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DEFINITION

iPhone

Sean Michael Kerner

Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

Alyssa Provazza, Editorial Director

What is an iPhone?

The iPhone is a smartphone made by Apple that combines a computer, iPod, digital camera and cellular
phone into one device with a touchscreen interface. The iPhone runs the iOS operating system, and in
2021 when the iPhone 13 was introduced, it offered up to 1 TB of storage and a 12-megapixel camera.

The original iPhone was announced on Jan. 9, 2007, at the Macworld convention by Apple co-founder
Steve Jobs. While it was not considered the first smartphone, the iPhone has helped drive the global
shift to mobile computing among both consumers and businesses. Its primary rival has been Google
Android-based devices from companies such as Samsung, also introduced in 2007.

The first-generation iPhone came preloaded with a suite of Apple software, including iTunes, the Safari
web browser and iPhoto. Internet Message Access Protocol and Post Office Protocol 3 email services
were integrated with the device.

Apple released the iPhone under an exclusive two-year partnership with AT&T Wireless, but it took less
than three months for hackers to unlock the device for use on any Global System for Mobile
communication network.

IPhone models

IPhone 3G, 3GS. Apple released the second-generation iPhone and iPhone operating system (OS) 2.0 on
June 9, 2008. The new device was called the iPhone 3G, a nod to its new ability to connect to third-
generation (3G) cellular networks powered by technologies such as Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System and high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA). The iPhone 3G was
available in 8 GB and 16 GB models.

The iPhone OS 2.0 update included several features designed for business, including support for
Microsoft Exchange email. Improved mobile security features included secure access to corporate
networks over Cisco's IPSec virtual private network, plus remote wipe and other management
capabilities.

Apple also released in 2008 a software development kit (SDK) for custom applications, a configuration
utility for centralized management and, most importantly, its App Store -- a portal through which iPhone
users could purchase and download additional applications to run on their devices.

The iPhone 3G exchanged the flat aluminum housing of the first-generation iPhone for a sleek, convex
black or white plastic case. The switch to plastic enabled better transmission for the many radio
receivers inside the device.

The iPhone 3G also featured assisted GPS, which combined triangulation using cellular towers with a
GPS receiver. It did not support Flash, Java or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). Its built-in
Bluetooth supported wireless earpieces but not stereo audio, laptop tethering or File Transfer Protocol.

Less than a year after the debut of the iPhone 3G, on June 8, 2009, Apple released the iPhone 3GS and
iPhone OS 3.0. Available in 16 GB and 32 GB models, the iPhone 3GS featured several hardware
improvements, including a video camera, built-in compass and faster download speeds through 7.2
megabits per second (Mbps) HSDPA support.

That new version of the OS brought support for MMS, copy-and-paste functionality and the Find My
iPhone app. In addition, it offered an expanded SDK that enabled developers to build in-app purchasing
features, push notifications and navigation capabilities into their third-party apps.

iPhone history at a glance.This timeline shows the 29 iPhones Apple has released since 2007.
IPhone 4 and 4S. Apple released the iPhone 4 on June 7, 2010. With this model, Apple also changed the
name of its OS from iPhone OS to iOS. The name change was made in the aftermath of the April 3, 2010,
release of the iPad, which ran the same OS.

Hardware innovations in the iPhone 4 included Apple's Retina Display, which boasted a higher pixel
density than previous iPhone screens and a front-facing camera. For the first time, Apple also produced
versions with code division multiple access connectivity, which enabled the device to connect to a wider
variety of cellular carriers' networks.

IOS 4 introduced FaceTime, an app that enabled video calling between Apple devices over Wi-Fi. It also
brought limited multitasking capabilities to the iPhone, letting users make phone calls or listen to music
in one app, while having a different app open on the screen.

On Oct. 4, 2011, Apple released the iPhone 4S, which featured the debut of Siri, a voice-powered digital
assistant app. The device ran on Apple's new A5 processors and shipped with iOS 5, which featured the
debut of Apple's cloud service, iCloud, and its proprietary text and multimedia messaging technology,
iMessage.

IPhone 5, 5c and 5s. The iPhone 5, which was released on Sept. 12, 2012, featured a taller screen than
its predecessors, measuring 4 inches diagonally with a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio and 1136 x 640-pixel
resolution. It ran on Apple's A6 processor and included a specially designed nano-SIM card, plus a new
connector that was not compatible with plugs and accessories for the iPad, iPod or previous iPhones.

The iPhone 5 was also the first iPhone to support Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks and the 5
gigahertz 802.11ac Wi-Fi band. It was available in 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB storage capacity models. The
iPhone 5 shipped with iOS 6, whose new features included a native Maps application and Passbook, an
app that stores digital credit cards, boarding passes and more.

The iPhone 5s, released on Sept. 20, 2013, shipped with iOS 7 and was powered by a 64-bit dual-core A7
processor. Apple added another new chip called the M7 coprocessor, which handled motion data from
the phone's gyroscope, compass and accelerometer.
The iPhone 5 and 5s had the same aluminum frame, chamfered edges, weight and dimensions, weighing
just 3.9 ounces and measuring 4.9 x 2.3 x 0.3 inches. The iPhone 5s had an updated camera lens with
F2.2 aperture. Other new camera features included slow-motion video and live video zoom capabilities.

Perhaps the biggest change in the iPhone 5s was Touch ID, which turned the phone's Home button into
a biometric fingerprint scanner for authenticating access to the device and iTunes.

The iPhone 5c, released on the same day as the 5s, came in five colors: white, pink, yellow, blue and
green. It was the same size as the iPhone 5s at 4.9 x 2.3 x 0.3 inches, and it weighed about 4.6 ounces.
The iPhone 5c did not run the A7 processor as the iPhone 5s had, however; it ran the A6 processor from
the iPhone 5. It also did not share the iPhone 5s' aluminum frame; instead, the iPhone 5c was made of
hard-coated polycarbonate with a steel-reinforced interior.

IPhone 6 and 6 Plus; 6s and 6s Plus. Apple released the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus on Sept. 9, 2014. It marked
the first time that one iPhone model was available in two different sizes. The iPhone 6 featured a 4.7-
inch display with a 1334 x 750 resolution, and the iPhone 6 Plus had a 5.5-inch display with a 1920 x
1080 resolution. Both devices ran Apple's A8 processor and M8 motion coprocessor, and they were the
first to come with Apple Pay, Apple's mobile payments service.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus shipped with iOS 8, which featured a revamped user interface and the new
iCloud Drive, Apple's file synchronization service.

On Sept. 25, 2015, Apple released the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus with iOS 9. The new devices ran on Apple's
A9 chip and M9 coprocessor. They also included 3D Touch, which enabled users to perform different
functions by tapping the screen with various levels of pressure.

IPhone SE first generation. Apple released on March 21, 2016, the iPhone SE, a smaller version of the
iPhone 6s. The first iPhone SE featured a 4-inch display but ran on the same A9 and M9 chips as the
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. It was available in 16 GB and 64 GB models and came in four colors: space gray,
silver, gold and rose gold.
IPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, announced on Sept. 7, 2016, boasted Apple's first water-
and dust-resistant casing. The devices, which came in 32 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB versions, also featured
two 12-megapixel cameras and Apple's new four-core A10 Fusion processor.

In a major design change, Apple eliminated the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, forcing users
to either rely on wireless headphones or an adapter for the iPhone's Lightning port. The iPhone 7 and 7
Plus shipped with iOS 10, whose new features included Siri integration with third-party apps and
expanded 3D Touch capabilities.

