iPhone (/ˈaɪfoʊn/ EYE-fone) is a line of smartphones designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPhone line of products use Apple's iOS mobile operating system software. The first-generation iPhone was released on June 29, 2007, and multiple new hardware iterations with new iOS releases have been released since.
iPhone
IPhone Logo 2016.svg
IPhone X vector.svg
The front face of iPhone X
Developer
Apple Inc.
Manufacturer
Foxconn, Pegatron
(contract manufacturers)
Type
Smartphone
Release date
June 29, 2007
1st gen: June 29, 2007
3G: July 11, 2008
3GS: June 19, 2009
4: June 24, 2010
4S: October 14, 2011
5: September 21, 2012
5C, 5S: September 20, 2013
6 / 6 Plus: September 19, 2014
6S / 6S Plus: September 25, 2015
SE: March 31, 2016
7 / 7 Plus: September 16, 2016
8 / 8 Plus: September 22, 2017
X: November 3, 2017
Units sold
1.2 billion+[1]
Operating system
iOS
System-on-chip used
Chips used
1st gen and 3G: S5L8900
3GS: S5PC100
4: Apple A4
4S: Apple A5
5 / 5C: Apple A6
5S: Apple A7
6 / 6 Plus: Apple A8
6S / 6S Plus and SE: Apple A9
7 / 7 Plus: Apple A10 Fusion
8 / 8 Plus / X: Apple A11 Bionic
CPU
CPU
1st gen and 3G: Samsung 32-bit RISC ARM 1176JZ(F)-S v1.0[2]
3GS: 600 MHz ARM Cortex-A8[3]
4: 800 MHz ARM Cortex-A8[4]
4S: 800 MHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9[5]
5 / 5C: 1.3 GHz dual-core Apple A6
5S: 1.3 GHz 64-bit dual-core Apple A7
6 / 6 Plus: 1.4 GHz 64-bit dual-core Apple A8
6S / 6S Plus and SE: 1.85 GHz 64-bit dual-core Apple A9
7 / 7 Plus: 2.34 GHz 64-bit quad-core Apple A10 Fusion (2× Hurricane + 2× Zephyr)[6]
8 / 8 Plus / X: GHz 64-bit hexa-core Apple A11 Bionic (2× Monsoon + 4× Mistral)
Memory
Memory
1st gen and 3G: 128 MB LPDDR RAM (137 MHz)
3GS: 256 MB LPDDR RAM (200 MHz)
4: 512 MB LPDDR2 RAM (200 MHz)
4S: 512 MB LPDDR2 RAM
5 / 5C: 1 GB LPDDR2 RAM
5S and 6 / 6 Plus: 1 GB LPDDR3 RAM
6S / 6S Plus, SE and 7: 2 GB LPDDR4 RAM
8: 2 GB LPDDR4X RAM
7 Plus: 3 GB LPDDR4 RAM
8 Plus and X: 3 GB LPDDR4X RAM
Storage
4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, or 256 GB flash memory[7]
Display
Display
1st gen and 3G:
3.5 in (89 mm)
3:2 aspect ratio, scratch-resistant[8] glossy glass covered screen, 262,144-color (18-bit) TN LCD, 480 × 320 px (HVGA) at 163 ppi, 200:1 contrast ratio
3GS:
In addition to prior, features a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating,[9] and 262,144-color (18-bit) TN LCD with hardware spatial dithering[10]
4 and 4S:
3.5 in (89 mm); 3:2 aspect ratio, aluminosilicate glass covered 16,777,216-color (24-bit) IPS LCD screen, 960 × 640 px at 326 ppi, 800:1 contrast ratio, 500 cd⁄m² max brightness
5 / 5C / 5S / SE:
4.0 in (100 mm); 16:9 aspect ratio; 1136 × 640 px screen resolution at 326 ppi
6 / 6S / 7 / 8:
4.7 in (120 mm); 16:9 aspect ratio; 1334 × 750 px screen resolution at 326 ppi
6 Plus / 6S Plus / 7 Plus / 8 Plus:
5.5 in (140 mm); 16:9 aspect ratio; 1920 × 1080 px screen resolution at 401 ppi
X:
5.8 in (150 mm); ~19.5:9 aspect ratio; 2436 × 1125 pix screen resolution at 458 ppi
Graphics
Graphics
1st gen and 3G:
