IPhone

The iPhone is a line of smartphones made by Apple. These phones use a special system called iOS, which Apple created just for its devices. The very first iPhone was shown to the world by Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs in January 2007, and people could buy it later that same year. Since then, Apple has made a new iPhone almost every year. Today, you can choose from many models, like the iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, the thinner iPhone Air, and the more affordable iPhone 17e.

The original iPhone was exciting because it was the first phone that let you use your fingers to tap and swipe on the screen in many ways. Over the years, iPhones have gotten bigger screens, better picture quality, the ability to record videos, and even water protection. Early iPhones had one button on the front, but newer ones use your face to unlock the phone and have almost no edges around the screen.

iPhones are very important in the world of mobile phones. They helped create the popular style of phones we use today and made it possible for lots of small programs, called apps, to exist. You can find almost 2 million different apps to download from Apple's App Store, which makes it easy to find fun and useful things to do on your iPhone.

History

Main article: History of the iPhone

Development of a smartphone by Apple began in 2004. A team of 1,000 employees worked on what was called "Project Purple." Apple decided to focus on making a phone instead of a tablet, which they would later make as the iPad.

Apple made the first iPhone with help from Cingular Wireless, later called AT&T Mobility. The first iPhone was shown to the public on January 9, 2007, by Steve Jobs. It had a special screen that could sense touch with fingers and ran on Apple's own operating system. The iPhone launched on June 29, 2007, in the United States for $499, needing a two-year contract with AT&T.

Later models brought new features like faster internet, video recording, and better cameras. The iPhone 4, for example, had a thinner design and a very sharp screen. Some users found that holding the phone in a certain way made calls drop, which was called "antennagate."

Through the years, iPhones grew in size and added features such as mobile payments, better cameras, and water resistance. The iPhone X introduced a new way to unlock the phone using the face, and it had a very thin design without the usual borders around the screen.

More recent models, like the iPhone 14 and 15, added ways to call for help using satellites and changed the type of charging plug to one that many other phones use. The latest models, announced in 2025, include the iPhone 17 and a thinner model called the iPhone Air, with improvements in processing power and battery life.

Models

Main article: List of iPhone models

There have been 52 different iPhone models made so far. Some of these models are from the most recent generation and are shown in bold text in the list.

Production

Up to the iPhone 4, all iPhones were made by a company called Foxconn in Taiwan. In 2011, Apple changed its plan to work with more companies. The iPhone 4s in 2012 was the first to be made by two companies: Foxconn and Pegatron, also in Taiwan. Over time, more iPhones were made by Pegatron.

In India, Apple works with another company called Wistron to build iPhones there. In 2022, Apple said some iPhone 14 models would be made in Tamil Nadu, India, to help with supply problems caused by health rules in China. Apple plans to make 25% of iPhones in India by 2025.^{[needs update]}

Hardware

Apple works with other companies to build the parts for the iPhone but keeps tight control over how everything is put together. The iPhone has many of the same parts as other modern smartphones, plus some special ones like 3D Touch and the Taptic Engine. The most important part is the touchscreen, which is now at least 4.7 inches big in newer models. Every iPhone has a camera on the back, and since the iPhone 4, there has also been a camera on the front. The iPhone 7 Plus was the first to have more than one lens on the back camera. The iPhone also has many sensors, including a proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscopic sensor, magnetometer, facial recognition sensor, fingerprint sensor, and barometer, depending on the model. Starting in 2022 with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, Apple added the ability to talk to satellites from the iPhone.

Software

Operating system

Main articles: iOS and iOS version history

The iPhone uses a special operating system called iOS. This system helps the phone run smoothly and supports many features. Apple updates iOS regularly, often when new iPhone models come out. The latest version is iOS 26.

App Store and third-party apps

See also: iOS SDK and App Store

When the iPhone was first made, Apple said people could add special kinds of programs called web apps. Later, they made a place called the App Store where anyone could download extra programs made by other companies. These programs need to be approved by Apple before they can be used. Some programs are free, while others you have to pay for. Apple takes a small part of the money from paid programs.

Jailbreaking

Main article: iOS jailbreaking

Sometimes people try to change their iPhone so they can use programs that are not in the App Store. This is called jailbreaking. While it can let you do more things, it can also make the phone less safe. Apple does not support jailbreaking, and it can be harder to do on newer iPhones.