IPhone 8 and 8 Plus. Apple gave the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus a new aluminum and glass design, a six-core
A11 Bionic processor and wireless charging capabilities. The devices, released on Sept. 22, 2017, also
had new cameras built especially for augmented reality use cases. Both models came in two sizes: 64 GB
and 256 GB. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus shipped with iOS 11, which included ARKit, an SDK for augmented
reality apps.

IPhone X, XR and XS/XS Max. Apple also announced the iPhone X in September 2017. The iPhone X was
the first iPhone to eliminate the physical Home button that was present on every preceding iPhone
model, giving the device a touchscreen-only interface. Like the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, the iPhone X used
the A11 Bionic chip.

The iPhone X featured an all-glass design and a 5.8-inch super Retina HD display, making it the largest
iPhone in history at the time. The device also marked the debut of Face ID, a new way of authenticating
user access through facial recognition technology. The iPhone X came in two storage options -- 64 GB
and 256 GB.

In September 2018, Apple announced three more iPhone X models. The iPhone XR was a budget version
of the flagship phone that came with a larger 6.1-inch display. But the technology in the display had a
lower resolution, Liquid Retina HD display that used LCD as opposed to the light-emitting diode, or
OLED, Super Retina HD displays available in iPhone X and XS/XS Max displays. The XR used an upgraded
A12 Bionic chip and boasted a battery life that was better than all other X models. The XR could be
purchased with either 64 GB or 128 GB storage capacity.

The XS is the successor to the iPhone X model with the upgraded A12 Bionic chip, slightly improved
battery life, improved water resistance up to 2 meters for up to 30 minutes and the option to purchase
the device with up to 512 GB storage. The XS Max featured the same specs as the XS -- only with a larger
6.5-inch display.

IPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. Released on Sept. 20, 2019, the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
are the successors to the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max, respectively. One major advancement of the iPhone
11 series of smartphones is the inclusion of a Wi-Fi 6 wireless chip for improved speeds using the IEEE
802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 standard. Another advantage is the infusion of an upgraded 12-megapixel TrueDepth
front camera.

The iPhone 11 continued the use of the slightly lower quality 6.1-inch LCD display found in the iPhone
XR. However, many iPhone 11 enhancements were made over the XR, including an upgraded A13 Bionic
chip, a rear camera with 2x optical zoom and ultra-wide lens, improved battery life, improved water
resistance and a 256 GB storage capacity option.

The iPhone 11 Pro also makes significant strides over the iPhone XS. Perhaps the most famous is the
three-lens rear-facing camera that Apple put into iPhones for the first time. Other advantages over the
XS model include an upgraded A13 Bionic chip, Super Retina XDR display, ultra-wide-angle photo
capabilities and up to 4x optical zoom, four additional hours of battery life and improved water
resistance up to 4 meters for 30 minutes.

Finally, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is simply an iPhone 11 Pro with a 6.5-inch, as opposed to a 5.8-inch,
Super Retina XDR display. Because of the larger size, the iPhone 11 Pro Max uses a larger battery that
delivers up to two additional hours of video playback -- 20 total hours for the iPhone Pro Max and 18
hours for the iPhone 11 Pro -- compared to the iPhone 11 Pro.

IPhone SE second generation. Throughout the late 2010s and into 2020, Apple dominated the high-end
smartphone market but began losing ground to competitors in the mid- to low-end price range. To
counter this, Apple launched a second generation of iPhone SE with upgraded internals on April 15,
2020.

The second-generation SE used a 4.7-inch Retina HD display and A13 Bionic chip, and came in 64 GB, 128
GB or 256 GB storage capacity. The second-generation SE brought back the physical home button with
touch ID login capability as opposed to the Face ID authentication features originally introduced in the
iPhone X and all newer models up to the SE second gen phone. Thus, not only did this updated SE
provide plenty of performance in a lower-cost model -- it also appealed to iPhone users who preferred
to have the physical Home button as opposed to the all-touch alternative that all other iPhones evolved
toward.

One caveat to note about the iPhone SE is that it shipped without 5G chipset support to connect to
wireless carriers that are rolling out 5G commercially. Thus, despite this phone launching just a few
months before the iPhone 12, which has 5G support, the iPhone SE is stuck with fourth-generation LTE
mobile data capabilities only.

IPhone 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max and 12 mini. The iPhone 12 series of smartphones comes in four different
versions. All iPhone 12 models feature the A14 Bionic chip, Super Retina XDR displays, Dolby Vision HDR
video recording, water resistance up to 6 meters for 30 minutes and 5G mobile data chipsets.

Apple iPhone smartphone 12 base model.This image shows the Apple iPhone 12 base model, but it is
available in four different versions.

The base iPhone 12 model launched on Oct. 23, 2020, and came with a 6.1-inch display, a 17-hour
battery, improved Ceramic Shield casing and 64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB storage capacity options.

The iPhone 12 Pro is similar to the base iPhone 12 but with enhanced rear-facing camera hardware and
features that produce superior images. The iPhone 12 Pro features a three-lens camera for wide, ultra-
wide and telephoto capabilities. Apple also introduced its LiDAR scanner sensor capability in the 12 Pro
model. LiDAR scanning technology is used when taking nighttime photos and offers improved autofocus
in low light situations. Storage options for the 12 Pro models are 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB.

Likely due to larger-size Super Retina XDR display shortages in Apple's manufacturing supply chain, the
iPhone 12 Pro Max model launched on Nov. 12, 2020, three weeks after the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro
launch. The 12 Pro Max is identical to the 12 Pro with a few notable exceptions. For one, the screen size
increased from 6.1 inches on the 12 Pro to 6.7 inches on the 12 Pro Max. Additionally, the 12 Pro Max
has a camera lens that can optically zoom up to five times, compared to the 12 Pro's 4x optical zoom.
Finally, because of the larger screen size, Apple was able to put a larger battery into the 12 Pro Max,
bumping the expected battery life from 17 hours to 20.
The iPhone 12 mini offers the same features as the other iPhone 12 models but in a more compact size
-- 5.4 inches vs. the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro or the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max.

IPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. The iPhone 13 became available Sept. 24, 2021. As was the
case with its predecessor, the iPhone 13 is available in four models: the base iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini,
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

All iPhone 13 models integrate Apple's proprietary A15 Bionic chip -- a six-core CPU. They also integrate
a 5G chipset and support Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) as well as Bluetooth 5.0. Water resistance on all iPhone 13
models is rated as IP68, meaning a device can potentially last for up to 30 minutes in up to 6 meters of
water before it becomes inoperable. All iPhone 13 models are available with 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB
storage options. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is also available with the largest storage capacity that Apple
provides, topping out at 1 TB.

All iPhone models have updated cameras, with new functionality that varies across the models.
However, all models include support for a new cinematic mode, which automatically shifts focus as a
subject steps into the field of view.

The base iPhone 13 model has a 6.1-inch display, and battery life that provides up to 19 hours of video
playback. The iPhone 13 mini has a smaller 5.4-inch display and a shorter battery life of up to 17 hours.

Both the base and mini have a Super Retina XDR display and the same two-camera setup. They both
have dual 12MP lenses with wide and ultra-wide capabilities. There is a 2x optical and 5x digital zoom on
the dual camera system.

Stepping up from the base and mini are the iPhone 13 pro models with pro features -- once again being
focused on camera hardware boosts. The iPhone 13 Pro has a 6.1-inch display while the iPhone Pro Max
is about 10% bigger at 6.7 inches. The display used for both pro models is the Super Retina XDR with
ProMotion, providing faster screen refresh rates than the base models.

The iPhone Pro differentiator is the use of a three-camera system -- providing telephoto, wide and ultra-
wide capabilities. The pro camera system also has a larger optical zoom range than the base models --
coming in at 6x -- and a digital zoom of 15x. As was the case with the iPhone 12 series, the iPhone 13 Pro
cameras also benefit from a LiDAR scanner for better low-light and night photography.

