IPhone

The iPhone is a line of smartphones developed and marketed by Apple since 2007. The first-generation iPhone was announced by then–Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at Macworld 2007, and first launched in June 2007. Since then, Apple has annually released new iPhone models; the current lineup consists of the iPhone 17, the lower-end iPhone 17e, the lighter and thinner iPhone Air, the more feature-rich iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Duo. As of July 2025, more than three billion iPhones have been sold. Apple has been the largest vendor of mobile phones since 2023. The original iPhone was the first mobile phone to use multi-touch technology. Throughout its history, the iPhone has gained larger, higher-resolution Retina displays, video-recording functionality, waterproofing, and many accessibility features. Up to the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, iPhones had a single button on the front panel, with the iPhone 5s and later integrating a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Since the iPhone X, models have switched to a nearly bezel-less front screen design with Face ID facial recognition in place of Touch ID for authentication, and increased use of gestures in place of the home button for navigation. The iPhone, which operates using Apple's proprietary iOS operating system, is one of the two major smartphone platforms in the world, alongside Android.…

The iPhone is a line of smartphones developed and marketed by Apple since 2007. The first-generation iPhone was announced by then–Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at Macworld 2007, and first launched in June 2007. Since then, Apple has annually released new iPhone models; the current lineup consists of the iPhone 17, the lower-end iPhone 17e, the lighter and thinner iPhone Air, the more feature-rich iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Duo. As of July 2025, more than three billion iPhones have been sold. Apple has been the largest vendor of mobile phones since 2023. The original iPhone was the first mobile phone to use multi-touch technology. Throughout its history, the iPhone has gained larger, higher-resolution Retina displays, video-recording functionality, waterproofing, and many accessibility features. Up to the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, iPhones had a single button on the front panel, with the iPhone 5s and later integrating a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Since the iPhone X, models have switched to a nearly bezel-less front screen design with Face ID facial recognition in place of Touch ID for authentication, and increased use of gestures in place of the home button for navigation. The iPhone, which operates using Apple's proprietary iOS operating system, is one of the two major smartphone platforms in the world, alongside Android. The first-generation iPhone was described by Steve Jobs as a "revolution" for the mobile phone industry. The iPhone has been credited with popularizing the slate smartphone form factor, and with creating a large market for smartphone apps, or "app economy", laying the foundation for the mobile-device market boom. In addition to the apps that come pre-installed on iOS, there are nearly two million apps available for download from Apple's mobile distribution marketplace, the App Store, as of . ===2000s=== Development of an Apple smartphone began in 2004, when the company began assembling a team of 1,000 employees¹ led by hardware engineer Tony Fadell, software engineer Scott Forstall, and design officer Jony Ive, to work on the highly confidential "Project Purple". Then-Apple CEO Steve Jobs steered the original focus away from a tablet (which was later revisited in the form of the iPad) toward a phone. Apple created the device during a secretive collaboration with Cingular Wireless (later renamed AT&T Mobility) at an estimated development cost of US$150 million over 30 months. According to Jobs in 1998, the "i" in "iMac" (and later "iPod", "iPhone", and "iPad") stands for internet, individual, instruct, inform, and inspire. Apple rejected the "design by committee" approach that had yielded the Motorola ROKR E1, a largely unsuccessful "iTunes phone" made in collaboration with Motorola. Among other deficiencies, the ROKR E1's firmware limited storage to only 100 iTunes songs to avoid competing with Apple's iPod nano. Cingular gave Apple the freedom to develop the iPhone's hardware and software in-house, a rare practice at the time, and paid Apple a fraction of its monthly service revenue (until the iPhone 3G), in exchange for four years of exclusive U.S. sales, until 2011. Jobs unveiled the first-generation iPhone to the public on January 9, 2007, at the Macworld 2007 convention at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The iPhone incorporated a multi-touch display with only four total buttons and a ringer/silent switch, and ran the iPhone OS operating system with a touch-friendly interface, then marketed as a version of Mac OS X. It was the first mobile phone to use multi-touch technology. The device launched on June 29, 2007, at a starting price of US$499 in the United States, and required a two-year contract with AT&T. The price was reduced by a third after two months. The resulting complaints forced