16 years ago, Apple unveiled the first iPhone: it couldn't even shoot video

16 years ago, on January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. Apple's development became the foundation that helped the corporation to revolutionize the market and made the company the richest in the world.

Appleinsider recalled the capabilities of the device, its appearance, and the secret of the first iPhone's success.

What the first iPhone looked like

During the presentation at the MacWorld event, Steve Jobs presented the first iPhone to the public. The device had a modest (by modern standards) 3.5-inch display, was equipped with a 2-megapixel camera, and weighed 135 grams.

What features the phone had

It's hard to believe, but Apple's development was inferior to its competitors in many ways. Compared to other devices, the iPhone did not even support 3G. At the same time, owners of Nokia and Sony Ericsson could use video calls, but the iPhone simply did not have this feature.

In addition, while other phones could turn off the mobile Internet at will, Apple's development required a constant connection to the network. Of course, at that time, we hadn't heard of unlimited data plans, and the prices for communication in the United States were quite high.

And this was just one of the many limitations that awaited the Apple buyer. The lucky iPhone owner couldn't even change the black desktop background: there were simply no other options.

It took the corporation another three years to add the ability to copy and paste text or images. For comparison, it is worth noting that Nokia phones have been able to do this for a long time.

Main disadvantages

Despite these limitations, the device had several other significant drawbacks. One of the biggest disadvantages was the inability to turn on the new iPhone without connecting to iTunes. It may seem like a small thing, but in fact, the owner simply could not start using Apple's development without a computer.

The device's camera was an equally significant drawback. Its size was inferior to almost all competitors on the market, and it did not have a flash or panoramic shooting. What's more, the iPhone couldn't even shoot video: it simply didn't have this feature. In addition, the captured images could not be sent via MMS.

Secret of success

It is surprising that with so many limitations and shortcomings, the device has gained wide popularity. The secret of the first iPhone's success was its multi-touch display. Its screen was able to respond to multiple touches, which was really impressive at the time. All other phones had a physical keyboard, so this technology was a real breakthrough in the market.

Of course, the sales of the first model were not impressive, but it still kick-started the development of the technology and changed the digital world.

The fact is that the touchscreen has not only influenced the phone market but has also pushed the development of social networks. Some people can't imagine their smartphones without Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. But they have acquired their modern look and user-friendly interface thanks to the development of touchscreen technology.

That's why the first iPhone became the foundation that allowed Apple to grow into the world's richest corporation, the products of which are used by millions of people from all over the world.