone's main appeal was the touchscreen which seemed unreal, it seemed futuristic.

15 years later, Apple sells eight different models of the iPhone, five of which have launched in the past 10 months. The iPhone is available in an array of colors, sizes, finishes, and storage options that now top out at one terabyte. While the screen is where most of the magic happens, it's no longer the main appeal of the iPhone. In fact, in 2022, the true appeal of the iPhone has hardly anything to do with the hardware for better or worse.

The iPhone has become home to our photos, music, conversations, ideas, games, identity, work, social media, shopping, keys, and money. Over the past decade and a half, what defines the iPhone has shifted away from just design and hardware specs instead. The iPhone and iOS have become a gateway into Apple services and features like iMessage, iCloud, Facetime, Siri, Apple Music, Apple Pay, top-of-the-line cameras, and the App Store which has apps like Uber, TikTok, Twitter, and WhatsApp.

In 2022, the iPhone continues to extend beyond its slim metal and glass chassis into the world around us. It's the backbone for products like the Apple Watch and AirPods, and will likely play a role in future Apple products like rumored AR glasses. The iPhone also serves as a foundation for Apple's digital services which have become an increasingly important factor that differentiates the iPhone from competing mobile devices.

For example, Find My iPhone which started out as the Find My iPhone tool in 2010 has grown into a network for finding Apple devices and pretty much anything you can attach one of Apple's tiny AirTags. Just weeks ago at WWDC, Apple's annual software developers conference, the company announced iOS 16 which expands services like Apple Pay and the Wallet app even more. Keep in mind that you need an iPhone to access or use most of these services.

For years, the iPhone's premium price made it inaccessible to many, and that's still true of Apple's top-of-the-line iPhone Pro models today. However, the recently upgraded iPhone SE gives Apple the opportunity to expand the iPhone's reach further. It's the purest example of what defines an iPhone in 2022 because it showcases how iOS and Apple Silicon become the foundation for everything you do on your iPhone.

The iPhone is available at a price point that makes it more affordable than ever, with the base model starting at $429. This makes it currently the most affordable way to get into Apple's experiences. However, not every model in Apple's iPhone lineup is equal, more expensive phones like the iPhone 13 Pro come with a contemporary design, a high refresh rate display, larger camera sensors, and tools like the U1 Ultra Wide Band Chip and Lidar.

These extra perks mean you can use your iPhone in more ways for example if you have the right car, you can unlock it and start it with your iPhone. However, all this growth has consequences. There are anti-trust concerns over the App Store and mobile payments, debates about screen time, Apple's contentious dealings with the FBI, criticism that all these services are part of a strategy to lock people into Apple's ecosystem, and more recently privacy questions over AirTags.

There are even questions as to whether Apple can launch another product that is even half as successful as the iPhone. And yet, over 15 years, the iPhone has become ubiquitous and helped Apple become a nearly three-trillion-dollar company. Now, we want to hear from you – what do you think about the iPhone turning 15?

