The iPhone 4 Dock was a charging dock with audio-out capabilities for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. It was made of white plastic, measured 2.38 x 1.68 inches, and allowed the iPhone 4 to sit upright while charging while allowing a simultaneous connection to a stereo to play music via a 3.5mm plug.
The Dock used Apple’s 30-pin connector. However, it did not ship with a cable or power adapter.
iLounge pointed out that the iPhone 4’s “need for a case—unfortunately reduces the Dock’s appeal.” They go on to say that “due to the iPhone 4’s new shatter-prone glass body and antenna attenuation issues, many users now feel that cases are necessary to keep the new device working right and feeling safe, and even Apple CEO Steve Jobs has suggested as much in recent communications to end users.”
The iPhone X was introduced ten years after the original iPhone and was described by Apple as “the future of the smartphone.” The iPhone used “X” in its name, pronounced “ten,” as a nod to Mac OS X—which also used the Roman numeral X and marked a major milestone in the evolution of the Mac operating system.
The iPhone X was announced on September 12, 2017, at the same time as the lower-cost iPhone 8, Apple’s base iPhone at the time. Somewhat curiously, Apple skipped the iPhone 9 model and continued naming its iPhone models after the iPhone X with typical numerals.
The iPhone X introduced many firsts, including:
It was the first iPhone to use “a gorgeous all-glass design with a beautiful 5.8-inch Super Retina display,” removing the Home button and replacing it with a swipe-up from the bottom to unlock.
The iPhone X was the first iPhone with an “all-screen” display. It used the “first OLED panel that rises to the standards of iPhone…for a more natural, paper-like viewing experience.”
The iPhone X was the first to use FaceID to unlock, authenticate, and make payments. This technology was enabled by a “TrueDepth camera” that was “made up of a dot projector, infrared camera and flood illuminator…powered by A11 Bionic to accurately map and recognize a face.”
The TrueDepth camera also allowed the iPhone X to bring “emoji to life in a fun new way with Animoji.” The camera “captures and analyzes over 50 different facial muscle movements, then animates those expressions in a dozen different Animoji, including a panda, unicorn and robot.”
The iPhone X was the first iPhone to offer wireless charging using the Qi standard. “The glass back design enables a world-class wireless charging solution.”
This iPhone introduced a “notch” design at the top-center to allow the display to stretch “edge-to-edge” and allow a place for the front camera system. The design choice was polarizing. The Verge wrote that “There’s a mix of surprise, sarcasm, and intrigue that Apple has chosen to go with a screen layout that leads to design compromises,” and added the oft-repeated speculation that “Steve Jobs would have never let that happen.”
The iPhone X was available in two colors, silver and space gray, and offered 64GB and 256GB storage options. This example is silver. The sides of the phone were described as “surgical-grade stainless steel [that] seamlessly wraps around and reinforces iPhone X.”
The Super Retina HD display was 5.8-inches diagonal at 2436 x 1125 resolution (458ppi). The device measured 5.65 inches (143.6 mm) high x 2.79 inches (70.9 mm) wide x 0.30 inch (7.7 mm) deep, and weighed 6.14 ounces (174 grams). Its A11 Bionic chip included a Neural engine that enabled artificial intelligence machine learning.
The iPhone X camera system featured a 6‑element lens with 12 Megapixel wide-angle and telephoto cameras. Portrait mode on the iPhone X introduced Portrait Lighting (listed as a “beta” feature in specifications). Other camera features included panorama (up to 63MP), autofocus, tap to focus, auto HDR (photos), auto image stabilization, burst mode, and geotagging. It could record video at 4K (24, 30, or 60fps), 1080p HD (30 or 60fps), or 720p HD (30fps) with features including optical image stabilization, slo‑mo video (1080p at 120 or 240 fps), cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p), and continuous autofocus. The front TrueDepth camera offered 7 Megapixel resolution, portrait mode, Portrait Lighting (beta), Animoji, and recorded video at 1080p HD.
The iPhone X included 6 sensors, including Face ID, barometer, 3-axis gyro, accelerometer, proximity sensor, and an ambient light sensor.
Like previous iPhone models, the iPhone X included a set of custom wallpapers, two of which were featured on the product’s packaging and prominently in advertisements. 9to5Mac reported that Spanish artist Ana Montiel created the art that inspired the iPhone X wallpaper set:
“‘Fields’ is the title of Montiel’s series of paintings and exhibit that explore ‘altered states of consciousness as vehicles to go beyond the easily perceived.’ The original digital paintings were transferred to canvas and museum quality prints, and the styling came to life this past fall when Apple introduced the iPhone X with three new live wallpapers…”
The Montiel work that most closely represents one of her original works was used on the Space Gray iPhone X packaging, titled “FIELDS 9 : Tactile Irreality” (2017), an archival pigment print measuring 100x70cm. I am honored to own one of Montiel’s original prints. The iPhone X version of FIELDS 9 uses an aspect ratio to fit the iPhone screen, and it is flipped upside-down from the original, presumably to allow the time and date to be optimally displayed on the iPhone. I have opted to hang it in its original format.
Apple’s press release for the iPhone XR led with, “Featuring A12 Bionic Chip, 6.1-Inch Liquid Retina Display, Aluminum and Glass Design in Six Beautiful Finishes, Face ID and Advanced Camera System.”
The iPhone XR, pronounced “ten-R” was released along with the iPhone XS and XS Max. According to MacRumors, the XR model shares hardware with the XS models, but features were removed and/or downgraded to reduce the price of the XR.