What are the differences between iPhone and Android?

This is an often-asked question for those who are torn between choosing an Apple iPhone and virtually
any other smartphone device on the market that uses the Android OS.

The first difference is that the iPhone is a smartphone device that was developed and manufactured by
Apple Inc. Apple iPhones run Apple's proprietary iOS operating system. Only Apple manufactured
devices are able to run this smartphone OS.

Android, on the other hand, is an open source mobile OS created by numerous developer groups and is
commercially sponsored by Google Inc. Thus, the two major competing smartphone OSes on the market
are Apple's iOS and Google's Android.

Because Apple's iOS is proprietary while Android is open source and available for use by multiple
smartphone manufacturers, all competing smartphone manufacturers use some form of Android. This
includes smartphone vendors such as Samsung, LG Electronics -- which announced in April that it is
leaving the mobile phone market -- Motorola and Huawei.

Besides the difference in OSes, the other major difference between iPhones and Android devices largely
revolves around where applications can be purchased and downloaded. Apple maintains its own
proprietary App store and thoroughly vets which applications can be purchased within their virtual
store. Apple also does not allow iPhone users to download apps from any third-party stores. While this
limits where apps can be obtained, Apple claims it does this to better protect its customers from
malware-infected apps that can sneak into third-party app stores.

Android enables users to download and purchase apps through Google's popular Play store in addition
to other third-party app stores. This creates a bit more price competition among stores. Android also has
less strict rules when it comes to developers selling apps through the Google Play store or third-party
alternatives. Thus, there are more app options in the Android ecosystem -- about 2.5 million --
compared to Apple's App Store -- roughly 2.2 million.
This was last updated in October 2021

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Hardware

The iPhone contains most of the hardware parts of a typical modern smartphone. Some hardware
elements, such as 3D Touch and the Taptic Engine, are unique to the iPhone. The main hardware of the
iPhone is the touchscreen, with current models offering screens of 4.7 inches and larger. A range of
sensors are included on the device, such as a proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, accelerometer,
gyroscopic sensor, magnetometer, facial recognition sensor, fingerprint sensor and barometer.

All iPhones include a rear-facing camera, and a front-facing camera being included on all models since
the iPhone 4. The iPhone 7 Plus introduced multiple lenses to the rear-facing camera to the iPhone.

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Edit

This article is about the line of smartphones by Apple. For the original iPhone, see iPhone (1st
generation). For other different types of iPhones and other uses, see iPhone (disambiguation).

The iPhone is a line of smartphones designed and marketed by Apple Inc. that use Apple's iOS mobile
operating system. The first-generation iPhone was announced by then-Apple CEO Steve Jobs on January
9, 2007. Since then, Apple has annually released new iPhone models and iOS updates. As of November
1, 2018, more than 2.2 billion iPhones had been sold.

iPhone

IPhone Logo 2016.svg

IPhone 13 Pro vector.svg

The front face of an iPhone 13 Pro in Sierra Blue

Developer

Apple Inc.

Manufacturer

Foxconn, Pegatron, Wistron

(contract manufacturers)

Type

Smartphone

Release date

June 29, 2007

iPhone (1st Generation): June 29, 2007

3G: July 11, 2008

3GS: June 19, 2009

4: June 24, 2010

4S: October 14, 2011

5: September 21, 2012

5C, 5S: September 20, 2013

6 / 6 Plus: September 19, 2014

6S / 6S Plus: September 25, 2015

SE (1st): March 31, 2016

7 / 7 Plus: September 16, 2016

8 / 8 Plus: September 22, 2017

X: November 3, 2017

XS / XS Max: September 21, 2018

XR: October 26, 2018

11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max: September 20, 2019

SE (2nd): April 24, 2020

12 and 12 Pro: October 23, 2020

12 Mini and 12 Pro Max: November 13, 2020

13 and 13 Pro: September 24, 2021

13 Mini and 13 Pro Max: September 24, 2021

Units sold

2.2 Billion (as of November 1, 2018)[1]

Operating system

iOS

System on a chip

Chips used

1st gen and 3G: S5L8900

3GS: S5PC100

4: Apple A4

4S: Apple A5

5 / 5C: Apple A6

5S: Apple A7

6 / 6 Plus: Apple A8

6S / 6S Plus and SE (1st): Apple A9

7 / 7 Plus: Apple A10 Fusion

8 / 8 Plus / X: Apple A11 Bionic

XR / XS / XS Max: Apple A12 Bionic

11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max and SE (2nd): Apple A13 Bionic

12 / 12 mini / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max: Apple A14 Bionic

13 / 13 mini / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max: Apple A15 Bionic

CPU

CPU

1st gen and 3G: Samsung 32-bit RISC ARM 1176JZ(F)-S v1.0[2]

3GS: 600 MHz ARM Cortex-A8[3]

4: 800 MHz ARM Cortex-A8[4]

4S: 800 MHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9[5]

5 / 5C: 1.3 GHz dual-core Apple A6

5S: 1.3 GHz 64-bit dual-core Apple A7

6 / 6 Plus: 1.4 GHz 64-bit dual-core Apple A8

6S / 6S Plus and SE (1st): 1.85 GHz 64-bit dual-core Apple A9

7 / 7 Plus: 2.34 GHz 64-bit quad-core Apple A10 Fusion (2× Hurricane + 2× Zephyr)[6]

8 / 8 Plus / X: 2.39 GHz 64-bit hexa-core Apple A11 Bionic (2× Monsoon + 4× Mistral)

XR / XS / XS Max: 2.49 64-bit hexa-core Apple A12 Bionic

11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max and SE (2nd): 2.65 64-bit hexa-core Apple A13 Bionic

12 Mini / 12 / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max: 3.10 64-bit hexa-core Apple A14 Bionic

13 Mini / 13 / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max: 3.23 64-bit hexa-core Apple A15 Bionic

Memory

Memory

1st gen and 3G: 128 MB LPDDR RAM (137 MHz)

3GS: 256 MB LPDDR RAM (200 MHz)

4: 512 MB LPDDR2 RAM (200 MHz)

4S: 512 MB LPDDR2 RAM

5 / 5C: 1 GB LPDDR2 RAM

5S and 6 / 6 Plus: 1 GB LPDDR3 RAM

6S / 6S Plus, SE (1st) and 7: 2 GB LPDDR4 RAM

8: 2 GB LPDDR4X RAM

7 Plus: 3 GB LPDDR4 RAM

8 Plus, X, XR and SE (2nd): 3 GB LPDDR4X RAM

XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, 12, 12 Mini, 13, 13 Mini: 4 GB LPDDR4X RAM

12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max: 6 GB LPDDR4X RAM

Storage

4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512 GB or 1TB[a] flash memory[7]

Display

Display

1st gen and 3G:

3.5 in (89 mm)

3:2 aspect ratio, scratch-resistant[8] glossy glass covered screen, 262,144-color (18-bit) TN LCD, 480 ×
320 px (HVGA) at 163 ppi, 200:1 contrast ratio

3GS:

In addition to prior, features a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating,[9] and 262,144-color (18-bit) TN

LCD with hardware spatial dithering[10]

4 and 4S:

3.5 in (89 mm); 3:2 aspect ratio, aluminosilicate glass covered 16,777,216-color (24-bit) IPS LCD screen,
960 × 640 px at 326 ppi, 800:1 contrast ratio, 500 cd⁄m² max brightness

5 / 5C / 5S / SE (1st):

