12/05/2022
The history of the iPhone
Last week marked exactly 15 years since the very first iPhone was sold. Since that one day in 2007, iPhones have been flying off the shelves, and many different versions have been released. You may not be able to imagine an iPhone without GPS now, but the first iPhone owners really had to do without it.
This iPhone SE certainly won't be the last. In September, the iPhone 14 will be released, which will undoubtedly be more powerful and faster than its predecessors. Each year, we can look forward to an even more advanced gadget, as the iPhone is now a device for much more than just calling, browsing, and listening to music.
iPhone 2G – 2007
In 2007, the world was turned upside down with the announcement of the very first iPhone. The iPhone was highly innovative, as you could make calls, browse the internet, and listen to music all on one device for the first time. The phone quickly proved to be a resounding success. Although the iPhone was not officially available in the Netherlands, many devices were imported from the United States.iPhone 3G – 2008
A year later, the iPhone 3G was released, now officially in the Netherlands. As the name suggests, with this device, you could browse the internet even faster thanks to 3G. Also, for the first time, an integrated GPS was added to the iPhone.iPhone 3GS – 2009
In terms of appearance, the iPhone 3GS looks very similar to its predecessor, with hardly any differences. However, this device is faster than the 2008 phone, as the "S" stands for speed. The camera also got an upgrade: it's now possible to record video with the iPhone, and the megapixel count has increased from 2 to 3.2.iPhone 4 – 2010
The iPhone 4 introduced an entirely new design. The device is thinner and made of glass instead of plastic. It is also the first iPhone with a Retina LCD display. In addition, the iPhone 4 features a 5-megapixel rear camera and, for the first time, a front camera. The era of selfies had truly begun.iPhone 4S – 2011
The iPhone 4S didn’t get a new design but continued with that of the iPhone 4. The improvements mostly took place inside. The rear camera gained 3 extra megapixels and could now also record in Full HD. Additionally, the DualCore processor made the phone much faster. However, the biggest change was the addition of Siri. This wasn’t the first voice control system, but it was the only assistant that understands what you're saying and gets better as you use it more.iPhone 5 – 2012
The first thing you notice about the iPhone 5 is the larger screen. Not in width, but in length, allowing for an extra row of apps. The back was also made of aluminum instead of glass, making the phone more resistant to damage from falls. The iPhone 5 was also the first iPhone with the Lightning connector, replacing the large 30-pin charger.iPhone 5S – 2013
The iPhone 5S is an important model in this series. Once again, there was no change in appearance, but the technology made major strides. The iPhone 5S introduced the fingerprint scanner, making it the first iPhone you could unlock with Touch ID. This model also introduced a Motion Co-processor, which accurately measures your position and speed, making it easier for athletes to track their workouts without needing extra gadgets.iPhone 5C – 2013
The first budget iPhone was introduced in 2013. The iPhone 5C is the little brother of the 5S: it has a slower processor with an older chip, lacks the Motion Co-processor, has a less advanced camera, and does not have a fingerprint scanner in the home button. Additionally, the casing was made of plastic instead of aluminum, offering a varied color palette for the 5C.iPhone 6 – 2014
The iPhone 6 got an entirely new design. The edges of the phone are rounded, and the device became thinner and larger. This was also the first iPhone where you could choose a Plus version, which is larger than the standard iPhone 6, but otherwise identical inside.iPhone 6s – 2015
A year later, the iPhone 6s appeared, an improved version of the iPhone 6. It featured a newer, stronger chip, and both cameras were of better quality. For the first time, 4K video recording was possible. Pressure sensitivity was also added to the screen, allowing for the use of 3D-Touch.iPhone SE – 2016
The iPhone SE was Apple’s second budget phone. In this case, it used an older design— that of the iPhone 5S— but with the internal specs of an iPhone 6s. It was just as powerful and versatile but much smaller and therefore more accessible.iPhone 7 – 2016
The iPhone 7 builds on the iPhone 6s. The design remains largely unchanged, but the headphone jack was removed, requiring earbuds with a Lightning connector. The iPhone 7 was also the first in its series to be water-resistant. The iPhone 7 also has a bigger sibling: the iPhone 7 Plus, which features an additional rear camera, enabling portrait photos and zooming without quality loss.iPhone 8 – 2017
The iPhone 8 can, for the first time in iPhone history, be charged wirelessly, thanks to the glass back. Additionally, the iPhone 8 is much faster than its predecessors, with a larger performance leap than ever before, due to the HexaCore processor, which balances light and heavy tasks better.iPhone X – 2017
In 2017, the iPhone turned 10 years old. To commemorate this, a new model was introduced not long after the iPhone 8: the iPhone X, where X represents the Roman numeral for 10. The iPhone X had an entirely new design, without a home button, and a notch where the camera and speaker are housed. This made the screen much larger without significantly increasing the phone's size. With the home button gone, Face ID was introduced. Additionally, a dual rear camera became the standard.iPhone XS – 2018
A year later, the iPhone XS was released. This is an improved version of the iPhone X. On the outside, the phones look identical, but much has changed on the inside. The iPhone XS is faster and more powerful than its predecessor. This was also the first iPhone to be officially waterproof. The iPhone XS also came in a Max version, which is slightly larger in size but otherwise identical internally.iPhone XR – 2018
The iPhone X also had a budget version: the iPhone XR. The phone has slightly lower specs than the XS, with only one camera. The iPhone XR is available in a variety of vibrant colors.iPhone 11 – 2019
Next came the iPhone 11. Improvements were mainly focused on the camera, with the addition of Night Mode, for example. The iPhone 11 is essentially a budget model and comes in different versions: the standard iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The Pro models are more powerful and have three cameras instead of two, while the Pro Max, as the name suggests, is larger in size.iPhone SE – 2020
For fans of the home button, the new iPhone SE was introduced in 2020. Once again, new technologies were placed inside an old design. The iPhone SE 2020 has the appearance of the iPhone 8 but features the same processor as the iPhone 11.iPhone 12 – 2020
The iPhone 12, like the 11, comes in a standard version, a 12 Pro, and a 12 Pro Max. However, an iPhone 12 mini was also added. This model is about the same size as the iPhone SE 2020, making it comfortable to hold (even for small hands), but it has a larger screen. The iPhone 12 also brought several innovations, including MagSafe, which makes the iPhone magnetic and allows it to connect to accessories and wireless chargers. The design was also updated with straight edges, as seen on the iPhone 4 and 5. The screen is made from stronger material, and the phone supports 5G.iPhone 13 – 2021
The iPhone 13 looks very similar to the iPhone 12 in terms of appearance. The most noticeable difference, however, is the positioning of the cameras. Previously, they were aligned vertically, but they are now arranged diagonally. This is due to the new, improved lenses used, which capture significantly more light and feature sensor-shift optical image stabilization. The iPhone 13 Pro can even take macro photos. The notch is slightly smaller, and as usual, the processor is a little faster. Another important difference is the battery life, with the iPhone 13 lasting up to two hours longer.iPhone SE – 2022
It was time for a new iPhone SE. Since there are still many fans of the home button with Touch ID, Apple chose to retain the same design. There are no external differences between the SE from 2020 and 2022. Internally, however, the iPhone SE 2022 features the same chip as the iPhone 13.This iPhone SE certainly won't be the last. In September, the iPhone 14 will be released, which will undoubtedly be more powerful and faster than its predecessors. Each year, we can look forward to an even more advanced gadget, as the iPhone is now a device for much more than just calling, browsing, and listening to music.