Jobs to issue an apology and offer a partial rebate to early purchasers of the iPhone. On July 11, 2008, at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2008, Apple announced the iPhone 3G, and expanded its launch-day availability to 22 countries; it was eventually released in 70 countries and territories. The iPhone 3G introduced faster 3G connectivity, and a lower starting price of US$199 (with a two-year AT&T contract). The iPhone 3G was a commercial success, overtaking Motorola RAZR V3 as the best-selling cell phone in the U.S. by the end of 2008. Its successor, the iPhone 3GS, was announced on June 8, 2009, at WWDC 2009, and introduced video recording functionality. ===2010s=== on display under glass at the January 2007 Macworld show|left]]The iPhone 4 was announced on June 7, 2010, at WWDC 2010, and introduced a redesigned body incorporating a stainless steel frame and a rear glass panel. At release, the iPhone 4 was marketed as the "world's thinnest smartphone"; it uses the Apple A4 processor, being the first iPhone to use an Apple custom-designed chip. It introduced the Retina display, having four times the display resolution of preceding iPhones, and was the highest-resolution smartphone screen at release; a front-facing camera was also introduced, enabling video calling functionality via FaceTime. Users of the iPhone 4 reported dropped/disconnected telephone calls when holding their phones in a certain way, and this issue was nicknamed "antennagate". In January 2011, as Apple's exclusivity agreement with AT&T was expiring, Verizon announced that they would be carrying the iPhone 4, with a model compatible with Verizon's CDMA network released on February 10. The iPhone 4s was announced on October 4, 2011, and introduced the Siri virtual assistant, a dual-core A5 processor, and an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p video recording functionality. The iPhone 5 was announced on September 12, 2012, and introduced a larger screen, up from the screen of all previous iPhone models, as well as faster 4G LTE connectivity. It also introduced a thinner and lighter body made of aluminum alloy. The 30-pin dock connector of previous iPhones was replaced with the new, reversible Lightning connector. (top), iPhone 5s (middle), and iPhone 4s (bottom)]] The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c were announced on September 10, 2013. The iPhone 5s included a 64-bit A7 processor, becoming the first ever 64-bit smartphone; it also introduced the Touch ID fingerprint authentication sensor. The iPhone 5c was a lower-cost device that incorporated hardware from the iPhone 5, into a series of colorful plastic frames. On September 9, 2014, Apple introduced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, with significantly larger screens than the iPhone 5s, at and , respectively; both models also introduced mobile payment technology via Apple Pay. Optical image stabilization was introduced to the 6 Plus' camera. The Apple Watch was also introduced on the same day and operates in conjunction with a connected iPhone. Some users experienced bending issues from normal use with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, particularly on the latter model; this issue was nicknamed "bendgate". The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were introduced on September 9, 2015, and included a more bend-resistant frame made of a stronger aluminum alloy, as well as a higher-resolution 12-megapixel main camera capable of 4K video recording. The first-generation iPhone SE was introduced on March 21, 2016, and was a low-cost device that incorporated newer hardware from the iPhone 6s, in the frame of the older iPhone 5s. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were announced on September 7, 2016, which introduced larger camera sensors, IP67-certified water and dust resistance, and a quad-core A10 Fusion processor using big.LITTLE technology; the 3.5 mm headphone jack was removed, and Apple introduced the AirPods wireless earbuds. Optical image stabilization was added to the 7's camera. A second telephoto camera lens was added on the 7 Plus, enabling two-times optical zoom, and "Portrait" photography mode which simulates bokeh in photos. The iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X were announced on September 12, 2017, in Apple's first event held at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park. All models featured rear glass panel designs akin to the iPhone 4, wireless charging, and a hexa-core A11 Bionic chip with "Neural Engine" AI accelerator hardware. The iPhone X additionally introduced a 5.8-inch OLED "Super Retina" display with a "bezel-less" design, with a higher pixel density and contrast ratio than previous iPhones with LCD displays, and introduced a stronger frame made of stainless steel. It also introduced Face ID facial recognition authentication hardware, in a "notch" screen cutout, in place of Touch ID; the home button was removed to achieve the “bezel-less” design, replacing it with a gesture-based navigation system. At its US$999 starting price, the iPhone X was the most expensive iPhone at launch. ]] The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and XS Max were announced on September 12, 2018. All models featured the "Smart HDR" computational photography