In early 2007 Steve Jobs announced the very first iPhone. Designed to “reinvent the phone,” Apple’s iPhone has revolutionized smartphones and shaped the industry into what it is today. The first iPhone mixed a capacitive 3.5-inch multi-touch display with touch-optimized software in a simple package that was unlike anything else on the market. Over the last seven years, Apple has refined and tweaked its iPhone into what it is today: the iPhone 6.
Apple has used combinations of metal, plastic, and glass to shape and form its ideas of what a modern smartphone should look like throughout the history of the iPhone. Major redesigns with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 saw Apple push the boundaries of smartphone hardware, all while competitors were catching up. Now that the smartphone industry is moving to larger screens, Apple has been forced to respond with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Read on to see exactly how Apple evolved its iPhone hardware over the years, in our history of iPhone.
Where it all began
IPHONE 2G
Apple’s first iPhone debuted in 2007 with the trademark home button, a metal rear casing, and just a 3.5-inch display. Its capacitive touchscreen laid the foundations for modern smartphones.
IPHONE 3G
Apple’s second iPhone was a big departure from the original. The iPhone 3G dropped in price thanks to a new plastic rear, but also gained 3G connectivity, GPS, third-party apps, and a white model to choose from. A rounded rear completed the look, and button placements remained the same.
IPHONE 3GS
Apple’s third iPhone is practically identical to its second. The iPhone 3GS has the same plastic rear, but Apple made the iPhone text stand out with a silver color. Inside, Apple focused on speed improvements and a 3-megapixel camera capable of recording video. Apple also introduced a voice control feature alongside a highly requested cut, copy, and paste feature in iOS 3.
IPHONE 4
Apple’s first major redesign of the iPhone featured a combination of stainless steel and glass. Both the front and back of the iPhone 4 is covered in glass, and the square and flat look is a radical departure from the previous 3GS model. Apple also introduced a forward-facing camera with Face Time, a 3.5-inch Retina display, and a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash.
IPHONE 4S
Just like the 3G to 3GS upgrade, Apple’s iPhone 4S looks identical to the iPhone 4. After the infamous antenna gate episode with the iPhone 4, the 4S improved on the dual-antenna design encapsulated in the stainless steel band, all while gaining a faster processor, an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p video recording, and support for the Siri digital assistant.
IPHONE 5
Apple’s second major redesign of the iPhone arrived with the iPhone 5. An all-new aluminum design encased a larger 4-inch display into the thinnest and lightest iPhone so far. Surprisingly light to hold, the iPhone 5 also included an improved 8-megapixel camera with a sapphire crystal lens cover and HD Face Time camera at the front. Alongside the radical design, Apple switched to a new Lightning connector and redesigned its Ear Pod headphones.
IPHONE 5C
While many were expecting the iPhone 5C to be a budget iPhone, it debuted as an iPhone 5 with a plastic rear. That made it slightly cheaper, but its internal components are identical to the iPhone 5. While Apple had always stuck to black and white color combinations for its iPhone, the iPhone 5C introduced some much needed color to the range.
IPHONE 5S
Continuing the S trend, Apple’s iPhone 5S is almost identical in appearance to the iPhone 5 at first glance. New color combinations differentiate it from the 5, and a gold option offered an alternative to the typical black or white. Apple also redesigned its home button for the first time with the iPhone 5S, adding a fingerprint Touch ID sensor to unlock the device by simply touching your finger on the home button.
IPHONE 6 & 6 PLUS
Apple’s iPhones have one unmistakable feature: size. The iPhone 6 is has a 4.7-inch display, and the iPhone 6 Plus jumps to 5.5 inches. Both have Retina HD displays with a curved body and NFC chips for Apple Pay, but the iPhone 6 Plus includes optical image stabilization with its 8-megapixel camera.
AND NOW THE NEWEST IPHONE 6S & 6S PLUS
Colors available: Silver, Gold, Space Gray, Rose Gold
Capacity: 16GB, 64GB, 128GB
Weight and Dimensions
iPhone 6s: 5.44 inches (138.3 mm)2.64 inches (67.1 mm)0.28 inch (7.1 mm). Weight: 5.04 ounces (143 grams)
iPhone 6s Plus: 6.23 inches (158.2 mm)3.07 inches (77.9 mm)0.29 inch (7.3 mm). Weight: 6.77 ounces (192 grams)
Display: Retina HD display with 3D Touch
iPhone 6s: 4.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit widescreen. 1334-by-750-pixel resolution at 326 ppi. 1400:1 contrast ratio (typical). Retina HD display with 3D Touch
iPhone 6s Plus:5.5-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit widescreen. 1920-by-1080-pixel resolution at 401 ppi. 1300:1 contrast ratio (typical)
Both models: 500 cd/m2 max brightness (typical). Full sRGB standard. Dual-domain pixels for wide viewing angles. Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on front. Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously. Display Zoom. Reachability
Chip: A9 chip with 64-bit architecture. Embedded M9 motion coprocessor
iSight Camera: New 12-megapixel iSight camera with 1.22µ pixels. Live Photos. Autofocus with Focus Pixels. Optical image stabilization (iPhone 6s Plus only). True Tone flash. Panorama (up to 63 megapixels). Auto HDR for photos. Exposure control. Burst mode. Timer mode. ƒ/2.2 aperture. Five-element lens. Hybrid IR filter. Backside illumination sensor. Sapphire crystal lens cover. Auto image stabilization. Improved local tone mapping. Improved noise reduction. Face detection. Photo geotagging
Video Recording: 4K video recording (3840 by 2160) at 30 fps. 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps. 720p HD video recording at 30 fps. Optical image stabilization for video (iPhone 6s Plus only). True Tone flash. Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps and 720p at 240 fps. Time-lapse video with stabilization. Cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p). Continuous autofocus video. Improved noise reduction. Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video. Playback zoom. 3x zoom. Face detection. Video geotagging. FaceTime HD Camera. 5-megapixel photos. 720p HD video recording. Retina Flash. ƒ/2.2 aperture. Auto HDR for photos and videos. Backside illumination sensor. Exposure control. Burst mode. Timer mode. Face detection
Touch ID: Fingerprint sensor built into the Home button
Apple Pay: Pay with your iPhone using Touch ID in stores and within apps. Receive and redeem rewards using rewards cards
