The Era of the iPhone
by Danielle Hannah
Look around you.
Well...maybe not right now.
But the next time you’re in public (when it’s safe!), look around you. What percent of the population walks around, eyes glued to a phone with a little drawing of an apple on it? I’d bet good money that most people you see and interact with on a typical day have an iPhone resting comfortably in their back pocket.
So how exactly did we get to this point?
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The ever popular iPhone 6.
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Early Deals
Apple recognized the need for a good cellular phone, and quickly snagged a deal with Motorola, who would design the hardware and deal with the carriers that controlled cellular networks. It seemed like a home run for Apple. Until they saw the phone in person. It was a clunky, brick of a phone that didn’t align with Apple’s previous products. The deal was scratched.Then Cingular (later AT&T) approached with a deal of their own. The iPhone would be designed solely by Apple, Cingular would deal with the cellular network aspect, and Apple would receive a share of the monthly payments coming from users. A win, win, win for Apple!
If the iPhone didn’t work out, which direction do you think Apple would go in? Would a different product be successful?
Project Purple
Apple executives pointed out that they could utilize the iPod in the design process. They decided to attach cellular and wifi radio antennas to the iPod, turning the hit product into a phone.
Genius, right? As it turns out, not so much.
The click wheel, which made the iPod so fantastic, made for a less than ideal experience when making phone calls (and sending texts was even worse). While the phone worked, it didn’t deliver a great user experience, and Jobs turned it down. The project was put on the back burner.
Genius, right? As it turns out, not so much.
The click wheel, which made the iPod so fantastic, made for a less than ideal experience when making phone calls (and sending texts was even worse). While the phone worked, it didn’t deliver a great user experience, and Jobs turned it down. The project was put on the back burner.
Jumbotron
Underground engineers looked at the plastic touchpad by FingerWorks and thought it was a better route. They set up a demo (named Jumbotron because of how large the pad was) of how it could be connected to a computer. They continued working on the idea and in 2003 Jobs agreed: Multitouch finger tracking was the way to go. This new project was titled P2.
Dogfooding
Software and hardware developers alike were extremely secretive with their work, and did not share much with each other. Essentially anything that could be done by trusted employees instead of outsiders was done by the employees. For example:
After years of hard work, the iPhone was launched after New Years Day, 2007. Jobs was stressed that the presentation wouldn’t be perfect, but special arrangements were made to help things flow smoothly. A portable cell tower was brought in to ensure Jobs would have service. A strategic order was made for Jobs to utilize in the presentation to prevent crashing. And demos were hardcoded to display five bars of service no matter what.
The “Jesus phone” was premiered, and the presentation went off without a hitch.
Watch the presentation of the first iPhone for yourself!
How do you think people reacted at the launch? How would you have reacted?- Designers tested the beta product themselves (a process known as dogfooding)
- Employees drove around and tested for dead spots in service themselves
- Jobs decided to use Gorilla Glass instead of plastic to prevent scratches
- The “slide to unlock” feature was based on an encounter with an airplane bathroom
The Launch
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The first generation iPhone.
The “Jesus phone” was premiered, and the presentation went off without a hitch.
Watch the presentation of the first iPhone for yourself!
Final Piece of the Puzzle
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The logo for the App Store, home to over two million apps.
So, again, take a look at the world around you. Or better yet, look at yourself.
What would your world look like without the iPhone?
The iPhone brought us into the era of the modern cell phone. Without the iPhone, I doubt Apple would be as big of a player as it is today in the tech game. They would've continues producing the iPod and would've eventually started to get into computers, assuming they completely stayed away from phones. I just think they wouldn't have been as big of a deal as they are today.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the launch, I think people were surprised but pleased. The iPhone was something that they didn't know they wanted in their life. I would have been into the iPhone once the phone I was currently using broke down, but really it would've fascinated me.
My world would be very different without the iPhone because it set a precedent in the tech world. All smartphones look like an iPhone in some capacity and they just really set the curve for the future of cell phones.
Do you think in our lifetime there will be something as big as the iPhone created?
DeleteI agree, people didn't even know that they needed something like the iPhone. They could only imagine everything that it would bring, so when the possibilities came true, they were amazed.
Delete@Hannah I wouldn't be surprised if something's invented as a result of this quarantine experience that has the impact the iPhone had.
DeleteI totally agree! Apple was already succeeding in the iPod business, so assuming they never got into phones, I also believe they would continue producing and expanding on the iPod, and I think they would have still created some version of the iPad. But they probably wouldn't be as memorable.
Delete@Hannah Since I don't remember what it was like before the iPhone, I can't imagine how the product would instantly change people's lives so it would surprise me if something as big as the iPhone was created and changed my world completely. But I still believe that it can be done.