4.0 in (100 mm); 16:9 aspect ratio; 1136 × 640 px screen resolution at 326 ppi

6 / 6S / 7 / 8 / SE (2nd):

4.7 in (120 mm); 16:9 aspect ratio; 1334 × 750 px screen resolution at 326 ppi

6 Plus / 6S Plus / 7 Plus / 8 Plus:

5.5 in (140 mm); 16:9 aspect ratio; 1920 × 1080 px screen resolution at 401 ppi

X / XS / 11 Pro:

5.8 in (150 mm); ≈19.5:9 aspect ratio; OLED screen, 2436 × 1125 px screen resolution at 458 ppi
XS Max / 11 Pro Max:

6.5 in (170 mm); ≈19.5:9 aspect ratio; OLED screen, 2688 × 1242 px screen resolution at 458 ppi

XR / 11:

6.1 in (150 mm); ≈19.5:9 aspect ratio; 1792 × 828 px screen resolution at 326 ppi

12 mini / 13 mini:

5.4 in (140 mm); ≈19.5:9 aspect ratio; OLED screen, 2340 × 1080 px screen resolution at 476 ppi

12 / 12 Pro / 13 / 13 Pro:

6.1 in (150 mm); ≈19.5:9 aspect ratio; OLED screen, 2532 × 1170 px screen resolution at 460 ppi

12 Pro Max / 13 Pro Max:

6.7 in (170 mm); ≈19.5:9 aspect ratio; OLED screen, 2778 × 1284 px screen resolution at 458 ppi

Graphics

Graphics

1st gen and 3G:

PowerVR MBX Lite 3D GPU[11] (103 MHz)

3GS: PowerVR SGX535 GPU

(150 MHz)[12][13]

4: PowerVR SGX535 GPU (200 MHz)[12][13]

4S: PowerVR SGX543MP2 (2-core) GPU

5 / 5C: PowerVR SGX543MP3 (3-core) GPU

5S: PowerVR G6430 (4-core) GPU

6 / 6 Plus: PowerVR GX6450 (4-core) GPU

6S / 6S Plus and SE (1st): PowerVR GT7600 (6-core) GPU[14]

7 / 7 Plus: PowerVR Series 7XT Plus (6-core) GPU[6]

8 / 8 Plus / X: Apple-designed (3-core) GPU

XR and XS through iPhone 12 and 12 Pro: Apple-designed (4-core) GPU

iPhone 13 mini and 13: Apple-designed (4-core) GPU

iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max: Apple-designed (5-core) GPU

Sound

Bluetooth stereo speaker (iPhone 7 and up) microphone 3.5 mm stereo audio jack (until the iPhone SE
(1st generation)) Lightning port (requires iOS 10 or later)

Connectivity

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

1st gen, 3G, and 3GS:

Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)

4 and 4S:

Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n)

5, 5C, and 5S:

Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n)

6 / 6 Plus, 6S / 6S Plus, SE, 7 / 7 Plus, 8 / 8 Plus, and X / XR / XS / XS Pro:

Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)

SE (2nd), 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max, 12 / 12 Mini / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max, and 13 / 13 Mini / 13 Pro / 13 Pro
Max:

Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)

1st gen, 3G, 3GS, and 4:

Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR

4S, 5, 5C, 5S, and 6 / 6 Plus:

Bluetooth 4.0

6S / 6S Plus, SE (1st) and 7 / 7 Plus:

Bluetooth 4.2

8 and X through iPhone 12 and 12 Pro:

Bluetooth 5.0
GSM models also include:

LTE 700, 2100 MHz UMTS / HSDPA/HSPA+ / DC-HSDPA 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz GSM / EDGE 850, 900,
1800, 1900 MHz

CDMA model also includes:

LTE 700 MHz CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A 800, 1900 MHz UMTS / HSDPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA 850, 900, 1900,
2100 MHz GSM / EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz

Power

Built-in rechargeable

lithium-ion battery

1st gen: 3.7 V 5.18 W·h (1400 mA·h)

3G: 3.7 V 4.12 W·h (1150 mA·h)

3GS 3.7 V 4.51 W·h (1219 mA·h)

4: 3.7 V 5.25 W·h (1420 mA·h)

4S: 3.7 V 5.3 W·h (1432 mA·h)

5: 3.8 V 5.45 W·h (1440 mA·h)

5C: 3.8 V 5.73 W·h (1510 mA·h)

5S: 3.8 V 5.92 W·h (1560 mA·h)

6: 3.82 V 6.91 W·h (1810 mA·h)

6 Plus: 3.82 V 11.1 W·h (2915 mA·h)

6S: 3.82 V 6.55 W·h (1715 mA·h)

6S Plus: 3.8 V 10.45 W·h (2750 mA·h)

SE (1st): 3.82 V 6.21 W·h (1624 mA·h)

7: 3.8 V 7.45 W·h (1960 mA·h)

7 Plus: 3.82 V 11.10 W·h (2900 mA·h)

8 and SE (2nd): 3.82 V 6.96 W·h (1821 mA·h)

8 Plus: 3.82 V 10.28 W·h (2691 mA·h)

X: 3.81 V 10.35 W·h (2716 mA·h)

XS: 3.81 V 10.13 W·h (2658 mA·h)

XS Max: 3.8V 12.08 W·h (3174 mA·h)

XR: 3.81 V 11.21 W·h (2942 mA·h)

11 Pro: 3.83 V 11.67 W·h (3046 mA·h)

11 Pro Max: 3.79 V 15.04 W·h (3969 mA·h)

11: 3.83 V 11.91 W·h (3110 mA·h)

12 and 12 Pro: 3.83 V 10.78 W·h (2,815 mA·h)

Online services

iTunes Store App Store iCloud Apple Books Podcasts Apple Music Apple Wallet

Dimensions

Dimensions

1st gen:

115 mm (4.5 in) H

61 mm (2.4 in) W

11.6 mm (0.46 in) D

3G & 3GS:

115.5 mm (4.55 in) H

62.1 mm (2.44 in) W

12.3 mm (0.48 in) D

4 & 4S:

115.2 mm (4.54 in) H

58.6 mm (2.31 in) W

9.3 mm (0.37 in) D

5, 5S & SE (1st):

123.8 mm (4.87 in) H

58.6 mm (2.31 in) W

7.6 mm (0.30 in) D

5C:

124.4 mm (4.90 in) H

59.2 mm (2.33 in) W

8.97 mm (0.353 in) D

6:

138.1 mm (5.44 in) H

67 mm (2.6 in) W

6.9 mm (0.27 in) D

6 Plus:

158.1 mm (6.22 in) H

77.8 mm (3.06 in) W

7.1 mm (0.28 in) D

6S & 7:

138.3 mm (5.44 in) H

67.1 mm (2.64 in) W

7.1 mm (0.28 in) D

6S Plus & 7 Plus:

158.2 mm (6.23 in) H

77.9 mm (3.07 in) W

7.3 mm (0.29 in) D

8 & SE (2nd):

138.4 mm (5.45 in) H

67.3 mm (2.65 in) W

7.3 mm (0.29 in) D

8 Plus:

158.4 mm (6.24 in) H

78.1 mm (3.07 in) W

7.5 mm (0.30 in) D

X & XS:

143.6 mm (5.65 in) H

70.9 mm (2.79 in) W

7.7 mm (0.30 in) D

XS Max:

157.5 mm (6.20 in) H

77.4 mm (3.05 in) W

7.7 mm (0.30 in) D

XR & 11:

150.9 mm (5.94 in) H

75.7 mm (2.98 in) W

8.3 mm (0.33 in) D

11 Pro:

144 mm (5.7 in) H

71.4 mm (2.81 in) W

8.1 mm (0.32 in) D

11 Pro Max:
158 mm (6.2 in) H

77.8 mm (3.06 in) W

8.1 mm (0.32 in) D

12 mini:

131.5 mm (5.18 in) H

64.2 mm (2.53 in) W

7.4 mm (0.29 in) D

12 & 12 Pro:

146.7 mm (5.78 in) H

71.5 mm (2.81 in) W

7.4 mm (0.29 in) D

12 Pro Max:

160.8 mm (6.33 in) H

78.1 mm (3.07 in) W

7.4 mm (0.29 in) D

Mass

Weight

1st gen and 3GS:

135 g (4.8 oz)

3G: 133 g (4.7 oz)

4: 137 g (4.8 oz)

4S: 140 g (4.9 oz)

5 and 5S:

112 g (4.0 oz)

5C: 132 g (4.7 oz)

6: 129 g (4.6 oz)

6 Plus: 172 g (6.1 oz)

6S: 143 g (5.0 oz)

6S Plus: 192 g (6.8 oz)

SE (1st): 113 g (4.0 oz)

7: 138 g (4.9 oz)

7 Plus: 188 g (6.6 oz)

8 & SE (2nd): 148 g (5.2 oz)

8 Plus: 202 g (7.1 oz)

X: 174 g (6.1 oz)

XS: 177 g (6.2 oz)

XS Max: 208 g (7.3 oz)

XR and 11: 194 g (6.8 oz)

11 Pro: 188 g (6.6 oz)

11 Pro Max: 226 g (8.0 oz)

12 mini: 135 g (4.8 oz)

12: 164 g (5.8 oz)

12 Pro: 189 g (6.7 oz)

12 Pro Max: 228 g (8.0 oz)

Related articles

iPad iPod Touch Comparison

Website

apple.com/iphone/

The iPhone has a user interface built around a multi-touch screen. It connects to cellular networks or
Wi-Fi, and can make calls, browse the web, take pictures, play music and send and receive emails and
text messages. Since the iPhone's launch further features have been added, including larger screen sizes,
shooting video, waterproofing, the ability to install third-party mobile apps through an app store, and
many accessibility features. Up to iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, iPhones used a layout with a single button on the
front panel that returns the user to the home screen. Since iPhone X, iPhone models have switched to a
nearly bezel-less front screen design with app switching activated by gesture recognition.

The iPhone is one of the two largest smartphone platforms in the world alongside Android, forming a
large part of the luxury market. The iPhone has generated large profits for Apple, making it one of the
world's most valuable publicly traded companies. The first-generation iPhone was described as
"revolutionary" and a "game-changer" for the mobile phone industry and subsequent models have also
garnered praise. The iPhone has been credited with popularizing the smartphone and slate form factor,
and with creating a large market for smartphone apps, or "app economy". As of January 2017, Apple's
App Store contained more than 2.2 million applications for the iPhone.

History and availability

Production

Models

Hardware

Main article: iPhone hardware

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2021)

The iPhone contains most of the hardware parts of a typical modern smartphone. Some hardware
elements, such as 3D Touch and the Taptic Engine, are unique to the iPhone. The main hardware of the
iPhone is the touchscreen, with current models offering screens of 4.7 inches and larger. A range of
sensors are included on the device, such as a proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, accelerometer,
gyroscopic sensor, magnetometer, facial recognition sensor, fingerprint sensor and barometer.

All iPhones include a rear-facing camera, and a front-facing camera being included on all models since
the iPhone 4. The iPhone 7 Plus introduced multiple lenses to the rear-facing camera to the iPhone.

Software

Main articles: iOS and iOS version history

The iPhone runs an operating system known as iOS (formerly iPhone OS).[70] It is a variant of the Darwin
operating system core found in macOS. Also included is the "Core Animation" software component from
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard. Together with the graphics hardware (and on the iPhone 3GS, OpenGL ES 2.0),
it is responsible for the interface's motion graphics. The iPhone comes with a set of bundled applications
developed by Apple,[71] and supports downloading third-party applications through the App Store.[72]

Apple provides free[73] updates to the operating system for the iPhone either wirelessly or through
iTunes.[74] Major new updates have historically accompanied new models.[75][76]

The size of the operating system depends on the version. While iOS 8 required over 4.5 GB, its successor
required only 1.3 GB.[77]

Operating system support

model release(d) discontinued supportlaunch price ($US)

with OS date ended final OS lifespan

max min

iPhone iPhone OS 1.0 June 29, 2007 June 9, 2008 June 20, 2010 iPhone OS 3.1.3 2 years, 11
months 2 years $499/$599*

iPhone 3G iPhone OS 2.0 July 11, 2008 August 9, 2010 March 3, 2011 iOS 4.2.1 2 years,
7 months 6 months $199/$299*

$599/$699

iPhone 3GS iPhone OS 3.0 June 19, 2009 September 12, 2012 September 18, 2013 iOS
6.1.6 4 years, 2 months 1 year

iPhone 4 iOS 4.0 June 24, 2010 September 10, 2013 September 17, 2014 iOS 7.1.2

iPhone 4S iOS 5.0 October 14, 2011 September 9, 2014 September 12, 2016

(late, single update: July 22, 2019) iOS 9.3.5

(9.3.6) 4 years, 10 months 2 years $199/$299/$399*

$649/$749/$849

iPhone 5 iOS 6.0 September 21, 2012 September 10, 2013 September 18, 2017

(late, single update: July 22, 2019) iOS 10.3.3

(10.3.4) 4 years, 11 months 4 years

iPhone 5C iOS 7.0 September 20, 2013 September 9, 2015 September 18, 2017 iOS
10.3.3 3 years, 11 months 2 years $99/$199*

$549/$649

iPhone 5S iOS 7.0 September 20, 2013 March 21, 2016 September 18, 2019

(latest, exclusive update: September 23, 2021) iOS 12.4.1

(12.5.5) 5 years, 11 months 3 years, 5 months $199/$299/$399*

$649/$749/$849

iPhone 6 / 6 Plus iOS 8.0 September 19, 2014 September 7, 2016 4 years, 11 months
3 years $199/$299/$399*

$649/$749/$849

Plus:$299/$399/$499*

Plus:$749/$849/$949

iPhone 6S / 6S Plus iOS 9.0.1 September 25, 2015 September 12, 2018 current latest
iOS 6 years, 2 months 3 years, 2 months $199/$299/$399*

$649/$749/$849

Plus:$299/$399/$499*

Plus:$749/$849/$949

iPhone SE (1st) iOS 9.3 March 31, 2016 September 12, 2018 5 years, 8 months 3 years, 2
months $399/$499

iPhone 7 / 7 Plus iOS 10.0.1 September 16, 2016 September 10, 2019 5 years, 2
months 2 years, 3 months $199/$299/$399*

$649/$749/$849

Plus:$319/$419/$519*

Plus:$769/$869/$969

iPhone 8 / 8 Plus iOS 11.0 September 22, 2017 April 15, 2020 4 years, 2 months
1 year, 7 months $699/$849

Plus:$799/$949
iPhone X iOS 11.0.1 November 3, 2017 September 12, 2018 4 years, 1 month
3 years, 2 months $549/$699*

$999/$1149

iPhone XR iOS 12.0 October 26, 2018 September 14, 2021 3 years, 1 month
2 months $749/$799/$899

iPhone XS / XS Max iOS 12.0 September 21, 2018 September 10, 2019 3 years, 2
months 2 years, 3 months $999/$1149/$1349

Max:$1099/$1249/$1449

iPhone 11 iOS 13.0 September 20, 2019 current latest iOS 2 years, 2
months $699/$749/$849

iPhone 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max iOS 13.0 September 20, 2019 October 13, 2020 current
latest iOS 2 years, 2 months 1 year, 1 month $999/$1149/$1349