PowerVR MBX Lite 3D GPU[11] (103 MHz)
3GS: PowerVR SGX535 GPU
(150 MHz)[12][13]
4: PowerVR SGX535 GPU (200 MHz)[12][13]
4S: PowerVR SGX543MP2 (2-core) GPU
5 / 5C: PowerVR SGX543MP3 (3-core) GPU
5S: PowerVR G6430 (4-core) GPU
6 / 6 Plus: PowerVR GX6450 (4-core) GPU
6S / 6S Plus and SE: PowerVR GT7600 (6-core) GPU[14]
7 / 7 Plus: PowerVR Series 7XT Plus (6-core) GPU[6]
8 / 8 Plus / X: Apple-designed (3-core) GPU
Sound
Bluetooth stereo speaker (iPhone 7 and up) microphone 3.5 mm stereo audio jack (not available on iPhone 7 and up) Lightning port (requires iOS 10 or later)
Connectivity
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
1st gen, 3G, and 3GS:
Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)
4 and 4S:
Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n)
5, 5C, and 5S:
Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n)
6 / 6 Plus, 6S / 6S Plus, SE, 7 / 7 Plus, and 8 / 8 Plus / X:
Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)
1st gen, 3G, 3GS, and 4:
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
4S, 5, 5C, 5S, and 6 / 6 Plus:
Bluetooth 4.0
6S / 6S Plus, SE and 7 / 7 Plus:
Bluetooth 4.2
8 / 8 Plus / X:
Bluetooth 5.0
GSM models also include:
LTE 700, 2100 MHz UMTS / HSDPA/HSPA+ / DC-HSDPA 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz GSM / EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
CDMA model also includes:
LTE 700 MHz CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A 800, 1900 MHz UMTS / HSDPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz GSM / EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
Power
Built-in rechargeable
lithium-ion battery
1st gen: 3.7 V 5.18 W·h (1400 mA·h)
3G: 3.7 V 4.12 W·h (1150 mA·h)
3GS 3.7 V 4.51 W·h (1219 mA·h)
4: 3.7 V 5.25 W·h (1420 mA·h)
4S: 3.7 V 5.3 W·h (1432 mA·h)
5: 3.8 V 5.45 W·h (1440 mA·h)
5C: 3.8 V 5.73 W·h (1510 mA·h)
5S: 3.8 V 5.92 W·h (1560 mA·h)
6: 3.82 V 6.91 W·h (1810 mA·h)
6 Plus: 3.82 V 11.1 W·h (2915 mA·h)
6S: 3.82 V 6.55 W·h (1715 mA·h)
6S Plus: 3.8 V 10.45 W·h (2750 mA·h)
SE: 3.82 V 6.21 W·h (1624 mA·h)
7: 3.8 V 7.45 W·h (1960 mA·h)
7 Plus: 3.82 V 11.10 W·h (2900 mA·h)
8: 3.82 V 6.96 W·h (1821 mA·h)
8 Plus: 3.82 V 10.28 W·h (2691 mA·h)
X: 3.81 V 10.35 W·h (2716 mA·h)
Online services
iTunes Store App Store iCloud iBooks Podcast Apple Music Passbook
Dimensions
Dimensions
1st gen:
115 mm (4.5 in) H
61 mm (2.4 in) W
11.6 mm (0.46 in) D
3G & 3GS:
115.5 mm (4.55 in) H
62.1 mm (2.44 in) W
12.3 mm (0.48 in) D
4 & 4S:
115.2 mm (4.54 in) H
58.6 mm (2.31 in) W
9.3 mm (0.37 in) D
5, 5S & SE:
123.8 mm (4.87 in) H
58.6 mm (2.31 in) W
7.6 mm (0.30 in) D
5C:
124.4 mm (4.90 in) H
59.2 mm (2.33 in) W
8.97 mm (0.353 in) D
6:
138.1 mm (5.44 in) H
67 mm (2.6 in) W
6.9 mm (0.27 in) D
6 Plus:
158.1 mm (6.22 in) H
77.8 mm (3.06 in) W
7.1 mm (0.28 in) D
6S & 7:
138.3 mm (5.44 in) H
67.1 mm (2.64 in) W
7.1 mm (0.28 in) D
6S Plus & 7 Plus:
158.2 mm (6.23 in) H
77.9 mm (3.07 in) W
7.3 mm (0.29 in) D
8:
138.4 mm (5.45 in) H
67.3 mm (2.65 in) W
7.3 mm (0.29 in) D
8 Plus:
158.4 mm (6.24 in) H