Delete@ hannah as much as i hope that we will get another amazing invention like this, technically the iphone was the invention of our lifetime, 2008 wasnt that long ago and i think thats the only one were gonna have for a while.
DeleteIf the iPhone didn't work out I think they would have just kept building on their music and computer platforms and products to try and keep growing.
ReplyDeleteI think that people would have been hesitant at first because of how previous handheld devices were but because the iPhone was different with its touchscreen I think that it separated itself enough from previous handheld computers to be influential on its own.
I think that without the iPhone, the world would look pretty similar to where it is today with the exception that smart phones wouldn't be as widespread and advanced. Android caught up to apple very fast and I believe that they could have spread smartphones as well as other companies filling apple's void.
How quickly do you think Android and other mobile OSs would be able to realize what Jobs did, if Jobs hadn't?
DeleteI think they would have eventually, but I'm not sure how long it would have taken.
DeleteI agree that iPhones are very widespread. Without the iPhone, there might have been another product to take it's place... but there's no guarantee it would have become as big as the iPhone is.
DeleteI think that Apple would have become either more focused on the iPod or the touchscreen computer software the engineers were looking at before the development of the iPhone. I'm not sure that one of these products would have been successful, it might have been more of a some traction and then loss of interest from the public sort of deal.
ReplyDeleteAt the launch, I think people were blown away and speechless when watching the presentation. This was technology not even dreamed up a decade ago. If I was there I would be losing my mind in excitement and eagerly waiting to get one of my own.
Without the iPhone I would definitely spend more time bored and now know what to do with myself. The iPhone has allowed me to stay connected with people through many different social media platforms.
I would be so bored without my phone...especially now. Although I do have to admit, sometimes the mindless scrolling makes me bored.
DeleteDo you ever look at the usage on your phone. Sometimes I do... and sometimes it worries me!
DeleteWithout the iPhone, our world would be so much different. People rely on their iPhone for so much more than just texts or calls. We use them for everyday purposes such as a GPS, reminders, a camera, alarms, calendars, notes, online banking, and so much more. That's why when losing your iPhone, people feel as though the world is ending. I'm sure at the first launch, people reacted with amazement, and probably could only imagine all the future possibilities it would bring. I don't really think any other product would have been successful if Apple went in another direction, because I think the iPhone was the perfect invention during this time, and it was exactly what was needed to keep the industry going.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the iPhone is used as basically everything, which definitely develops an attachment between people and their phones. Because the iPhone is so universal and was well-received, I do think that this was developed at the right time for the industry.
DeleteI agree with this. I can't imagine another form of technology that could include all of these resources in one place.
DeleteI like to ask people which they could live without more - their phone or their computer. EVERYONE says they could live without their computer but not their phone! It's a little computer in our pocket (for better or worse).
DeleteI like your point about the extent to which we use our iPhones. Truly, you can do just about anything you need to from an iPhone. People tend to either not realize how much they use their phone or deny how much they use it because they feel some embarrassment
DeleteWithout an iPhone, my life would definitely be different. I stay in contact with friends and family with my phone, and, especially at a time like this, that would be impossible. I also am able to do schoolwork on my phone so, aside from the obvious social aspect of having a phone, my education would also be impacted during this time. If the iPhone hadn't worked out, I thin Apple would have continued with the computer and iPod trend and would ultimately not have been as successful.
ReplyDeletePlease tell me you have a computer you can use Sublime on at home...
DeleteIf the iPhone didn't work out, I'm not sure what direction Apple would have gone in. Their products were doing well, but would likely have been surpassed if they did not continue pressing the industry. Many of the products that Apple came to create were based on the success of the model of the iPhone, such as the newer generations of iPod, iPad, Apple Watch, and more.
ReplyDeleteAt the launch of the iPhone, I think people finally realized what a true smartphone was, and how they could benefit from one, unlike older models that never caught on. I would have been excited for the release.
I personally do not have an iPhone, as I firmly believe in the superiority of Android OS. However, many of my friends and family use Apple products, and even the basic structure of any smartphone as we know it today, including Androids, is based on the original release of the iPhone. My life would be very different without this technology.
Okay but Samsung wasn't even mentioned in the book so is it really that important and superior?
DeleteThe author stopped at iPhones because they were first and their introduction ended the initial web experience and introduced responsive design. We don't have to debate Android vs. iPhone (I own both), but the introduction of the Android OS (based on Java) was an important milestone in the history of technology.
DeleteKnowing your feelings about iPhones, I wondered how you would answer the last question when I wrote it. I think it's interesting that even though you don't use or like iPhones, you think they've impacted your life. Just goes to show how big of an impact the iPhone had
DeleteIf the iPhone failed, Apple would've continued to develop iPods and computers, eventually returning back to phones.