Max: $1099/$1249/$1449

iPhone SE (2nd) iOS 13.4 April 24, 2020 current latest iOS 1 year, 7 months
$399/$449/$549

iPhone 12 / 12 Mini iOS 14.1 (12)

iOS 14.2 (12 Mini)

October 23, 2020 (12)

November 13, 2020 (12 Mini)

1 year, 1 month (12)

1 year (12 Mini)

$829/$879/$979**

Mini: $729/$779/$879**

iPhone 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max iOS 14.1 (12 Pro)

iOS 14.2 (12 Pro Max)

October 23, 2020 (12 Pro)

November 13, 2020 (12 Pro Max)

September 14, 2021 current latest iOS 1 year, 1 month (12 Pro)

1 year (12 Pro Max)

2 months $999/$1099/$1299

Max: $1099/$1199/$1399

iPhone 13 / 13 Mini iOS 15.0 September 24, 2021 current latest iOS 2
months $829/$929/$1129**

Mini: $729/$829/$1029**

iPhone 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max iOS 15.0 September 24, 2021

$999/$1099/$1299/$1499

Max: $1099/$1199/$1399/$1599

Legend: Discontinued and unsupported Discontinued, but still supported Current or still sold
*24-month contract required **$30 off with carrier special offers

Interface

The interface is based around the home screen, a graphical list of available applications. iPhone
applications normally run one at a time. Starting with the iPhone 4, a primitive version of multitasking
came into play. Users could double click the home button to select recently opened applications.[78]
However, the apps never ran in the background. Starting with iOS 7, though, apps can truly multitask,
and each open application runs in the background when not in use, although most functionality is still
available when making a call or listening to music. The home screen can be accessed by a hardware
button below the screen on the iPhone 8 and earlier. iPhone X and later models, with the exception of
the second-generation iPhone SE, instead use touch-based gestures.

The original iPhone contained the following apps: Messages (SMS and MMS messaging), Calendar,
Photos, Camera, YouTube, Stocks, Maps (Google Maps), Weather, Voice Memos, Notes, Clock,
Calculator, Settings and iTunes (store). The App Store was introduced in iPhone OS 2 for the original
iPhone and iPhone 3G. Compass was added in iPhone OS 3 for the iPhone 3GS. FaceTime and Game
Center were added in iOS 4 and 4.1 respectively. In iOS 5, Reminders and Newsstand were added, and
the iPod application was split into separate Music and Videos applications. iOS 6 added Passbook as well
as a new version of Maps called Apple Maps that relies on data provided by TomTom as well as other
sources, and YouTube no longer came as a pre-installed application starting from that version. iOS 7
introduced a modern flat design for the interface and added a motion-based parallax feature to give the
device a quasi-3D effect. iOS 8 added Health app. iOS 9 replaced Newsstand and Passbook with News
and Wallet. iOS 10 introduced Home and dedicated a page on the home screen for the widgets. iOS 11
added Files. iOS 12 introduced Measure, an app that uses AR technology to measure objects and things.
It is available on devices with an A9 chip or newer.

Docked at the base of the screen, four icons for Phone, Mail, Safari (Internet), and Music delineate the
iPhone's main purposes.[79] On January 15, 2008, Apple released software update 1.1.3, allowing users
to create "Web Clips", home screen icons that resemble apps that open a user-defined page in Safari.
After the update, iPhone users can rearrange and place icons (by holding down on any icon and moving
it to the desired location once they start shaking) on up to nine other adjacent home screens, accessed
by a horizontal swipe.[80]

Users can also add and delete icons from the dock, which is the same on every home screen. The dock
holds up to four icons and is located at the bottom section of the screen. Each home screen holds up to
twenty icons for the first-generation iPhone, 3G, 3GS, 4 and 4S; The iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, and first-
generation iPhone SE hold up to twenty-four icons; while the iPhone 6 and later iPhone models support
up to twenty-eight icons. Users can delete Web Clips and third-party applications at any time and may
select only certain applications for transfer from iTunes. Apple's default programs could only be
removed since the iOS 10 update. The 3.0 update added a system-wide search, known as Spotlight, to
the left of the first home screen.[81][82]

Almost all input is given through the touch screen, which understands complex gestures using multi-
touch. The iPhone's interaction techniques enable the user to move the content up or down by a touch-
drag motion of the finger. For example, zooming in and out of web pages and photos is done by placing
two fingers on the screen and spreading them farther apart or bringing them closer together, a gesture
known as "pinching".

Scrolling through a long list or menu is achieved by sliding a finger over the display from bottom to top,
or vice versa to go back. In either case, the list moves as if it is pasted on the outer surface of a wheel,
slowly decelerating as if affected by friction. In this way, the interface simulates the physics of a real
object. Unlike previous scrollable views, in which the user pressed a "down" control to move the view
"downwards", on iOS the user pushes upwards, as if moving a "plank of wood floating on the water",
creating the impression that the user is directly manipulating the content displayed on the screen.[83]
[84]

Other user-centered interactive effects include horizontally sliding sub-selection, the vertically sliding
keyboard and bookmarks menu, and widgets that turn around to allow settings to be configured on the
other side. Menu bars are found at the top and bottom of the screen when necessary. Their options vary
by program but always follow a consistent style motif. In menu hierarchies, a "back" button in the top-
left corner of the screen displays the name of the parent folder.

Phone

When making a call, the iPhone presents a number of options, including FaceTime on supported models.
The screen is automatically disabled when held close to the face.

The iPhone allows audio conferencing, call holding, call merging, caller ID, and integration with other
cellular network features and iPhone functions. For example, if music is playing when a call is received,
the music fades out and fades back in when the call has ended.

The proximity sensor shuts off the screen and touch-sensitive circuitry when the iPhone is brought close
to the face, both to save battery and prevent unintentional touches. The iPhone does not support video
calling or videoconferencing on versions prior to the fourth generation, as there is only one camera on
the opposite side of the screen.[85]

The iPhone 4 supports video calling using either the front or back camera over Wi-Fi, a feature Apple
calls FaceTime.[86] Voice control, introduced in the iPhone 3GS, allows users to say a contact's name or
number and the iPhone will dial it.[87] The first two models only support voice dialing through third-
party applications.[88]

The iPhone includes a visual voicemail (in some countries)[89] feature allowing users to view a list of
current voicemail messages on-screen without having to call into their voicemail. Unlike most other
systems, messages can be listened to and deleted in a non-chronological order by choosing any message
from an on-screen list.

A music ringtone feature was introduced in the United States on September 5, 2007. Users can create
custom ringtones from songs purchased from the iTunes Store for a small additional fee. The ringtones
can be three to 30 seconds long from any part of a song, can fade in and out, pause from half a second
to five seconds when looped, or loop continuously. All customizing can be done in iTunes,[90] or with
Apple's GarageBand software 4.1.1 or later (available only on Mac OS X)[91] or third-party tools.[92]

With the release of iOS 6, which was released on September 19, 2012, Apple added features that enable
the user to have options to decline a phone call when a person is calling them. The user can reply with a
message, or set a reminder to call them back at a later time.[93]

Multimedia

The layout of the music library is similar to that of an iPod. The iPhone can sort its media library by
songs, artists, albums, videos, playlists, genres, composers, podcasts, audiobooks, and compilations.
Options are presented alphabetically, except in playlists, which retain their order from iTunes. The
iPhone uses a large font that allows users plenty of room to touch their selection.

