iPhone Celebrates 5th Birthday: Its Amazing Journey so Far (PHOTOS)

Photo: Reuters

iPhone Celebrates 5th Birthday: Its Amazing Journey so Far

1. The First Generation iPhone The first generation iPhone wasn't so small and exquisite like iPhone 4S, but it had an important role to play - it kicked off a new era for the mobile phone industry. The first iPhone was the successful combination of an iPod, a phone and an internet mobile communicator into one device, rather than having three separate ones. "[The] iPhone is a revolutionary and magical product that is five years ahead of any other mobile phone. We are all born with the ultimate pointing device - our fingers - and iPhone uses them to create the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse," Steve Jobs boasted during iPhone's maiden launch. The original iPhone sported a 320×480 resolution, 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, 2-megapixel camera, iOS 1.0, a 412MHz ARM 11 processor, a proximity sensor as well as an accelerometer, which shocked the world. And though it was pricey - the price of the iPhone was $499 for 4GB models and $599 for 8GB models - countless customers rushed to purchase the device. Before the iPhone went on sale, Apple fans were waiting in long lines outside Apple Stores. No wonder former Gadget Lab editor Dylan Tweney spoke highly on the revolutionary handset. "As a device, it's a genre-bender," Tweney said. "Never before have American consumers had access to a phone that is simultaneously so powerful, so elegant, and that performs so many functions."

Photo: REUTERS

iPhone Celebrates 5th Birthday: Its Amazing Journey so Far

2. iPhone 3G Never satisfied with success, Steve Jobs marched on and the second generation iPhone - iPhone 3G was unveiled as the situation required. Just as its name implies, this iPhone supported 3G network operability, and GPS. Meanwhile, iOS version 2.0 was also launched and the App Store was unveiled for the first time. However, the App Store became independent later.

Photo: REUTERS

iPhone Celebrates 5th Birthday: Its Amazing Journey so Far

3. iPhone 3GS The third generation iPhone - iPhone 3GS - was a big improvement over its predecessors as it inccluded a 3-megapixel camera, a 600MHz Samsung chip, a 480×320 pixels display and a compass. Photography was also regarded as one the important features of iPhone and the smartphone's camera boasted of autofocus features so that it could shoot good quality stills and video with ease. With the upgraded processor, iPhone 3GS also ran faster than its predecessor. The display with a higher resolution and a compass added to the brilliance of the device. The software also saw many improvements - Voice Control, iOS 3.0 as well as a cut/copy/paste functionality were included in the iPhone 3GS.

Photo: Reuters

iPhone Celebrates 5th Birthday: Its Amazing Journey so Far

4. iPhone 4 iPhone 4 was launched in June 2010. Much thinner than its predecessors, its front and back were encased in slim frames of glass and its sides was ringed by an aluminum rim. This phone became an instant hit as it boasted of a revolutionary 3.5-inch Retina Display. The iPhone 4 also boasted of two cameras - a front camera for video chat and self-portraits shots, and a rear camera with 5 megapixels for higher quality stills and video capture. Thanks to the iPhone 4's better battery life and its new A4 chip, the phone could last longer. Jobs even praised the iPhone 4 as Apple's "new baby"- an "extraordinary" product that is "going to change everything, all over again." When it was released, the iPhone4 was priced at $199 (16GB version) or $299 (32GB model) with a two-year contract. But after iPhone 4S released, 8GB models of iPhone 4 were lowered to $99.

Photo: REUTERS

iPhone Celebrates 5th Birthday: Its Amazing Journey so Far

5. iPhone 4S When iPhone 4S was launched, people criticized it because it was similar in design to iPhone 4 whereas people expected it to boast of a radical new design. However, under the hood, iPhone 4S boasted of improvements in camera and processor and most importantly, the device had a striking new software - Siri. Siri, the voice-controlled intelligent assistant, almost can do almost anything its master demands, including placing phone calls, sending messages, scheduling meetings, finding nearest restaurant, and more. The helper can even engage in a conversation with you and sometimes the result can be hilarious. So far, the iPhone 4S has already reached about 90 countries in the world, becoming Apple's hottest handset ever.

Photo: DeviceMag.com

iPhone Celebrates 5th Birthday: Its Amazing Journey so Far

6. iPhone 5 Even as Apple fans are waiting for the next generation iPhone, the rumor mills of the dubbed iPhone 5 are buzzing in full swing. It's reported that the iPhone 5 will sport an improved Siri, a bigger screen, 4G LTE compatibility and quad-core processor, NFC (Near Field Communication) and will be a world phone. Nevertheless, Apple is tightlipped about it and won't give any comments.