22 ms·

Apple didn't build the first smartphone; they made it mass market because the technology (which Apple did not invent) had gotten to where bundling it into a sma

Apple didn't build the first smartphone; they made it mass market because the technology (which Apple did not invent) had gotten to where bundling it into a smartphone would provide sufficient value to a consumer to be worth paying for. There were other mass market smartphones even then; what the iphone brought was UX (so kudos for Jobs for hiring Jony Ive) and an app store (so kudos for Jobs either for recognizing the benefit of allowing others to do the work to extend the iphone's software capabilities, or for hiring someone who did).

tablespoon 5y ago
> Apple didn't build the first smartphone; they made it mass market because the technology (which Apple did not invent) had gotten to where bundling it into a smartphone would provide sufficient value to a consumer to be worth paying for. IIRC, that was already true for business customers before the iPhone. > There were other mass market smartphones even then; what the iphone brought was UX (so kudos for Jobs for hiring Jony Ive) and an app store (so kudos for Jobs either for recognizing the benefit of allowing others to do the work to extend the iphone's software capabilities, or for hiring someone who did). IIRC, the previous smartphone brought email, what the iPhone brought was email and the Web. With regard to the app store, I'm not sure if Jobs really deserves much kudos for accepting what users were already doing with their devices rather than continuing to try to force his original vision (first party native apps and web apps only, no third party native apps).
- lostcolony 5y ago
  "that was already true for business customers before the iPhone." - Hence my use of the term "mass market" "what the iPhone brought was email and the Web" - So I never mentioned email re: the iPhone, that was supported back in the first smartphone in 92. For the web, I saw an article that mentioned that, but that doesn't jibe with what I remember or can find elsewhere. There were definitely phones that allowed you to browse the web, as early as the Nokia 9000 Communicator. I think it was the first to have 'unlimited' internet plans due to their partnership with AT&T, but I'm not sure that's nearly as convincing an innovation as 'the web'. Maybe the fact that mobile Safari had a look and feel similar to desktop Safari. I list the app store from https://time.com/4837176/iphone-10th-anniversary/ https://time.com/4837176/iphone-10th-anniversary/ and https://www.vox.com/2017/6/26/15821652/iphone-apple-10-year-anniversary-launch-mobile-stats-smart-phone-steve-jobs https://www.vox.com/2017/6/26/15821652/iphone-apple-10-year-... (though to be fair, the latter also includes the web), and because it jibes with my own recollections; I don't recollect app stores before the iPhone (though it came after launch). Yes, I remember user customizations, but not an official, searchable repository of them.
  - touisteur 5y ago
    I remember how I switched almost overnight from consuming Web things and personal email on my trusty laptop to my ipod touch (iPhone without 3g really) and one month in I had almost forgotten I could do it on my laptop. The Web and mail experience on ipod touch was simply great, not sure I could explain it better than 'just great'. Nothing world shattering, but it seemed the thing was just natural for surfing and emails. And music of course (but heh, ipod). Didn't care about apps, or anything (or plants vs zombie was a great fun time waster). The thing was thin, nice to hold, nice large screen, capacitive keyboard and... So much better than my n900 or my palmshits for Web and personal email. No 3g then! Just WiFi. It was a simple, nice blend. As soon as I got hooked up on this, next phone-break I bought... A galaxy s2 then stayed android (mostly because iTunes, iTunes and iTunes, which I hated as much as I can hate any software... Talk about learned helplessness...). The original ipod touch was the best Web terminal at that time, I think.
  - tablespoon 5y ago
    > There were definitely phones that allowed you to browse the web, as early as the Nokia 9000 Communicator. I think it was the first to have 'unlimited' internet plans due to their partnership with AT&T, but I'm not sure that's nearly as convincing an innovation as 'the web'. Maybe the fact that mobile Safari had a look and feel similar to desktop Safari. My understanding is that "the web" on mobile phones was crippled and unappealing prior to the iPhone. Sure you could "use" it, but most people didn't want to. In 2007 the web was on the desktop, and the iPhone bringing a desktop-like experience to a phone was a game-changer.
greedo 5y ago
Did Jony Ive have anything to do with the original iPhones UI/UX? I thought he was just involved in the physical design.