78.1 mm (3.07 in) W
7.5 mm (0.30 in) D
X:
143.6 mm (5.65 in) H
70.9 mm (2.79 in) W
7.7 mm (0.30 in) D
Weight
Weight
1st gen and 3GS:
135 g (4.8 oz)
3G: 133 g (4.7 oz)
4: 137 g (4.8 oz)
4S: 140 g (4.9 oz)
5 and 5S:
112 g (4.0 oz)
5C: 132 g (4.7 oz)
6: 129 g (4.6 oz)
6 Plus: 172 g (6.1 oz)
6S: 143 g (5.0 oz)
6S Plus: 192 g (6.8 oz)
SE: 113 g (4.0 oz)
7: 138 g (4.9 oz)
7 Plus: 188 g (6.6 oz)
8: 148 g (5.2 oz)
8 Plus: 202 g (7.1 oz)
X: 174 g (6.1 oz)
Related articles
iPad iPod Touch Comparison
Website
apple.com/iphone/
The user interface is built around the device's multi-touch screen, including a virtual keyboard. The iPhone has Wi-Fi and can connect to cellular networks. An iPhone can shoot video (though this was not a standard feature until the iPhone 3GS), take photos, play music, send and receive email, browse the web, send and receive text messages, follow GPS navigation, record notes, perform mathematical calculations, and receive visual voicemail. Other functionality, such as video games, reference works, and social networking, can be enabled by downloading mobile apps. As of January 2017, Apple's App Store contained more than 2.2 million applications available for the iPhone.
Apple has released eleven generations of iPhone models, each accompanied by one of the eleven major releases of the iOS operating system. The original first-generation iPhone was a GSM phone and established design precedents, such as a button placement that has persisted throughout all releases and a screen size maintained for the next four iterations. The iPhone 3G added 3G network support, and was followed by the 3GS with improved hardware, the 4 with a metal chassis, higher display resolution and front-facing camera, and the 4S with improved hardware and the voice assistant Siri. The iPhone 5 featured a taller, 4-inch display and Apple's newly introduced Lightning connector. In 2013, Apple released the 5S with improved hardware and a fingerprint reader, and the lower-cost 5C, a version of the 5 with colored plastic casings instead of metal. They were followed by the larger iPhone 6, with models featuring 4.7-and-5.5-inch (120 and 140 mm) displays. The iPhone 6S was introduced the following year, which featured hardware upgrades and support for pressure-sensitive touch inputs, as well as the SE—which featured hardware from the 6S but the smaller form factor of the 5S. In 2016, Apple unveiled the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which add water resistance, improved system and graphics performance, a new rear dual-camera setup on the Plus model, and new color options, while removing the 3.5 mm headphone jack found on previous models. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were released in 2017, adding a glass back and an improved screen and camera. The iPhone X was released alongside the 8 and 8 Plus, with its highlights being a near bezel-less design, an improved camera and a new facial recognition system, named Face ID, but having no home button, and therefore, no Touch ID.
