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History of the Smartphone
By Chris Noland
Smartphones. Most, if not all, of the students at FCDS can’t remember a time before their parents didn’t have one. While the iPhone’s launch in 2007 popularized the smartphone greatly (and provided a good Blackberry competitor), the true origin of the smartphone dates back to 1994 from IBM. Simon (the phone’s name) had a touch screen, calendar, email, fax, and other small features. However, it was a hefty $1100 and too complicated (and big) for the average user. Then, Blackberry took the lead in 2002 with the release of the Blackberry 5810 aimed towards business workers. The physical keyboard and internet access made it a popular pick and even kept my dad engaged well into the ‘iPhone era’.
However, the iPhone absolutely murdered the Blackberry and in 2017 the brand had 0% of the market share. In 2007, when the first iPhone released, the phone sold 1.4 million units. Similarly to IBM (but with half the price at $500 or $600), it was hard for new users to understand the device. That number jumped to 11.6 million iPhones sold in 2008, where it would steadily increase from there. iPhones received actual competition with the Android operating system being released to every single company that wanted to make a mobile smartphone. Companies like Samsung, Motorola, HTC, Sony, LG, and the makers of Android itself made phones which broadened the market and provided alternatives. Other important landmarks in smartphone history includes Samsung’s Galaxy S line releasing in 2010, the first ever 4g phone (the HTC Evo 4g) in 2010, Samsung’s infamous exploding phone in 2016, and Apple’s removal of the headphone jack also in 2016. It’s very difficult to predict where smartphones will go, but their past is just as perplexing
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Fairfield Country Day School (FCDS) is a private, all-boys day school in Fairfield, Connecticut.
FCDS admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
FCDS admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
FCDS is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status.