2. In January 2007, Steve Jobs introduced
the Apple iPhone during his keynote
address at the Macaorld Conference
and Expo. In its first appearance
onscreen and inJobs's hand, the phone
looked like a sleek but inanimate black
rectangle.
3. Then, Jobs touched the screen. Suddenly, the
featureless rectangle became an interactive
surface. Jobs placed a fingertip on an on-
screen arrow and slid it from left to right. When
his finger moved, the arrow moved with it,
unlocking the phone. To some people, this
interaction between a human finger and an on-
screen image -- and its effect on the iPhone's
behavior -- was more amazing than all of its
other features combined.
4. And those features are plentiful. In some ways,
the iPhone is more like a palmtop computer
than a cellular phone. As with many you can
use it to make and receive calls, watch movies,
listen to music, browse the Web, and send and
receive e-mail and text messages.
5. n 2008, Apple introduced the second
generation iPhone. This iPhone can operate on
third-generation (3G) cellular networks and has
a GPS receiver. It also lets you view map and
satellite data from Google Maps, including
overlays of nearby businesses. Owners of the
original iPhone got the opportunity to upgrade
the software on their phones. The 2.0 software
gives the old phones new functions,
6. 2009 was the year that Apple launched the
iPhone 3GS. The 3GS iPhone models have
more storage capacity than earlier iPhones.
They also have a better camera that's capable
of taking still shots and video at 30 frames per
second. Another added feature is a compass,
which comes in handy when you need to find
your way through unfamiliar territory. Also in
2009 came iPhone OS 3.0, which offered many
improvements, such as the ability to cut and
paste.
