For those who are old enough to remember, the first generation iPhone was seen as one of the most revolutionary pieces of technology ever created. From 2007, when the iPhone made its premiere, to now when there are scores of iPhone models available from: iPhone 12 Black, iPhone 12 Silver, iPhone 12 Red, iPhone 13 mini, 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max and iPhone SE. Each iPhone’s release has gone some way to revolutionizing the smartphone market. What this article will do is point out a few of the new significant variations that came with some of the iPhones’ launches in addition to highlighting the best deals currently for the latest models of the igenious piece of hardware that is the iPhone

Best iPhone Innovations Over The Years

The initial iPhone’s screen, innovative multi-touch interface, and the first on-screen keyboard all were features previously unrealized by the smartphones that were previously in the marketplace. Other features that the original iPhone came packaged with upon launch were: 3.5-inch display with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, iOS (operating system), a new multi-touch interface controlled entirely by your finger, Internet Connectivity (2G) with native email client and web browser, 2-megapixel photo camera with no video recording capabilities, Ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, On-screen keyboard 4GB (gigabyte) / 8 GB / 16GB storage models, YouTube and Google Maps applications, Google Search and finally iPod music / video player with support for iTunes. In addition to the highly visible multi-touch screen, which also supported unrestricted access to the internet, consumers at the time were taken with another feature in particular. The camera. It was the first time a cell phone actually came with a functional camera.

The very next year in 2008, there wasn’t really a significant change with the hardware nor the look of the iPhone. However, this iPhone’s capabilities dramatically increased with two key alterations. 3G connectivity and access to the App store. This particular iPhone was even called “iPhone 3G” to further promote what this feature was now bringing to the table. Which was the ability to load pages on the internet much much faster than the previous year’s 2G version. It also came with a better navigation system made possible by the GPS satellite communication that came equipped with the phone.

There were no real notable upgrades made to the iPhone until 2011, with the iPhone 4s. Although video recording capabilities, a digital compass, retina display, front facing camera and secondary microphone were added, all of these paled in comparison to the inclusion of the voice assistant, Siri, to the iPhone’s operating system. As well as setting calendar appointments and alarms, Siri got plenty of use from users searching for answers for some of the most obscure, inane questions that came to their minds. Siri would always answer to the best of ‘her’ programming. iCloud was the other significant feature incorporated with iPhone 4s, an online storage solution based on the emerging cloud storage technology.

In 2013, the iPhone 5s seriously improved its processing speed above previous models. It included the Apple A7, 64-bit system-on-chip and M7 coprocessor. A real game changer as the A7 was the very first 64-bit system-on-chip to be available for consumers in either a tablet or smartphone. The M7 coprocessor helped collect sensor data from the compass, accelerometer, gyroscopes and reduce battery life. Touch ID, the fingerprint system, dual flash and slow motion video was also introduced with great effect.

The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus featured a 12 megapixel camera facilitating these iPhones’ ability to record video in 4K. Those iPhones’ memory was now at 2 GB and brought 3D Touch into play. 3D Touch was a new display technology which aimed to sense the force of a touch. They also updated the iMovie application, Live Photos and brought in a brand new rose gold color template option for consumers.

In one of the most derided, at the time, move made by Apple regarding the iPhone’s design came in 2016 with the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. These iPhones were the first that had no headphone jack. Initially, both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were packaged with Earpods that plugged into the power port and an adaptor for normal wired headset. Apple upped the ante by selling its wireless alternative AirPods separately to quell the baying public uproar. Other significant developments saw both iPhones now being waterproof, a rejiggered camera system that now came with optical image stabilization (OIS) and dual cameras complete with telephoto lenses. 

Merely, a year later the iPhone X made its way on the shelves. Almost exactly ten years after the first iPhone release, the iPhone X was expected to lead Apple into the future. With its edge to edge screen and organic light emitting diodes (OLED) display; the iPhone X had the best visual display of all the iPhones up to that point. This was needed as the iPhone X added the all new Face ID which was created to be a more secure mode of protection for the phone’s owner. The iPhone X also was presented to the public with a glass cover on the back, the ability to charge wirelessly and the brand new Apple A11 Bionic chip. 

In what many might consider as the last huge modification to the iPhone series, four iPhones (iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max) were all released in 2020 with 5G connectivity for the very first time. Luckily, for the iPhones’ battery life, when the 5G networks were unavailable they could switch to the LTE ones. To date the iPhone 12, and its extensions, are the best selling iPhone of all time with the fastest aperture, RAW photos for editing and 5x zoom appealing directly to the consumers who buy their phones with an eye for photography/videography. 

Where Are The Best iPhone Deals?

Now, there are very few places currently that provide fair deals on iPhones models. However, there are very simple ways to find them and ultimately choose the right plan for you. The first qualifier should be to look for the best iPhone package available that is not dependent, at least not directly, on a plan with a particular telecommunication provider. These ‘unlocked’ options are normally pre owned however affords the buyer the flexibility of paying a one time price with the ability to get the iPhone and choose which network you want to have your plan with. The next qualifier should be price points, or more specifically, the outlet or shop that provides the consumer with the most savings. This could be achieved in many ways. Some retailers offer unlimited plans upon purchase with hundreds of dollars off the iPhones’ standard price. There are other benefits to signing up of course these include having the first several months costing the consumer nothing except for their signature signifying their agreement to the store’s contract offer. This, quite sensibly, is contingent upon the iPhone’s potential buyer already having an existing service plan. Each store’s financing options are different, that being said, it is also quite helpful that some of them even offer to purchase a buyer’s old phone. You know, to make the transition to owning a brand new iPhone that much easier. 

It cannot be unstated the tremendous impact that the iPhone and it’s accompanying technology has had on the entire globe. Once seen as a device created just for the elite, the iPhone has now become as synonymous with modern day life and the public lexicon as the search engine Google. Currently, the  iPhone has dominated the list of top 10 best-selling smartphones globally in 2021, according to an anonymous report. iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and iPhone 13 were amongst the top-selling phones of that year. And with Apple’s plans for 2022, this type of market penetration is expected to be built upon. The only question is how many more will join the iPhone’s worldwide legion.