Bands: LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30). TD-LTE (Bands 38, 39, 40, 41). TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A). UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz). CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz). GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz). Model A1688*. Model A1687*. LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29). TD-LTE (Bands 38, 39, 40, 41). TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A). CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz). UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz). GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
All models: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi‑Fi with MIMO. Bluetooth 4.2 wireless technology. NFC
Location: Assisted GPS and GLONASS. Digital compass. Wi‑Fi. Cellular. iBeacon microlocation
Video Calling: FaceTime video calling over Wi‑Fi or cellular
Audio Calling: FaceTime audio. Voice over LTE (VoLTE)
Wi‑Fi calling
Audio Playback: Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV. User-configurable maximum volume limit
TV and Video: AirPlay Mirroring, photos, audio, and video out to Apple TV (2nd generation or later). Video mirroring and video out support: Up to 1080p through Lightning Digital AV Adapter and Lightning to VGA Adapter (adapters sold separately). Video formats supported: H.264 video up to 4K, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.2 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format
Siri: Use your voice to send messages, set reminders, and more. Get proactive suggestions. Use hands-free. Listen and identify songs. Learn more about Siri
External Buttons and Connectors: Touch ID sensorVolume up/downRing/SilentOn/Off Sleep/Wake3.5mm headphone jackLightning connectorMicrophonesBuilt‑in speaker
Power and Battery: Talk time: Up to 14 hours on 3G. Internet use: Up to 10 hours on 3G, up to 10 hours on LTE, up to 11 hours on Wi‑Fi. HD video playback: Up to 11 hours. Audio playback: Up to 50 hours. Standby time: Up to 10 days. Talk time: Up to 24 hours on 3G. Internet use: Up to 12 hours on 3G, up to 12 hours on LTE, up to 12 hours on Wi‑Fi. HD video playback: Up to 14 hours. Audio playback: Up to 80 hours. Standby time: Up to 16 days
Both models: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Charging via USB to computer system or power adapter
Touch ID fingerprint sensor: Barometer. Three-axis gyro. Accelerometer. Proximity sensor. Ambient light sensor
Operating System: iOS 9. The world’s most advanced mobile operating system gets major enhancements to built-in apps, a smarter Siri and search, and much more.
Built-in Apps: Built-in apps are an essential part of your iPhone experience and are efficiently designed to use less than 150MB of storage.
Camera. Photos. Health. Messages. Phone. FaceTime. Mail. Music. Wallet. Safari. Maps. Calendar. iTunes Store. App Store. Notes. News. Contacts. iBooks. Game Center. Weather. Reminders. Clock. Videos. Stocks. Calculator. Voice Memos. Compass. Podcasts. Watch. Tips. iCloud Drive. Find My iPhone. Find My Friends. Free Apps from Apple. iMovie. Pages. Keynote. Numbers. iTunes U. GarageBand. Apple Store. Trailers. Remote. Headphones. Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic
Storage and travel case: SIM Card. Nano-SIM. iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are not compatible with existing micro-SIM cards.
Rating for Hearing Aids: iPhone 6s (Model A1633, A1688): M3, T4. iPhone 6s Plus (Model A1634, A1687): M3, T4
Mail Attachment Support Viewable document types: jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel); .zip; .ics
System Requirements: Apple ID (required for some features)
Internet access
Syncing with iTunes on a Mac or PC requires: Mac: OS X v10.8.5 or later. PC: Windows 7 or later iTunes 12.3 or later (free download from. www.itunes.com/download). Environmental Requirements. Operating ambient temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C). Non operating temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C). Relative humidity: 5% to 95% non condensing. Operating altitude: tested up to 10,000 feet (3000 m)
Language support: English (Australia, Canada, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional, Traditional Hong Kong), French (Canada, France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish (Mexico, Spain), Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
Quick Type keyboard support: English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Chinese – Simplified (Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke), Chinese – Traditional (Cangjie, Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke, Sucheng, Zhuyin), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian, Japanese (Kana, Romaji), Korean, Spanish (Mexico, Spain), Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Catalan, Cherokee, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Emoji, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, Flemish, Greek, Gujarati, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi (Devanagari, Transliteration), Hinglish, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Marathi, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic, Latin), Slovak, Slovenian, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese
Quick Type keyboard support with predictive input: English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish (Mexico, Spain), Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Thai, Turkish
Dictation languages: English (Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (Mainland China, Taiwan), Cantonese (Hong Kong), Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch (Belgium, Netherlands), Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovakian, Swedish, Turkish, Thai, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
Siri languages: English (Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Mexico, Spain, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (Mainland China, Taiwan), Cantonese (Hong Kong), Swedish (Sweden), Danish (Denmark), Dutch (Belgium, Netherlands), Norwegian (Norway), Russian (Russia), Turkish (Turkey), Thai (Thailand), Portuguese (Brazil)
Definition dictionary support: English, Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
Bilingual dictionary support: Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish
Spell check: English (Australia, Canada, UK, U.S.), French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Russian, Swedish, Turkish
In the Box: iPhone with iOS 9. Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic. Lightning to USB Cable. USB Power Adapter. Documentation