The original iPhone was described as "revolutionary" and a "game-changer" for the mobile phone industry. Newer iterations have also garnered praise, and the iPhone's success has been credited with helping to make Apple one of the world's most valuable publicly traded companies.
History and availability
Main article: History of iPhone
See also: List of iOS devices
Operating system support
iPhone Released with Release date Final supported OS Support ended Support lifespan Launch price
iPhone iPhone OS 1.0 June 29, 2007 iPhone OS 3.1.3 June 20, 2010 2 years, 11 months $499/$599*
iPhone 3G iPhone OS 2.0 July 11, 2008 iOS 4.2.1 March 3, 2011 2 years, 7 months $199/$299*
iPhone 3GS iPhone OS 3.0 June 19, 2009 iOS 6.1.6 September 18, 2013 4 years, 2 months $199/$299*
iPhone 4 iOS 4.0 June 21, 2010 iOS 7.1.2 September 17, 2014 4 years, 2 months $199/$299*
iPhone 4S iOS 5.0 October 14, 2011 iOS 9.3.5 September 12, 2016 4 years, 10 months $199/$299/$399*
iPhone 5 iOS 6.0 September 21, 2012 iOS 10.3.3 September 18, 2017 4 years, 11 months $199/$299/$399*
iPhone 5C iOS 7.0 September 20, 2013 iOS 10.3.3 September 18, 2017 3 years, 11 months $99/$199*
iPhone 5S iOS 7.0 September 20, 2013 latest iOS (current) > 4 years, 10 months $199/$299/$399*
iPhone 6 (Plus) iOS 8.0 September 19, 2014 latest iOS (current) > 3 years, 10 months $649/$749/$849 ($749/$849/$949)
iPhone 6S (Plus) iOS 9.0 September 25, 2015 latest iOS (current) > 2 years, 10 months $649/$749/$849 ($749/$849/$949)
iPhone SE iOS 9.3 March 31, 2016 latest iOS (current) > 2 years, 4 months $399/$499
iPhone 7 (Plus) iOS 10.0 September 16, 2016 latest iOS (current) > 1 year, 11 months $649/$749/$849 ($769/$869/$969)
iPhone 8 (Plus) iOS 11.0 September 22, 2017 latest iOS (current) > 10 months $699/$849 ($799/$949)
iPhone X iOS 11.0.1 November 3, 2017 latest iOS (current) > 9 months $999/$1149
Legend: Discontinued and unsupported Discontinued, but still supported Current or still sold *24-month contract required
Development of what was to become the iPhone began in 2004, when Apple started to gather a team of 1,000 employees (including Jonathan Ive, the designer behind the iMac and iPod)[15] to work on the highly confidential "Project Purple."[16] Apple CEO Steve Jobs steered the original focus away from a tablet (which Apple eventually revisited in the form of the iPad) towards a phone.[17] Apple created the device during a secretive collaboration with Cingular Wireless (which became AT&T Mobility) at the time—at an estimated development cost of US$150 million over thirty months.[18]
According to Steve Jobs, the "i" word in "iMac" (and therefore "iPod", "iPhone" and "iPad") stands for internet, individual, instruct, inform, and inspire.[19][20]
Apple rejected the "design by committee" approach that had yielded the Motorola ROKR E1, a largely unsuccessful 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.[21][22]
Cingular gave Apple the liberty to develop the iPhone's hardware and software in-house[23][24] and even paid Apple a fraction of its monthly service revenue (until the iPhone 3G),[25] in exchange for four years of exclusive US sales, until 2011.[26]
Jobs unveiled the iPhone to the public on January 9, 2007, at the Macworld 2007 convention at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.[27] The two initial models, a 4 GB model priced at US$499 and an 8 GB model at US$599 (both requiring a two-year contract), went on sale in the United States on June 29, 2007, at 6:00 pm local time, while hundreds of customers lined up outside the stores nationwide.[28] The passionate reaction to the launch of the iPhone resulted in sections of the media dubbing it the 'Jesus phone'.[29][30] Following this successful release in the US, the first generation iPhone was made available in the UK, France, and Germany in November 2007, and Ireland and Austria in the spring of 2008.
