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The IBM Simon Personal Communicator was invented
The IBM Simon is typically cited as the first smartphone. It featured a touchscreen, email capabilities, and other common modern smartphone features.
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqc7HN6qn9I&t=174 -
First camera phone introduced
The first camera phone was invented in 1999 in Japan. Its name was the Kyocera Visual Phone VP-210. It was a mobile videophone with a 110,000-pixel front-facing camera. While other phones with built-in cameras were also released around this time, like the Samsung SCH-V200 in South Korea, the Kyocera VP-210 is widely considered the first commercially available camera phone.
-https://www.textedly.com/blog/smartphone-history-when-were-smartphones-invented -
Cell phones gain internet access
Smartphones began to gain widespread internet access around 2001 with the creation of 3G networks. While earlier mobile phones had basic internet connectivity in 1996, the 3G network enabled significantly faster speeds and better internet experiences, making smartphones truly internet-capable devices. -
The first iPhone is released
The first iPhone removed physical buttons and designed a finger-friendly touch screen interface. It basically combined the iPod, a phone, and a internet communicator into one device. It also introduced a new era of software sophistication and redefined what was possible on a mobile device.
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_(1st_generation) -
First Android phone released
The HTC Dream was released in October of 2008. It ran on Android 1.0. It was significant for its open-source nature and the inclusion of Google services, laying the foundation for the modern Android ecosystem. It stood out by integrating Google services like Gmail, Google Maps, and Calendar, and it offered access to the Android Market for downloading apps.
-https://simpletexting.com/blog/where-have-we-come-since-the-first-smartphone -
Smartphones gain increasingly powerful processers
Smartphones become ubiquitous, with increasingly powerful processors, higher resolution screens, and advanced features like augmented reality.
-https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/smartphone/570926#:~:text=Smartphones%20became%20more%20computer%2Dlike,interest%2C%20or%20real%20estate%20listings. -
Modern phones are released with many new features
Smartphones now are so much more technologically advanced compared to 20 years ago. For example, in 2025, smartphones feature advancements in AI, improved camera capabilities, and more efficient battery life. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is a standout with its sophisticated Galaxy AI integration, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers a bright display and enhanced camera features.
-https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-phones