Apple iPhone Timeline: A Look Back At The Smartphone's Evolution

iPhone: Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone on January 9, 2007, which was launched on June 29, 2007. Key features included a 3.5-in. screen, a 2-megapixel camera and the then-new multitouch features.

iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS: The iPhone 3G was announced on June 9, 2008, which went on sale on July 11. It introduced faster 3G connectivity, included built-in GPS, offered more storage and was cheaper. On June 19, 2009, the next iPhone (iPhone 3GS) was available. It was twice as fast as its predecessor and ran iPhone 3.0.

iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s: On June 24, 2010, iPhone 4 was launched. It marked the arrival of FaceTime video chat. It also heralded the arrival of the first high-resolution “Retina” screen. Its successor, iPhone 4S, was launched on October 14, 2011. It introduced the Siri virtual assistant, a dual-core A5 processor, and an 8 megapixel camera with 1080p video recording functionality.

iPhone 5, iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c: The iPhone 5 was announced on September 12, 2012. It introduced a larger 4-inch screen, as well as faster 4G LTE connectivity. It also introduced a thinner and lighter body made of aluminum alloy. The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c were announced on September 10, 2013. The iPhone 5s included a 64-bit A7 processor, becoming the first ever 64-bit smartphone. It also introduced the Touch ID fingerprint authentication sensor. The iPhone 5c was a lower-cost device that incorporated hardware from the iPhone 5, into a series of colouful plastic frames.

iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus: Apple unveiled two iPhones in 2014: the iPhone 6, which has a 4.7-in. screen, and the iPhone 6 Plus, with a 5.5-in. screen. Both iPhones sported new A8 processors, had upgraded cameras, and were NFC-ready for access to the new Apple Pay network. In 2015, Apple launched iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. They got new force touch technology called 3D Touch, as well as a beefed up 12-megapixel iSight camera. The 5-megapixel FaceTime camera was also new, and was designed to take better selfies.

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: The 7 series was announced in 2016. They featured larger camera sensors, IP67-certified water and dust resistance, and a quad-core A10 Fusion processor. Also, the 3.5 mm headphone jack was removed, and was followed by the introduction of the AirPods wireless earbuds. A dual-camera setup was introduced in the 7 Plus.

iPhone 8 and 8 Plus: Announced in September 2017, the models rear glass panel designs akin to the iPhone 4, wireless charging, and a hexa-core A11 Bionic chip with "Neural Engine" AI accelerator hardware. Apple called the A11 Bionic chip “the most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone.”

iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and XS Max: Starting at $999 for 64GB and $1,149 for 256GB, iPhone X (lauched in 2017) was Apple’s most expensive iPhone to date. A year later, the other three models were released. All models featured the "Smart HDR" computational photography system, and a significantly more powerful "Neural Engine". The iPhone XR was a lower-cost device compared to the iPhone X and XS.

iPhone 11, iPhone11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max: Announced in 2019, iPhone 11 was the successor to iPhone XR, while iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max succeeded the iPhone XS and XS Max. All models got Ultra-Wide lens, enabling two-times optical zoom out, as well as larger batteries for longer battery life.

iPhone 12/iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro/iPhone 12 Pro Max: Announced via a livestream event in October 2020, all the models featured OLED "Super Retina XDR" displays, introduced faster 5G connectivity, and the MagSafe magnetic charging and accessory system. The iPhone 12 Mini introduced a smaller 5.4-inch screen, while the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max had larger screens of 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch respectively.

iPhone 13/iPhone 13 Mini and iPhone 13 Pro/iPhone 13 Pro Max: The 13 series, launched in 2021, featured larger camera sensors, larger batteries for longer battery life, and a narrower "notch" screen cutout. The iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max additionally introduced smoother adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate "ProMotion" technology in its OLED display, and three-times optical zoom in the telephoto lens.

iPhone 14/iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro/iPhone 14 Pro Max: Announced in 2022, the models introduced satellite phone emergency calling functionality. Notably, the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max additionally introduced a higher-resolution 48-megapixel main camera, the first increase in megapixel count since the iPhone 6s; it also introduced always-on display technology to the lock screen, and an interactive status bar interface integrated in a redesigned screen cutout, entitled "Dynamic Island".

iPhone 15/iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro/iPhone 15 Pro Max: Announced in 2023, all models switched to using USB-C as their power connector to comply with European Commission regulations. They also now boasted a titanium body, replacing the stainless steel.

iPhone 16/iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro/iPhone 16 Pro Max, and iPhone 16e: The former four models were announced in September 2024, while 6e was introduced in Febuary 2025. The former two introduced a vertical camera layout with refined "Fusion" and Ultra-Wide cameras. All models also included access to new Apple Intelligence AI features, among other updates.

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro/iPhone 17 Pro Max: Announced in September 2025, the iPhone 17 includes a larger 6.3" OLED display and dynamic 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, marking its debut on a non-Pro iPhone model. The camera layout in the Pro versions was redesigned for the first time since the iPhone 11 Pro, featuring a large horizontal camera bump and an 8x telephoto camera lens, instead of the previously used 5x; as a result, the iPhone 17 Pro has the longest telephoto lens on any iPhone.

iPhone Air: The Air series, announced in September 2025, is replacing the Plus series. The iPhone Air introduces a rebranded option with a focus on lightweight design and enhanced features. With a depth of 0.22 inches (5.64 mm), it is the thinnest iPhone ever produced.

iPhone SE (1st, 2nd, 3rd): Launched in 2016, 2020, and 2022, these were the low-cost devices that incorporated newer hardware than their counterparts. Apple unveiled the iPhone 16e as the successor to the iPhone SE (third-generation).