tablespoon 5y ago

> Apple didn't build the first smartphone; they made it mass market because the technology (which Apple did not invent) had gotten to where bundling it into a smartphone would provide sufficient value to a consumer to be worth paying for. IIRC, that was already true for business customers before the iPhone. > There were other mass market smartphones even then; what the iphone brought was UX (so kudos for Jobs for hiring Jony Ive) and an app store (so kudos for Jobs either for recognizing the benefit of allowing others to do the work to extend the iphone's software capabilities, or for hiring someone who did). IIRC, the previous smartphone brought email, what the iPhone brought was email and the Web. With regard to the app store, I'm not sure if Jobs really deserves much kudos for accepting what users were already doing with their devices rather than continuing to try to force his original vision (first party native apps and web apps only, no third party native apps).

lostcolony 5y ago
"that was already true for business customers before the iPhone." - Hence my use of the term "mass market" "what the iPhone brought was email and the Web" - So I never mentioned email re: the iPhone, that was supported back in the first smartphone in 92. For the web, I saw an article that mentioned that, but that doesn't jibe with what I remember or can find elsewhere. There were definitely phones that allowed you to browse the web, as early as the Nokia 9000 Communicator. I think it was the first to have 'unlimited' internet plans due to their partnership with AT&T, but I'm not sure that's nearly as convincing an innovation as 'the web'. Maybe the fact that mobile Safari had a look and feel similar to desktop Safari. I list the app store from https://time.com/4837176/iphone-10th-anniversary/ https://time.com/4837176/iphone-10th-anniversary/ and https://www.vox.com/2017/6/26/15821652/iphone-apple-10-year-anniversary-launch-mobile-stats-smart-phone-steve-jobs https://www.vox.com/2017/6/26/15821652/iphone-apple-10-year-... (though to be fair, the latter also includes the web), and because it jibes with my own recollections; I don't recollect app stores before the iPhone (though it came after launch). Yes, I remember user customizations, but not an official, searchable repository of them.
- touisteur 5y ago
  I remember how I switched almost overnight from consuming Web things and personal email on my trusty laptop to my ipod touch (iPhone without 3g really) and one month in I had almost forgotten I could do it on my laptop. The Web and mail experience on ipod touch was simply great, not sure I could explain it better than 'just great'. Nothing world shattering, but it seemed the thing was just natural for surfing and emails. And music of course (but heh, ipod). Didn't care about apps, or anything (or plants vs zombie was a great fun time waster). The thing was thin, nice to hold, nice large screen, capacitive keyboard and... So much better than my n900 or my palmshits for Web and personal email. No 3g then! Just WiFi. It was a simple, nice blend. As soon as I got hooked up on this, next phone-break I bought... A galaxy s2 then stayed android (mostly because iTunes, iTunes and iTunes, which I hated as much as I can hate any software... Talk about learned helplessness...). The original ipod touch was the best Web terminal at that time, I think.
- tablespoon 5y ago
  > There were definitely phones that allowed you to browse the web, as early as the Nokia 9000 Communicator. I think it was the first to have 'unlimited' internet plans due to their partnership with AT&T, but I'm not sure that's nearly as convincing an innovation as 'the web'. Maybe the fact that mobile Safari had a look and feel similar to desktop Safari. My understanding is that "the web" on mobile phones was crippled and unappealing prior to the iPhone. Sure you could "use" it, but most people didn't want to. In 2007 the web was on the desktop, and the iPhone bringing a desktop-like experience to a phone was a game-changer.

greedo 5y ago

Did Jony Ive have anything to do with the original iPhones UI/UX? I thought he was just involved in the physical design.