Worldwide iPhone availability:
iPhone available since its original release
iPhone available since the release of iPhone 3G
Coming soon
On July 11, 2008, Apple released the iPhone 3G in twenty-two countries, including the original six.[31] Apple released the iPhone 3G in upwards of eighty countries and territories.[32] Apple announced the iPhone 3GS on June 8, 2009, along with plans to release it later in June, July, and August, starting with the US, Canada and major European countries on June 19. Many would-be users objected to the iPhone's cost,[33] and 40% of users had household incomes over US$100,000.[34]
The back of the original first generation iPhone was made of aluminum with a black plastic accent. The iPhone 3G and 3GS feature a full plastic back to increase the strength of the GSM signal.[35] The iPhone 3G was available in an 8 GB black model, or a black or white option for the 16 GB model. The iPhone 3GS was available in both colors, regardless of storage capacity.
The iPhone 4 has an aluminosilicate glass front and back with a stainless steel edge that serves as the antennas. It was at first available in black; the white version was announced, but not released until April 2011, 10 months later.
Users of the iPhone 4 reported dropped/disconnected telephone calls when holding their phones in a certain way. This became known as antennagate.[36]
On January 11, 2011, Verizon announced during a media event that it had reached an agreement with Apple and would begin selling a CDMA iPhone 4. Verizon said it would be available for pre-order on February 3, with a release set for February 10.[37][38] In February 2011, the Verizon iPhone accounted for 4.5% of all iPhone ad impressions in the US on Millennial Media's mobile ad network.[39]
From 2007 to 2011, Apple spent $647 million on advertising for the iPhone in the US.[16]
On Tuesday, September 27, Apple sent invitations for a press event to be held October 4, 2011, at 10:00 am at the Cupertino headquarters to announce details of the next generation iPhone, which turned out to be iPhone 4S. Over 1 million 4S models were sold in the first 24 hours after its release in October 2011.[40] Due to large volumes of the iPhone being manufactured and its high selling price, Apple became the largest mobile handset vendor in the world by revenue, in 2011, surpassing long-time leader Nokia.[41] American carrier C Spire Wireless announced that it would be carrying the iPhone 4S on October 19, 2011.[42]
In January 2012, Apple reported its best quarterly earnings ever, with 53% of its revenue coming from the sale of 37 million iPhones, at an average selling price of nearly $660. The average selling price has remained fairly constant for most of the phone's lifespan, hovering between $622 and $660.[43] The production price of the iPhone 4S was estimated by IHS iSuppli, in October 2011, to be $188, $207 and $245, for the 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB models, respectively.[44] Labor costs are estimated at between $12.50 and $30 per unit, with workers on the iPhone assembly line making $1.78 an hour.[45]
In February 2012, ComScore reported that 12.4% of US mobile subscribers used an iPhone.[46] Approximately 6.4 million iPhones are active in the US alone.[34]
On September 12, 2012, Apple announced the iPhone 5. It has a 4-inch display, up from its predecessors' 3.5-inch screen. The device comes with the same 326 pixels per inch found in the iPhone 4 and 4S. The iPhone 5 has the SoC A6 processor, the chip is 22% smaller than the iPhone 4S' A5 and is twice as fast, doubling the graphics performance of its predecessor. The device is 18% thinner than the iPhone 4S, measuring 7.6 millimetres (0.3 in), and is 20% lighter at 112 grams (4 oz).