Accessibility

The iPhone has many helpful features for people who need extra support. For example, it can talk out loud or use special sounds to help people who cannot see well. It also has ways to help people who have trouble moving their hands, like using a special onscreen button to navigate. There are even tools to help people who have trouble hearing, like showing words for sounds and helping with conversations in noisy places. These features make the iPhone easier to use for everyone.

Marketing

The first iPhone was talked about a lot before it even came out, which made many people excited. When it was released, Apple showed it on TV, the web, and in magazines, working with a company called TBWA\Chiat\Day.

Because Apple focuses on high-quality products, the iPhone became a symbol of style and success. The way Apple’s products work together, known as the Apple ecosystem, helps keep people loyal to the brand. For example, in the messaging app iMessage, texts from Android phones show up as green bubbles instead of blue, which some people noticed when chatting with friends using different phones. This difference was noticed by many teens and was talked about a lot.

Retail

SIM unlocking

Many iPhones bought with a monthly plan from a carrier are SIM locked, meaning they can only work with one specific carrier. At first, iPhones in the U.S. were only sold in the U.S. only on the AT&T network with a SIM lock, but some people found ways around it. Today, many carriers either remove the SIM lock after a while or do it when asked, sometimes for a small fee. iPhones bought directly from Apple are not SIM locked and can be used with any carrier.

Retail strategy

Since 2013, people can get a discount when trading in an old iPhone to buy a new one from Apple. This helps more people buy iPhones from Apple Stores instead of carrier stores. In 2015, Apple started the iPhone Upgrade Program, a 24-month plan, which changed how iPhone users relate to mobile carriers.

Repairability

Only Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers are allowed to replace iPhone parts with official pieces. Even though many parts are fixed together, iPhones still get good repair scores because of the right to repair movement, which supports giving users cheaper repair options. Starting with the iPhone XR, Apple shows warnings if certain parts like the battery are replaced by someone else. In 2022, Apple began letting anyone buy parts and rent tools to fix their iPhone themselves, which some repair experts liked, though Apple still controls the parts.

Privacy

Apple introduced a feature in 2021 called App Tracking Transparency. This feature makes apps ask for permission before tracking what you do in other apps and websites. If you say no, the app can't use a special code that helps show you ads based on what you do online.

In 2010, there was some concern about Apple collecting information about where iPhone users were. Apple said this information helped make location services faster and more accurate. Later, Apple made changes to protect this information better.

In 2021, Apple talked about plans to check photos for certain images to help keep children safe. Many groups were worried this would affect privacy. Apple decided not to use this photo-checking feature, but they did add another tool to help protect children in messages.

Security

Apple’s iOS operating system is considered very safe against common threats by most experts. It is less often targeted by harmful software than other phone systems.

Before 2014, iPhones kept important personal information, like messages and photos, without protection. Starting with iOS 8, Apple changed this by adding strong protection so that even the company cannot access users’ data without their permission.

In 2015 and 2016, there was a public discussion between Apple and government authorities about protecting user privacy. Apple stood firm in supporting encryption to keep all users safe. Apple later added extra safety features to help protect against certain types of attacks.

Some security tools have been used to try to get information from phones without users’ knowledge. Apple works to fix these issues quickly and has added special settings to help protect users even more.

Reception and legacy

The original iPhone was seen as a big change in how phones work. People called it "revolutionary" and "the best phone ever made." It became Apple's most popular product and helped make the company very successful. New iPhones keep getting praised and winning awards.

Before the iPhone, smartphones were mostly just for calls, messages, and emails. They were hard to use and develop for. But the iPhone made things easier with its wide range of features and apps. This helped turn smartphones into powerful tools that many people love. People have been very excited about each new iPhone, often lining up to buy them on the first day they are available.

The iPhone's success changed the phone world. Companies like Nokia, BlackBerry, and Motorola lost their place as leaders. Today, most smartphones run on either iPhone's system or Android. Apple and Samsung are now the top phone companies, with Apple taking a big share of the money made from smartphones.

Apple sold its billionth iPhone in 2016, and by 2024, over 2.3 billion iPhones had been sold. The iPhone is especially popular in the U.S., where half of all phones are iPhones. It is also a favorite among teenagers and business users.