I got my hands on the first iPhone on June 29, 2007, and it was immediately obvious that it would forever change the mobile phone industry. I picked up my phone at exactly 6:00 p.m. that night -- the moment it went on sale -- and when I wrote my first impression article at 11:00 p.m. that night, I concluded, that the "iPhone's software represents a truly remarkable accomplishment. Sure, the device's ultra thin case and large 3.5 inch display are nice touches, but what really stands out is the user interface that can best be described as inspired. Regardless of how well this device ultimately does, it will always be remembered as the phone that broke the mold from which all others were fabricated."
In some ways my early review was an understatement. As you look around at the market today, it's obvious that Steve Jobs' inspiration was contagious and quickly emulated by all of his major competitors. Google, whose CEO was on the Apple board at the time the iPhone was released, wound up acquiring Android and spearheaded its own line of very popular touch screen phones with a pretty similar interface. Sure, there are differences but the fundamental interface design -- using your finger to launch and work with apps -- is extremely close.
Besides Apple, Android is the other big success story but there were plenty of other attempts to compete with iPhone from Palm (which was later acquired and then killed by HP), Research in Motion (which struggles for survival after several failed attempts to emulate Apple) and Microsoft which is probably the most innovative of the non-Apple smart phone developers with its own touch-screen interface that's noticeably different from iOS).
The iPhone also helped create the modern tablet. Although Steve Jobs later said that Apple conceived of a tablet before it built the iPhone, the iPhone's interface, basic design and operating system served as the basis for the iPad and the two devices still share a common operating system and run many of the same apps. It's not fair to call the iPad a "big iPhone," because its form factor opens up unique use cases, but essentially that's what it is. The same is true with the many Android tablets including Google's outstanding new Nexus 7 that shares an operating system and app ecosystem with Android phones.
As with any birthday, it's appropriate not just to recognize the guest of honor but also the parents that brought that guest into the world so this is a great time to thank the iPhone's father, the late Steve Jobs, who had the genius to support those around him with vivid imaginations and the courage to Think Different.
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Michelle Chen: Labor Activists Peer Into Shadows of Apple's Factory Empire
iPhone 5? Well, not exactly. Apple's iPhone turns 5.
Do me a favor. Do not try to represent all of Mankind. Please, speak for yourself.
I don't know if it changed "the" world, but it certainly changed "my" world.
First of all, the iPhone was a complex device that was so friendly, even my 80 year old mom was proud to be able to use it (to her surprise). She use to astonish her circle of octogenarian friends with the dexterity in which she handled and understood the device. It empowered her feeling of self sufficiency, and ignited her sense of wonder through-out the year before she passed away in 2010.
As for me, it was the first time in my life, that I was able to land graphic art jobs simply by displaying an eloquent, stream-lined portfolio, held in the palm of my hand.
The new iPad is even more impressive as a client-pleasing presentation device.
Yes, it is possible for a single device to shift the paradigm of possibilities for some of us humans.
Liked my 3 iphones - love my HTC One X
I get my email and web on my home mac where I can actually use them.
who needs double data along with their exorbitant charges?
Check out the link. A concept Google phone called, Sooner, before the iPhone came out. I think Blackberry was there main competitor from the looks of it.
should be
apple pays its store workers in America on average $25000 a year when they sell about $500k.
stopping competitions, maintaining greedy monopoly, ripping off workers in China and Here,
and charging outrageous prices for increasingly inferior products; apple's days are numbered.
apple pays its chinese workers $300/month for 12 hours/day making hundreds of iphones ipads.
apple pays its store workers in America on average $25000 a month when they sell about $500k.
apple paid its new ceo $500 million last year alone. in a way, the company represents the worst.
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2) you obviously don't know the meaning of monopoly. let me help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly
3) "outrageous prices"? they charge what the market can bear. obviously from the record-breaking sales, people can afford it. t's just simple supply and demand. economics 101.
4) apple doesn't pay it's chinese workers because they are employed by foxconn, who also makes products for dell, motorola, sony, ericsson, etc. etc...
$400 a month is 23% higher than the national average, and is the same salary a recently graduate accountant makes in china. the suicide rate at the factories is LESS than the national average.
5) apple had $100 billion in cash at the beginning of the year. they're not going anywhere anytime soon.
6) apple pays their employees well. 13,000 in cupertino and 5,000+ in austin. as far as their retail stores, that's just retail.
7) a CEO getting top pay for running one of the world's most valuable companies represents the best, as opposed to all those CEO's who get millions even when their company fails.
when steve jobs was CEO, he paid himself a $1 annual salary until his death.
Are you out of it.
http://blogs.adobe.com/flashplayer/2012/06/flash-player-and-android-update.html
Somewhere, Steve Jobs is smiling to himself. ;-)