The iPhone's evolution: How Apple has altered its design over the past 16 years

Apple's newest device, the iPhone 15, will be available in stores nationwide in less than a day. Since everyone carries a smartphone these days, it's easy to overlook how revolutionary the original iPhone was and how much it's changed over time. This shows the evolution of the iPhone from 2007 until 2023.On January 9, 2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs finally revealed the original iPhone after months of conjecture. The 4GB model of the smartphone, which didn't actually go on sale until June, cost $499, while the 8GB model (with a two-year commitment) cost $599.

It had a 2-megapixel camera, a 3.5-inch screen, and was praised for its then-novel multitouch capabilities. However, some claimed that the phone was too costly to succeed in the market. (See the narrative of the iPhone launch.)Apple released the iPhone 3G, its replacement, on June 9, 2008, one year after the original iPhone went on sale. The new model was more affordable, had more capacity, a built-in GPS, and the ability to connect to quicker 3G networks. The iPhone 3G, which went on sale on July 11 for $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model, featured a feature known as location services. Steve Jobs, the CEO of the iPhone, predicted that location services would be a major feature. "That's going to blow up." (Refer to the launch narrative.)