Hello everybody and welcome back to another edition of Global History Hub! I'll be your host, Mr. Nations, your tour guide to this massive world we all call home! On today's installment of Innovative Tuesday, we'll be taking a look at the invention of the smartphone, one of the most innovative mobile pieces of technology in history. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's dive straight into it!
1992 was an eventful year. The Olympics took place in Barcelona, Bill Clinton was just elected as President, and the Cold War was finally over. But that same year, IBM unveiled the very first smartphone. Two years later, the device finally hit the shelves for a price of $1,100 each. After six months, it had only sold 50,000 units. Personal cellphones had existed since the 1970s, but the invention of the smartphone re-ignited America's passion for electronics.
The IBM Simon was the first smartphone, equipped with a touchscreen and a few basic programs, such as a calendar, address book, and an appointment scheduler. Many of these features would be included in many modern smartphones. It wouldn't be until the year 2001 that smartphones would link to the internet. Unfortunately, smartphones weren't cheap, having decreased to around the $300-$700 range. The cost of data was too much, so smartphones were not a mainstream device.
Apple entered the market in the year 2007, revealing the iPhone to an awed crowd. The specs for the time were incredible, with a massive eight hours of talk time. It was set to rival the Blackberry, another rival smartphone.
Smartphones have progressed to almost unimaginable strengths and powers. The power of your modern smartphone would be a pipe dream back in 1992. It really goes to show the progression of the human race.
Fun Facts:
- iPhone turned 13 this year, 2020.
- About 3/4 of Americans own a smartphone.
- 28% of smartphone owners say they don't use any form of security on their phones.
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