Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
It was January 9, 2007, when Steve Jobs, the co-founder and chief executive of Apple, stepped onto a stage in San Francisco and unveiled a product that would reshape the technology industry. Speaking at the Macworld Conference & Expo, Jobs introduced the first iPhone to the public.
“Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone,” Jobs told the audience. He explained that Apple was introducing “three revolutionary products”: “a widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone, and a breakthrough internet communications device.” After repeating the list, he clarified, “These are not three separate devices. This is one device. And we are calling it iPhone.”
The iPhone stood out immediately because it did not include a physical keyboard or stylus, both common features in mobile phones at the time. Instead, Jobs demonstrated a device controlled entirely by touch. “We’re born with ten fingers,” he said. “We’ve invented a new technology called multi-touch.” He emphasized that users could interact with the screen naturally, using taps and gestures.
Jobs also highlighted the iPhone’s software, which was based on a version of Apple’s desktop operating system. This allowed the phone to display full web pages rather than simplified mobile versions. “The real internet on your phone,” Jobs said, as he scrolled through web pages live on stage.
During the presentation, Jobs acknowledged the risks of the live demonstration. “We’ve got some amazing demos for you today,” he said, adding that the device was still new. Despite the technical challenges, the demonstrations showed features such as visual voicemail, music playback, and web browsing working together on a single device.
The original iPhone was scheduled to go on sale later in 2007 in the United States. Jobs announced it would be offered through AT&T and would cost $499 or $599, depending on storage capacity, with a service contract. “We want to make a phone that is far smarter than any mobile device and super easy to use,” he said.
The debut of the iPhone marked a turning point for the mobile phone industry. While smartphones existed before 2007, Jobs positioned Apple’s device as something different. “Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything,” he said near the beginning of the keynote. Over time, the iPhone would influence how phones are designed, how software is distributed, and how people around the world communicate, work, and access information.
