1) iPhone Started as an iPad Project
The Ipad was released a few years later than the iPhone, but Apple actually started the development of the Ipad first. Steve Jobs said that he wanted the development team to research different designs of a virtual keyboard. As they got back with their ideas, Job’s realized that he wanted to implement it on a phone instead.
2) Verizon Turned Down the Rights
Apple was looking for a partner before releasing the phone and turned to Verizon, who turned them down. Apple is known for having high standards and a lot of requirements. Among other things, the iPhone could only have the Apple logo and no other partner logo. Cingular, AT&T nowadays, accepted the terms.
3) The Clock is Set to 9.41
If you look carefully, you’ll see that the iPhone will have the clock set to 9.42 in ads and commercials. This is intentional, of course. Apple’s Scott Forstall has said that the actual news about the product will be about 40 minutes into the presentation when launching a new product. So when the image of the product is shown on the screen, it will be showing the actual time (more or less).
4) Sworn to Secrecy
Steve Jobs gave Scott Forstall free hands to assemble a team for the creation of the iPhone. The only requirement he had was to use internal resources and people already working for Apple from any division. The tricky part was that Forstall wasn’t allowed to mention what the project was about when he approached his dream team. The only thing he could communicate was that it would require a lot of hard work, and they would have to sacrifice evenings and weekends for this project.
5) A Nervous Launch
When Steve Jobs presented the prototype of the iPhone in 2007, the phone wasn’t finished. Everyone involved was actually surprised that the presentation went well without any major hiccups.
6) The Brand Name was Already Taken
Few people know that Cisco was the original owner of the iPhone brand. That didn’t stop Apple, though, from using it, and the two companies finally agreed on cooperating around future products.
7) Plastic Screen
The screen was originally going to be plastic, but Jobs discovered that his keys scratched the screen as it was tested in real life. The decision was made to make the screen out of glass.
8) The First Name was “Purple”
During the development phase, the phone was called “Purple” internally. The division working on it was renamed “Purple Dorm”.
9) The iPhone has been to Space
In 2011, two iPhone 4s went to space. The two phones were somewhat adapted to meet NASA’s requirements but, besides that, very similar to the phones sold to consumers.
10) Invention of the Year
In the year 2007, Time Magazine realized how popular Apple’s iPhone was among consumers and named it “Invention of the Year 2007”.
Happy birthday iPhone – ten years old already!
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