Users can rotate their device horizontally to landscape mode to access Cover Flow. Like on iTunes, this
feature shows the different album covers in a scroll-through photo library. Scrolling is achieved by
swiping a finger across the screen. Alternatively, headset controls can be used to pause, play, skip, and
repeat tracks. On the iPhone 3GS, the volume can be changed with the included Apple Earphones, and
the Voice Control feature can be used to identify a track, play songs in a playlist or by a specific artist, or
create a Genius playlist.[87]
The iPhone supports gapless playback.[94] Like the fifth-generation iPods introduced in 2005, the iPhone
can play digital video, allowing users to watch TV shows and movies in widescreen. Double-tapping
switches between widescreen and fullscreen video playback.

The iPhone allows users to purchase and download songs from the iTunes Store directly to their iPhone.
The feature originally required a Wi-Fi network, but since 2012, it can be used on a cellular data
network.[95]

The iPhone includes software that allows the user to upload, view, and email photos taken with the
camera. The user zooms in and out of photos by sliding two fingers further apart or closer together,
much like Safari. The camera application also lets users view the camera roll, the pictures that have been
taken with the iPhone's camera. Those pictures are also available in the Photos application, along with
any transferred from iPhoto or Aperture on a Mac, or Photoshop on a Windows PC.

The iPhone did not support voice recording until the 3.0 software update.[81][82]

Internet connectivity

Wikipedia on the iPhone Safari web browser in landscape mode

Internet access is available when the iPhone is connected to a local area Wi-Fi or a wide area GSM or
EDGE network, both second-generation (2G) wireless data standards. Networks accessible from iPhone
models include 1xRTT (represented by a 1× on the status bar) and GPRS (shown as GPRS on the status
bar), EDGE (shown as a capital E on the status bar), UMTS and EV-DO (shown as 3G), a faster version of
UMTS and 4G (shown as a 4G symbol on the status bar), and LTE (shown as LTE on the status bar).[96]
The iPhone 3G introduced support for third-generation UMTS and HSDPA 3.6,[97] the iPhone 4S
introduced support for HSUPA networks (14.4 Mbit/s), and support for HSDPA 7.2 was introduced in the
iPhone 3GS.[98] and the iPhone 5 introduced support for 4G LTE. 5G Evolution is now supported on
AT&T in areas where implemented and stylized as a larger 5G and reduced size capital E.[99] 5GE uses
the 4x4 MIMO doubling the number of antennas, 256-QAM, and three-way carrier aggregation. True 5G
support was added starting with the iPhone 12 series in fall 2020. All iPhone 12 models support sub-6
GHz frequencies, but only models purchased in the United States support mmWave.[100]
AT&T introduced 3G in July 2004,[101] but as late as 2007, Steve Jobs stated that it was still not
widespread enough in the US, and the chipsets not energy efficient enough, to be included in the
iPhone.[102] Support for 802.1X, an authentication system commonly used by university and corporate
Wi-Fi networks, was added in the 2.0 version update.[103]

By default, the iPhone will ask to join newly discovered Wi-Fi networks and prompt for the password
when required. Alternatively, it can join closed Wi-Fi networks manually.[104] The iPhone will
automatically choose the strongest network, connecting to Wi-Fi instead of EDGE when it is available.
[105] Similarly, the iPhone 3G and onwards prefer 3G to 2G, and Wi-Fi to either.[106]

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 3G (on the iPhone 3G onwards) can all be deactivated individually. Airplane mode
disables all wireless connections at once, overriding other preferences. However, once in Airplane
mode, one can explicitly enable Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth modes to join and continue to operate over one
or both of those networks while the cellular network transceivers remain off.

Safari is the iPhone's native web browser, and it displays pages similar to its Mac and Windows
counterparts. Web pages may be viewed in portrait or landscape mode and the device supports
automatic zooming by pinching together or spreading apart fingertips on the screen, or by double-
tapping text or images.[107][108] Safari does not allow file downloads except for predefined extensions.

The iPhone does not support Flash, which was still popular when the iPhone was introduced.[109]
Consequently, the UK's Advertising Standards Authority adjudicated that an advertisement claiming the
iPhone could access "all parts of the internet" should be withdrawn in its current form, on grounds of
false advertising. In a rare public letter in April 2010, Apple CEO Steve Jobs outlined the reasoning
behind the absence of Flash on the iPhone (and iPad).[110] The iPhone supports SVG, CSS, HTML
Canvas, and Bonjour.[111] Google Chrome was introduced to the iOS on June 26, 2012, and Opera mini
is also available.

The Maps application can access Google Maps in map, satellite, or hybrid form. It can also generate
directions between two locations, while providing optional real-time traffic information. During the
iPhone's announcement, Jobs demonstrated this feature by searching for nearby Starbucks locations
and then placing a prank call to one with a single tap.[112][113] Support for walking directions, public
transit, and street view was added in the version 2.2 software update, but no voice-guided navigation.
[114]
The iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 can orient the map with its digital compass.[115] Apple also developed a
separate application to view YouTube videos on the iPhone, which streams videos after encoding them
using the H.264 codec. Simple weather and stock quotes applications also tap into the Internet.

iPhone users can and do access the Internet frequently, and in a variety of places. According to Google,
in 2008, the iPhone generated 50 times more search requests than any other mobile handset.[116]
According to Deutsche Telekom CEO René Obermann, "The average Internet usage for an iPhone
customer is more than 100 megabytes. This is 30 times the use for our average contract-based
consumer customers."[117] Nielsen found that 98% of iPhone users use data services, and 88% use the
internet.[35] In China, the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS were built and distributed without Wi-Fi.[118]

With the introduction of the Verizon iPhone in January 2011, the issue of using the internet while on the
phone was brought to the public's attention. Under the two U.S. carriers, internet and phone could be
used simultaneously on AT&T networks, whereas Verizon networks only support the use of each
separately.[119] However, in 2014, Verizon announced that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus would allow
simultaneous voice and data over its LTE Network.[120] T-Mobile and Sprint have enabled calls over Wi-
Fi, with Verizon and AT&T soon doing the same.[121]

Text input

The virtual keyboard on the first generation iPhone touchscreen

For text input, the iPhone implements a virtual keyboard on the touchscreen. It has automatic spell
checking and correction, predictive word capabilities, and a dynamic dictionary that learns new words.
The keyboard can predict what word the user is typing and complete it, and correct for the accidental
pressing of keys near the presumed desired key.[122]

The keys are somewhat larger and spaced farther apart when in landscape mode, which is supported by
only a limited number of applications. Touching a section of text for a brief time brings up a magnifying
glass, allowing users to place the cursor in the middle of existing text. The virtual keyboard can
accommodate 21 languages, including character recognition for Chinese.[123]
Alternative characters with accents (for example, letters from the alphabets of other languages) and
emoji can be typed from the keyboard by pressing the letter for two seconds and selecting the
alternative character from the popup.[124] The 3.0 update brought support for cut, copy, or pasting
text, as well as landscape keyboards in more applications.[81][82] On iPhone 4S and above, Siri allows
dictation.