On July 6, 2013, it was reported that Apple was in talks with Korean mobile carrier SK Telecom to release the next generation iPhone with LTE Advanced technology.[47]
On July 22, 2013, the company's suppliers said that Apple is testing out larger screens for the iPhone and iPad. "Apple has asked for prototype smartphone screens larger than four inches and has also asked for screen designs for a new tablet device measuring slightly less than 13 inches diagonally, they said."[48]
On September 10, 2013, Apple unveiled two new iPhone models during a highly anticipated press event in Cupertino. The iPhone 5C, a mid-range-priced version of the handset that is designed to increase accessibility due to its price is available in five colors (green, blue, yellow, pink, and white) and is made of plastic. The iPhone 5S comes in three colors (black, white, and gold) and the home button is replaced with a fingerprint scanner (Touch ID). Both phones shipped on September 20, 2013.[49]
On September 9, 2014, Apple revealed the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus at an event in Cupertino. Both devices had a larger screen than their predecessor, at 4.7 and 5.5 inches respectively.[50]
In 2016, Apple unveiled the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which add water and dust resistance, improved system and graphics performance, a new dual-camera setup on the Plus model, new color options, and remove the 3.5 mm headphone jack.[51]
On September 12, 2017, Apple officially unveiled the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, which features a new glass design, camera improvements, a True Tone display, wireless charging and improved system performance. It also unveiled the iPhone X, which features a near-bezelless design, face recognition dubbed "Face ID" with facial tracking used for Animojis, an OLED screen with the highest pixel density on an iPhone, a new telephoto lens which works better in low light conditions, and improved cameras for AR.[52]
Sales and profits
Apple sold 6.1 million first generation iPhone units over five quarters.[53] Sales in the fourth quarter of 2008 temporarily surpassed those of Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry sales of 5.2 million units, which briefly made Apple the third largest mobile phone manufacturer by revenue, after Nokia and Samsung[54] (however, some of this income is deferred[55]). Recorded sales grew steadily thereafter, and by the end of fiscal year 2010, a total of 73.5 million iPhones had been sold.[56]
By 2010, the iPhone had a market share of barely 4% of all cellphones; however, Apple pulled in more than 50% of the total profit that global cellphone sales generated.[57] Apple sold 14.1 million iPhones in the third quarter of 2010, representing a 91% unit growth over the year-ago quarter, which was well ahead of IDC's latest published estimate of 64% growth for the global smartphone market in the September quarter. Apple's sales surpassed that of Research in Motion's 12.1 million BlackBerry units sold in their most recent quarter ended August 2010.[58] In the United States market alone for the third quarter of 2010, while there were 9.1 million Android-powered smartphones shipped for 43.6% of the market, Apple iOS was the number two phone operating system with 26.2% but the 5.5 million iPhones sold made it the most popular single device.[59]
On March 2, 2011, at the iPad 2 launch event, Apple announced that they had sold 100 million iPhones worldwide.[60] As a result of the success of the iPhone sales volume and high selling price, headlined by the iPhone 4S, Apple became the largest mobile handset vendor in the world by revenue in 2011, surpassing long-time leader Nokia.[41] While the Samsung Galaxy S II proved more popular than the iPhone 4S in parts of Europe, the iPhone 4S was dominant in the United States.[61]
In January 2012, Apple reported its best quarterly earnings ever, with 53% of its revenue coming from the sale of 37 million iPhones, at an average selling price of nearly $660. The average selling price has remained fairly constant for most of the phone's lifespan, hovering between $622 and $660.[43]
For the eight largest phone manufacturers in Q1 2012, according to Horace Dediu at Asymco, Apple and Samsung combined to take 99% of industry profits (HTC took the remaining 1%, while RIM, LG, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, and Nokia all suffered losses), with Apple earning 73 cents out of every dollar earned by the phone makers. As the industry profits grew from $5.3 billion in the first quarter of 2010 to $14.4 billion in the first quarter of 2012 (quadruple the profits in 2007),[62][63] Apple had managed to increase its share of these profits. This is due to increasing carrier subsidies and the high selling prices of the iPhone, which had a negative effect on the wireless carriers (AT&T Mobility, Verizon, and Sprint) who have seen their E
BITDA service margins drop as they sold an increasing number of iPhones.[64][65][66] By the quarter ended March 31, 2012, Apple's sales from the iPhone alone (at $22.7 billion) exceeded the total of Microsoft from all of its businesses ($17.4 billion).[67]