ReplyDeletePeople were definitely surprised by the launch. People had never envisioned this technology and they were definitely excited and speechless.
I can't really imagine life without it. I can't imagine any more efficient ways that people would communicate and spread information. I think someone else would've probably come up with a similar idea and we would still have something like it today.
Without the iPhone so many of our lives would look different. Those edits of text conversations you see on Instagram are usually always screenshots from iPhone messages. The iPhone brought us so much in terms of app design, games, credit cards, calendars, appointments, notes, and many memories. Typically our iPhone is our life, it holds so much of our existence that without it, the world may be dull or lacking something.
ReplyDeleteHowever! Continuing on my thought that human beings are not original in any sense of the word: Someone, somewhere, would have figured out exactly what Apple did and done what they did. We would only be a few years behind.
DeleteSomeone, somewhere was probably working on a smartphone at the same time, Apple just got their first ;)
DeleteOnce again, I agree with the "humans are unoriginal" thought. With almost every thing we've looked at in this book, I think it's true that if there was a need for a service or product, it would be created one way or another.
DeleteI think that if the iPhone didn't work out, Apple would have eventually figured out a way to expand their iPods into a bigger business and maybe move out of the music industry, but I doubt they would be as successful as they are today.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure people weren't as excited about the iPhone as they would have been if there hadn't been so many smartphone failures before the iPhone, but they were definitely surprised by this new generation of phones.
I don't even know how I would survive without the iPhone. I use it everyday, all the time, but I'm sure another phone would have been released first and been a hit if iPhone wasn't an immediate success.
Yeah, I agree, they definitely would've expanded the iPod industry but wouldn't have been as high profile as they are today.
DeleteI agree that Apples would have expanded the iPod into a bigger product in the market. It's interesting that the iPhone started out as almost and iPod mod.
DeleteYou make a good point. The iPhone could have seemed just like another phone that could work or could not work. Or, people could have thought that once Apple made an appearance, things would change. It was a big step between the future and what people were familiar with.
Deleteif apple hadn't gone with the touch screen format i think they probably would have tried something along the lines of the blackberry with a physical keyboard, but i don't think it would have been as successful because it wasn't original
ReplyDeletei could imagine that people were definitely shocked by the presentation, this was something so futuristic and new, it was magical. i remember it coming out and being super fascinated.
the world would honestly be pretty dull without the iphone, we might even still have blackberries
Blackberries weren't that bad, and they had a lot of functionality, they just weren't the all encompassing device the smartphone has become.
DeleteI completely agree, Apple likely would have attempted to dominate the phone industry that wasn't touch screen, but it wouldn't have worked out in their favor, necessarily. They wouldn't be as well know as they are today, maybe we wouldn't even really think about them as much more than a piece of history.
DeleteThat's a good point. Without the iPhone, it still would have been likely for them to create a phone. I agree that it's just so unique that I would've thought it was super cool. I think things would be harder without the iPhone.
Deleteits interesting to think that maybe if apple hadn't stepped up, blackberry would evolve and they would be the powerhouse
DeleteIt's interesting to think if Apple hadn't employed touch screens but still made a phone...where would we be? Personally, I kind of want to see/try out the iPod phone they first designed. I wouldn't want to use it everyday, but I'm interested in how it worked.
DeleteIf the iPhone didn't work out, I think that they would have stopped trying, due to Jobs' hesitation. They probably would've been successful and continued what they were doing before the iPhone. They most likely would've made another successful product, but I don't think it could've been as successful as the iPhone. I think people were shocked by the iPhone because it was something never seen before. I would have been super excited and really wanted one. I feel like it was so unique and introduced something completely new to the smartphone business. If I never had an iPhone, I would not have been heavily impacted by having no iPhone. However, now I think I would feel lost without this phone. I feel like I have such quick and easy capabilities and access to knowledge. I can look at the weather, take pictures, and listen to music all within minutes. Having an iPhone makes my life easier and communication is better too.
ReplyDeleteYour point about not knowing what you're missing if you never had an iPhone is well taken. I doubt people who function without smartphones really miss them. My parents certainly don't!
DeleteI Apple would find a way to make the iPhone happen. Apple had a mindset of figuring out the future and doing what they could to make their ideas reality. Apple knew this market would be big for them, but if this did not happen I think the iPod would eventually continue to upgrade until it would become an iPhone. I think that people could not understand what was happening. It was so big, so futuristic that people could not comprehend it, but realized that whatever it was, they needed it and it would be our future. Without the iPhone, I would not seem to have the world at my fingertips. It would be harder to find information or talk to friends. I would not be as glued to my phone.
ReplyDeleteIf/when you're finished discussing, go work on your book project and/or install Netflix Party in Chrome. See you tomorrow for our party!! I wonder about virtual popcorn...
ReplyDelete