Story highlights
iPhone went on sale June 29, 2007, when Nokia and BlackBerry ruled the phone world
Despite its hefty price tag ($600 for the basic model), the iPhone was an immediate hit
The phone helped pioneer touchscreen interfaces, mobile apps, smartphone addiction
On June 28, 2007, Nokia was the top selling mobile-phone company in the world, people stopped working when they left their computers, Android phones didn’t exist, and high-powered executives were addicted to thumbing on their BlackBerrys.
The next day, Apple’s first iPhone went on sale.
At $600, it was a luxury item at first. But five years later, the phone’s dramatic impact can be seen in our daily lives, schools, factories and boardrooms. To date, more than 217 million iPhones have been sold, and they’re being used by construction workers to read blueprints, doctors to diagnose patients, governments to improve services and parents to quiet their kids in restaurants.
To ring in its 5th birthday, here are five ways the iPhone has made a mark on the world.
Photos: Our mobile ‘addiction’