When it comes to new phone releases, buyers want the fastest processors, biggest batteries and most capable cameras. But the latest models can cost a premium, so it’s worth doing your research before making a purchase. This guide will help you decide whether a new release is right for you.
The first mobile phone to use a touchscreen was the IBM Simon Personal Communicator, released in 1994. This model could send and receive email, faxes and pages and even had a calendar, address book, calculator and appointment scheduler. This is often considered the world’s first smartphone.
It’s a bit hard to imagine now, but the early cellular networks were a lot slower and patchier than today. 1G offered download speeds of just 2.4kbps, while call clarity was poor and eavesdropping easy. The Motorola DynaTAC 8000x was one of the first phones to use a ‘flip’ design and sell well.
By the mid-90s, digital cellular networks had reached their full potential and it was possible to access the internet via a phone. It was a game changer, opening up online gaming, streaming and social media to millions of users. Apple’s iPhone launched in 2007 and set the bar high for all other smartphones. The original iPhone had a touch screen, GPS and iPod integration that pushed the market to what we have now. The introduction of Siri and App Store further cemented the power of smartphones as a mobile device.
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