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwednesday june 29th marked 15 years since the first iphone went on sale when steve jobs introduced it he hyped the iphone as three revolutionary products an ipod a phone and an internet communicator the first iphone came in one size and the only decision you had to make was whether they get one with four gigabytes of storage or eight at the time the idea of carrying an iphone instead of a flip phone and an ipod was enough to convince many people to buy one for others like me the iphone's main appeal was the touchscreen which seemed unreal it seemed futuristic 15 years later apple sells eight different models of the iphone five of which have launched in the past 10 months the iphone is available in array of colors sizes finishes and storage options that now top out at one terabyte and while the screen is where most of the magic happens it's no longer the main appeal of the iphone in fact in 2022 the true appeal of the iphone has hardly anything to do with the hardware for better or worse the iphone has become home to our photos music conversations ideas games identity work social media shopping keys and money let me explain over the past decade and a half what defines the iphone has shifted away from just design and hardware specs instead the iphone and ios have become a gateway into apple services and features like imessage icloud facetimes siri apple music apple pay top of the line cameras and the app store which has apps like uber tick tock twitter and whatsapp in 2022 the iphone continues to extend beyond its slim metal and glass chassis into the world around us it's the backbone for products like the apple watch and airpods and will likely play a role in future apple products like rumored ar glasses it also serves as a foundation for apple's digital services which have become an increasingly important factor that differentiates the iphone from competing mobile devices for example find buy which started out as the find my iphone tool in 2010 has grown into a network for finding apple devices and pretty much anything you can attach one of apple's tiny air tags just weeks ago at wwdc apple's annual software developers conference the company announced ios 16 which expands services like apple pay and the wallet app even more now keep in mind you need an iphone to access or use most of these services but for years the iphone's premium price made it inaccessible to many and that's still true of apple's top of the line iphone pro models today the recently upgraded iphone se gives apple the opportunity to expand the iphone's reach further it's the purest example of what defines an iphone in 2022 because it showcases how ios and apple silicon become the foundation for everything you do on your iphone and at 429 it's currently the most affordable way to get people into apple's experiences now obviously not every model in apple's iphone lineup is equal more expensive phones like the iphone 13 pro come with a contemporary design a high refresh rate display larger camera sensors and tools like the u1 ultra wide band chip and lidar these extra perks mean you can use your iphone in more ways for example if you have the right car you can unlock it and start it with your iphone of course all this growth has consequences anti-trust concerns over the app store and mobile payments debates about screen time apple's contentious dealings with the fbi criticism that all these services are part of a strategy to lock people into apple's ecosystem and more recently privacy questions over air tags are just some of the concerns that have grown alongside the iphone's meteoric success there are even questions as to whether apple can launch another product that is even half as successful as the iphone and yet over 15 years the iphone has become ubiquitous and helped apple become a nearly three trillion dollar company and now i want to hear from you what do you think about the iphone turning 15. also we're doing these videos every week about apple stuff let us know what you'd like to see us cover last do all the youtube things like it subscribe it hit that bellwednesday june 29th marked 15 years since the first iphone went on sale when steve jobs introduced it he hyped the iphone as three revolutionary products an ipod a phone and an internet communicator the first iphone came in one size and the only decision you had to make was whether they get one with four gigabytes of storage or eight at the time the idea of carrying an iphone instead of a flip phone and an ipod was enough to convince many people to buy one for others like me the iphone's main appeal was the touchscreen which seemed unreal it seemed futuristic 15 years later apple sells eight different models of the iphone five of which have launched in the past 10 months the iphone is available in array of colors sizes finishes and storage options that now top out at one terabyte and while the screen is where most of the magic happens it's no longer the main appeal of the iphone in fact in 2022 the true appeal of the iphone has hardly anything to do with the hardware for better or worse the iphone has become home to our photos music conversations ideas games identity work social media shopping keys and money let me explain over the past decade and a half what defines the iphone has shifted away from just design and hardware specs instead the iphone and ios have become a gateway into apple services and features like imessage icloud facetimes siri apple music apple pay top of the line cameras and the app store which has apps like uber tick tock twitter and whatsapp in 2022 the iphone continues to extend beyond its slim metal and glass chassis into the world around us it's the backbone for products like the apple watch and airpods and will likely play a role in future apple products like rumored ar glasses it also serves as a foundation for apple's digital services which have become an increasingly important factor that differentiates the iphone from competing mobile devices for example find buy which started out as the find my iphone tool in 2010 has grown into a network for finding apple devices and pretty much anything you can attach one of apple's tiny air tags just weeks ago at wwdc apple's annual software developers conference the company announced ios 16 which expands services like apple pay and the wallet app even more now keep in mind you need an iphone to access or use most of these services but for years the iphone's premium price made it inaccessible to many and that's still true of apple's top of the line iphone pro models today the recently upgraded iphone se gives apple the opportunity to expand the iphone's reach further it's the purest example of what defines an iphone in 2022 because it showcases how ios and apple silicon become the foundation for everything you do on your iphone and at 429 it's currently the most affordable way to get people into apple's experiences now obviously not every model in apple's iphone lineup is equal more expensive phones like the iphone 13 pro come with a contemporary design a high refresh rate display larger camera sensors and tools like the u1 ultra wide band chip and lidar these extra perks mean you can use your iphone in more ways for example if you have the right car you can unlock it and start it with your iphone of course all this growth has consequences anti-trust concerns over the app store and mobile payments debates about screen time apple's contentious dealings with the fbi criticism that all these services are part of a strategy to lock people into apple's ecosystem and more recently privacy questions over air tags are just some of the concerns that have grown alongside the iphone's meteoric success there are even questions as to whether apple can launch another product that is even half as successful as the iphone and yet over 15 years the iphone has become ubiquitous and helped apple become a nearly three trillion dollar company and now i want to hear from you what do you think about the iphone turning 15. also we're doing these videos every week about apple stuff let us know what you'd like to see us cover last do all the youtube things like it subscribe it hit that bell\n"