system, and a significantly more powerful "Neural Engine". The XS Max introduced a larger screen. The iPhone XR included a LCD "Liquid Retina" display, with a "bezel-less" design similar to the iPhone X, but did not include a second telephoto lens; it was made available in a series of vibrant colors, akin to the iPhone 5c, and was lower-cost than the iPhone X and XS. The iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max were announced on September 10, 2019. The iPhone 11 was the successor to the iPhone XR, while the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max succeeded the iPhone XS and XS Max. All models gained an ultra-wide lens, enabling two-times optical zoom out, as well as larger batteries for longer battery life. The second-generation iPhone SE was introduced on April 17, 2020, and was a low-cost device that incorporated newer hardware from the iPhone 11, in the frame of the older iPhone 8, while retaining the home button and the Touch ID sensor. ===2020s=== The iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max were announced during a livestream event on October 13, 2020. All models featured OLED "Super Retina XDR" displays, introduced faster 5G connectivity, and the MagSafe magnetic charging and accessory system; a slimmer flat-edged design was also introduced, and its stronger glass-ceramic front glass improved drop protection compared to previous iPhones. The iPhone 12 Mini introduced a smaller 5.4-inch screen, while the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max had larger 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screens, respectively. The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max also added a Lidar sensor for better accuracy in augmented reality (AR) applications. The iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max were announced during a livestream event on September 14, 2021. All models featured larger camera sensors, larger batteries for longer battery life, and a narrower "notch" screen cutout. The iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max additionally introduced smoother adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate "ProMotion" technology in their OLED displays and three-times optical zoom in the telephoto lens. The low-cost third-generation iPhone SE was introduced on March 8, 2022, and incorporated the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13, but otherwise retained similar hardware to the second-generation iPhone SE. The iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max were announced on September 7, 2022. All models introduced satellite phone emergency calling functionality. The new 14 Plus brought the large 6.7-inch screen size, first seen on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, to a lower-cost device. The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max additionally introduced a higher-resolution 48-megapixel main camera, the first increase in megapixel count since the iPhone 6s; the Pro models also introduced always-on display technology to the lock screen, and an interactive status bar interface integrated in a redesigned screen cutout, called "Dynamic Island". The iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max were announced on September 12, 2023. Starting with this group of devices, all models switched to USB-C as their power connector to comply with European Commission regulations, replacing Apple's proprietary Lightning connector after eleven years of use in previous models. The 15 and 15 Plus feature the Dynamic Island, which debuted with the iPhone 14 Pro (effectively retiring the "notch" display cutout), a 48-megapixel main camera, slightly curved edges, and a color-infused frosted glass back. The 15 Pro and Pro Max also replace the mute switch with the "Action" button, and replace stainless steel with titanium. The iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max were announced on September 9, 2024. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus introduced a vertical camera layout with refined "Fusion" and ultra-wide cameras. The 16 Pro and Pro Max have larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and the largest batteries in an iPhone up to that point. All models include access to new Apple Intelligence AI features, a refined thermal system, support for Wi-Fi 7, and a new button dubbed the "Camera Control", allowing easier access to camera features. On February 19, 2025, the iPhone 16e was announced as the latest member of the 16 family. This model has a longer battery life due to the A18 chip and the new Apple C1, which is the first cellular modem designed by Apple. It has a 6.1-inch screen, and the same 48-megapixel camera as previous models, but lacks the wider shot option because of its lower price. The iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air were announced on September 9, 2025. These devices feature the faster A19 and A19 Pro chips, with improved CPU and GPU performance, including faster AI tasks. The always-on display and 120 Hz ProMotion are now standard across the September 2025 iPhone lineup. The iPhone Air is the thinnest iPhone ever made and is the first iPhone with only an earpiece speaker. The iPhone Air also features the new C1X cellular modem, which uses 30% less energy than the previous C1 chips. The iPhone 