Since iOS 8, third party keyboards, distributed through the App Store, are allowed. Previously, they were
only available on jailbroken iPhones.[125]

Email and text messages

The iPhone also features an email program that supports HTML email, which enables the user to embed
photos in an email message. PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint attachments to mail messages can be
viewed on the phone.[126] Yahoo! offers a free push-email service for the iPhone. IMAP (although not
Push-IMAP) and POP3 mail standards are also supported, including Microsoft Exchange[127] and Kerio
Connect.[128]

In the first versions of the iPhone firmware, this was accomplished by opening up IMAP on the Exchange
server. Apple has also licensed Microsoft ActiveSync and supports the platform (including push email)
with the release of iPhone 2.0 firmware.[129][130] The iPhone will sync email account settings over
from Apple's own Mail application, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Entourage, or it can be manually
configured on the device itself. The email program can access almost any IMAP or POP3 account.[131]

Text messages are presented chronologically in a mailbox format similar to Mail, which places all text
from recipients together with replies. Text messages are displayed in speech bubbles (similar to iChat)
under each recipient's name. The iPhone has built-in support for email message forwarding, drafts, and
direct internal camera-to-email picture sending. Support for multi-recipient SMS was added in the 1.1.3
software update.[132] Support for MMS was added in the 3.0 update, but not for the original first
generation iPhone[81][82] and not in the U.S. until September 25, 2009.[133][134]

Third-party applications

See also: iOS SDK and App Store

At WWDC 2007 on June 11, 2007, Apple announced that the iPhone would support third-party web
applications using Ajax that share the look and feel of the iPhone interface.[135] On October 17, 2007,
Steve Jobs, in an open letter posted to Apple's "Hot News" weblog, announced that a software
development kit (SDK) would be made available to third-party developers in February 2008.[136] The
iPhone SDK was officially announced and released on March 6, 2008, at the Apple Town Hall facility.
[137]

It is a free download, with an Apple registration, that allows developers to develop native applications
for the iPhone and iPod Touch, then test them in an "iPhone simulator". However, loading an application
onto a real device is only possible after paying an Apple Developer Connection membership fee.
Developers are free to set any price for their applications to be distributed through the App Store, of
which they will receive a 70% share.[138]

Developers can also opt to release the application for free and will not pay any costs to release or
distribute the application beyond the membership fee. The App Store was launched with the release of
iPhone OS 2.0, on July 11, 2008.[130] The update was free for iPhone users; owners of older iPod
Touches were required to pay US$10 for it.[139]

Once a developer has submitted an application to the App Store, Apple holds firm control over its
distribution. Apple can halt the distribution of applications it deems inappropriate, for example, I Am
Rich, a US$1000 program that simply demonstrated the wealth of its user, and Send Me To Heaven, a
game that encouraged users to throw their phones in the air.[140][141] Apple has been criticized for
banning third-party applications that enable a functionality that Apple does not want the iPhone to
have: In 2008, Apple rejected Podcaster, which allowed iPhone users to download podcasts directly to
the iPhone claiming it duplicated the functionality of iTunes.[142] Apple has since released a software
update that grants this capability.[114]

NetShare, another rejected app, would have enabled users to tether their iPhone to a laptop or desktop,
using its cellular network to load data for the computer.[143] Many carriers of the iPhone later globally
allowed tethering before Apple officially supported it with the upgrade to the iPhone OS 3.0, with AT&T
Mobility being a relative latecomer in the United States.[144] In most cases, the carrier charges extra for
tethering an iPhone.

Before the SDK was released, third parties were permitted to design "Web Apps" that would run
through Safari.[145] Unsigned native applications are also available for "jailbroken" phones.[146] The
ability to install native applications onto the iPhone outside of the App Store is not supported by Apple,
the stated reason being that such native applications could be broken by any software update, but Apple
has stated it will not design software updates specifically to break native applications other than those
that perform SIM unlocking.[147]

As of October 2013, Apple has passed 60 billion app downloads.[148] As of September 2016, there have
been over 140 billion app downloads from the App Store.[149]

As of January 2017, the App Store has over 2.2 million apps for the iPhone.[150][151]

Accessibility features

Starting with the iPhone 4S, Apple added an accessibility feature to optimize the function of the iPhone
with hearing aids.[152] Apple released a program of Made for iPhone Hearing Aids.[153] These hearing
aids deliver a power-efficient, high-quality digital audio experience and allow the user to manage the
hearing aid right from the iPhone. Made for iPhone hearing aids also feature Live Listen. With Live Listen
the iPhone acts as a remote microphone that sends sound to a Made for iPhone hearing aid. Live Listen
can help the user hear a conversation in a noisy room or hear someone speaking across the room.[154]

The Braille Displays for the iOS program was announced by Apple coinciding with the release of the
iPhone 3GS, iPad and iPod Touch (3rd Generation). This program added support for more than 50
Bluetooth wireless braille displays that work with iOS out of the box. The user only needs to pair the
keyboard to the device to start using it to navigate the iOS device with VoiceOver without any additional
software. iOS supports braille tables for more than 25 languages.[155]

iPhone lets the user know when an alert is sent to it, in a variety of notice methods. It delivers both
visual and vibrating alerts for incoming phone and FaceTime calls, new text messages, new and sent
mail, and calendar events. Users can set an LED light flash for incoming calls and alerts or have incoming
calls display a photo of the caller. Users can choose from different vibration patterns or even create their
own.[156]

The iPhone can enlarge text to make it more accessible for vision-impaired users,[157] and can
accommodate hearing-impaired users with closed captioning and external TTY devices.[158] The iPhone
3GS also features white on black mode, VoiceOver (a screen reader), and zooming for impaired vision,
and mono audio for limited hearing in one ear.[159] Apple regularly publishes Voluntary Product
Accessibility Templates which explicitly state compliance with the U.S. regulation "Section 508".[160]
With the release of iOS 9 for all iPhones, users have the ability to choose between two different screen
view options. The user can choose to have a standard view or zoomed view. When the iPhone is placed
in a standard view setting, the icons are normal size and the text remains the same. With a zoomed view
option, the icons on the screen and the text become slightly larger. This enables the user to have a more
customized appearance and it can potentially help some users read the screen easier.

AssistiveTouch helps to adapt the Multi-Touch screen of an iOS device to a user's unique physical needs.
This can be of great assistance to those who have difficulty with some gestures, like pinch, one can make
them accessible with just a tap of a finger. The user can create their own gestures and customize the
layout of the AssistiveTouch menu. If the user has trouble pressing the Home button, it can be set so
that it can be activated with an onscreen tap. Gestures, like rotate and shake, are available even when if
the iOS device is mounted on a wheelchair.[156]

Guided Access helps people with autism or other attention and sensory challenges stay focused on the
task (or app) at hand. With Guided Access, a parent, teacher, or therapist can limit an iOS device to stay
on one app by disabling the Home button and limit the amount of time spent in an app. The user can
restrict access to the keyboard or touch input on certain areas of the screen.

In 2019 Apple began developing satellites so that the iPhone could skip wireless carriers.[161]

iPhone Upgrade Program

The iPhone Upgrade Program is a 24-month program designed for consumers to be able to get the latest
iPhone every year, without paying the whole price up-front. The program consists of "low monthly
payments", where consumers will gradually pay for the iPhone they have over a 24-month period, with
an opportunity to switch (upgrade) to the new iPhone after 12 months of payment have passed. Once
12 months have passed, consumers can trade their current iPhone with a new one, and the payments
are transferred from the old device to the new device, and the program "restarts" with a new 24-month
period.[162]

Additional features of the program include unlocked handsets, which means consumers are free to pick
the network carrier they want, and two-year AppleCare+ protection, which includes "hardware repairs,
software support, and coverage for up to two incidents of accidental damage".[162][163]
Criticism of the program includes the potential endless cycle of payments, with The Huffington Post's
Damon Beres writing, "Complete the full 24-month payment cycle, and you're stuck with an outdated
phone. Upgrade every 12 months, and you'll never stop owing Apple money for iPhones". Additionally,
the program is limited to just the iPhone hardware; cell phone service from a network operator is not
included.[164]

Intellectual property

Restrictions

Legal battles over brand name

Privacy issues

Reception and legacy

See also

Notes

References

External links

Last edited 3 days ago by You're My Only Destiny

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