17 Pro models do not have this modem and instead use Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem. The new Pro lineup has the distinctive camera plateau bump. The iPhone 17 Pro models also switch back to an aluminum body for better heat dissipation and feature a first for an iPhone: a vapor-chamber cooling system that helps regulate heat in heavy workloads. They also have the largest batteries and longest battery life yet in any iPhone model. On March 2, 2026, the iPhone 17e was announced as the latest member of the 17 family. On September 9, 2026, Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Duo. The 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max will be available on September 18, 2026, followed by the iPhone Duo on October 23. | colspan="9" | |} ImageSize=width:270 height:400 PlotArea=left:60 bottom:51 top:10 right:16 AlignBars=justify Period=from:0 till:250 TimeAxis=orientation:horizontal Colors= id:gray value:gray(0.5) id:line1 value:gray(0.9) id:line2 value:gray(0.7) ScaleMajor=unit:year increment:50 start:0 gridcolor:line2 ScaleMinor=unit:year increment:50 start:0 gridcolor:line1 BarData= bar:2007 text:2007 bar:2008 text:2008 bar:2009 text:2009 bar:2010 text:2010 bar:2011 text:2011 bar:2012 text:2012 bar:2013 text:2013 bar:2014 text:2014 bar:2015 text:2015 bar:2016 text:2016 bar:2017 text:2017 bar:2018 text:2018 bar:2019 text:2019 bar:2020 text:2020 bar:2021 text:2021 bar:2022 text:2022 bar:2023 text:2023 PlotData= color:tan1 width:10 bar:2007 from:start till:1.3 text:1.3 bar:2008 from:start till:11.6 text:11.6 bar:2009 from:start till:20.7 text:20.7 bar:2010 from:start till:39.9 text:39.9 bar:2011 from:start till:72.2 text:72.2 bar:2012 from:start till:125 text:125 bar:2013 from:start till:150 text:150 bar:2014 from:start till:169 text:169 bar:2015 from:start till:231 text:231 bar:2016 from:start till:211 text:211 bar:2017 from:start till:216 text:216 bar:2018 from:start till:217 text:217 bar:2019 from:start till:185 text:185 bar:2020 from:start till:189 text:189 bar:2021 from:start till:238 text:238 bar:2022 from:start till:239 text:239 bar:2023 from:start till:223 text:223 TextData= pos:(50,16) textcolor:gray fontsize:M text:iPhone sales worldwide (million) TextData= pos:(50,1) textcolor:gray fontsize:M text:Source: Apple/IDC Steve Jobs's initial target was to reach 1% of phone market share in 2008. Apple sold 6.1 million units of the original iPhone between Q3 FY2007 and Q4 FY2008, and 11.3 million units of the iPhone 3G in Q4 FY2008 and Q1 FY2009. In 2008, the iPhone reached 1.1% of worldwide mobile phone market share, and 8.2% of the smartphone market. During this time it was quickly becoming important in North America, and it ranked second by market share in the U.S. in 2009, behind the BlackBerry; in 2010 the iPhone 3GS was the best-selling smartphone in the U.S., the first time an iPhone reached the top spot in that market. iPhone sales grew continuously year-over-year from its introduction until Q2 FY2016. The iPhone briefly surpassed BlackBerry in Q4 FY2008, and permanently overtook it starting in Q3 FY2010. By 2011, Apple had sold 100 million iPhones worldwide, and became the largest mobile phone vendor in the world by revenue, surpassing longtime leader Nokia. Q1 FY2012 marked Apple's best quarterly earnings in its history, with 53% of the company's revenues coming from iPhone sales. Phone sales are strongly seasonal, peaking in the holiday season (Apple's Q1). With the release of the iPhone 13 in Q1 FY2022, Apple temporarily topped Samsung, with 84.9 million units shipped compared with Samsung's 68.9 million. In most quarters, Apple is the second-largest smartphone vendor by units. Apple sold 223 million iPhones in its financial year 2023 ending September 24. Today, Samsung and Apple dominate the smartphone market, with 21.8% and 15.6% worldwide market share, respectively. Due to Apple's small lineup, Apple often dominates the list of best-selling smartphone models. Despite its lower market share, the iPhone's premium positioning has led it to capture nearly half of global smartphone revenue, and 80% of global smartphone profits, with Samsung taking the other 20%. Carriers compete with each other to subsidize iPhone upgrades, which is seen as a significant factor in iPhone sales, though this has reduced carrier profits. On July 27, 2016, Apple announced that it had sold their billionth iPhone. As of January 1, 2024, more than 2.3 billion iPhones have been sold. In July 2025, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that 3 billion iPhones have been sold. Compared to other high-tech products, a greater proportion of iPhone users are female. The iPhone has been adopted by both consumers and business users. iPhone users are wealthier and spend more time on their phones than Android users on average. The iPhone is especially popular in the U.S., where it has a 50% market share and is used by 88% of teenagers. Worldwide, the iPhone accounts for 78% of the high-end ($1,000+) smartphone market. Android overtook the iPhone's installed base in 2010, according to NPD Group. During Apple's earnings call on January 27, 2021, Tim Cook said that 1 billion iPhones were being actively used worldwide.

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1378060683 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.