The six available colors included (PRODUCT)RED, Yellow, White, Coral, Black, and Blue. The iPhone XR was available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB capacities. It measured 2.98 inches (75.7 mm) x 5.94 inches (150.9 mm), and was 0.33 inch (8.3 mm) thick. It weighed 6.84 ounces (194 grams).
The Liquid Retina HD display measured 6.1 inches (diagonal) with 1792 x 828-pixel resolution (at 326 ppi). The iPhone XR was powered by the A12 Bionic chip with a second-generation Neural Engine.
The primary back camera was 12 Megapixels with up to 5x digital zoom. Its features included Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and depth control, portrait lighting (Natural, Studio, Contour), optical image stabilization, panorama (up to 63MP), autofocus, and smart HDR. It could record video at up to 4K video (at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps). The front had a TrueDepth Camera at 7 Megapixels with features including Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and depth control, portrait lighting (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High-Key Mono), and allowed the use of Animoji and Memoji.
Its six sensors included Face ID, barometer, 3‑axis gyro, accelerometer, proximity sensor, and ambient light sensor. It shipped with iOS 14 and it included a USB-C to Lightning cable.
This example is yellow and includes Apple’s iPhone XR Clear Case.
“Thin, light, and easy to grip—this case lets you enjoy the look of iPhone XR while providing extra protection. It’s also crafted with a blend of optically clear polycarbonate and flexible TPU materials, so the case fits right over the buttons for easy use. On the surface, a scratch-resistant coating has been applied not only to the exterior, but also to the interior. Need to wirelessly charge? Just leave the case on your iPhone and set it on your Qi-certified charger.”
Interestingly, 9to5Mac pointed out that “this is the first clear case that Apple has produced since the iPhone debuted back in 2007.” Clear cases are notorious for turning yellow, but I have owned at least four Apple Clear cases since they were released, and all are still crystal clear, with only slight yellowing on the cases that are over 4 years old.
Apple’s press release for the iPhone XR led with, “Featuring A12 Bionic Chip, 6.1-Inch Liquid Retina Display, Aluminum and Glass Design in Six Beautiful Finishes, Face ID and Advanced Camera System”
The iPhone XR, pronounced “ten-R” was released along with the iPhone XS and XS Max. According to MacRumors, the XR model shares hardware with the XS models, but features were removed and/or downgraded to reduce the price of the XR.
The six available colors included (PRODUCT)RED, Yellow, White, Coral, Black, and Blue. The iPhone XR was available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB capacities. It measured 2.98 inches (75.7 mm) x 5.94 inches (150.9 mm), and was 0.33 inch (8.3 mm) thick. It weighed 6.84 ounces (194 grams). This is a (PRODUCT)RED model with 64GB of storage.
The Liquid Retina HD display measured 6.1 inches (diagonal) with 1792 x 828-pixel resolution (at 326ppi). The iPhone XR was powered by the A12 Bionic chip with a second-generation Neural Engine.
The primary back camera was 12 Megapixels with up to 5x digital zoom. Its features included Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting (Natural, Studio, Contour), Optical image stabilization, Panorama (up to 63MP), Autofocus, and Smart HDR. It could record video at up to 4K video (at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps). The front had a TrueDepth Camera at 7 Megapixels with features including Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High-Key Mono), and allowed the use of Animoji and Memoji.
Its six sensors included Face ID, barometer, 3‑axis gyro, accelerometer, proximity sensor, and ambient light sensor. It originally shipped with iOS 14, and it included a USB-C to Lightning Cable.
The iPhone 7 had a 4.7-inch screen at 1334×750, also known by Apple as a Retina HD display. It had a front and back camera—the rear camera was 12-megapixel and the front camera was a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera with 1080p video.
The iPhone 7 was the first iPhone (along with the iPhone 7 Plus) to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack and only include a Lightning port for audio. Like the iPhone 6 and 6s before it, the iPhone 7 used a “clickless” Home button that clicks using an internal Taptic-engine-powered solid state component. Although the iPhone 7 was not water-proof, it was splash, water, and dust-resistant.
The iPhone 7 models came in several colors: silver (white glass front, silver back); gold (white glass front, gold back); rose gold (white glass front, pink-tinted gold back); black (black glass front, matte black back); jet black (black glass front, a high-gloss black anodized and polished black aluminum back); and later added a (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition (white glass front, red aluminum back).
The iPhone 7 used the Apple A10 Fusion processor, 2 GB of RAM, and was available with 32 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB of flash storage.
The iPhone 5c was released along with the iPhone 5s as a lower-cost addition to the iPhone 5 family. Instead of using a an aluminum back, it used a polycarbonate shell in one of five colors: white, blue, green, yellow, and pink. All colors used a black glass front. This example is yellow.
The iPhone 5c used the same screen and cameras as the iPhone 5s released at the same time. Its touch screen was a Retina display (1136 x 640). The back camera was an 8-megapixel iSight camera (1080p), and the front camera was a 1.2-megapixel FaceTime camera (720p).
Internally, the iPhone 5c used an A6 processor at 1.3 GHz. Its internal storage included 8, 16, or 32 GB. Also like the iPhone 5s, wireless connections included 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and 4G/LTE. Wired connections included the Lightning connector and a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack.
The similarities in features between the iPhone 5c and other iPhone 5 models—along with the iPhone 5c’s color choices and lower price—made this iPhone a popular choice.
The original iPhone was officially announced on January 9, 2007, and was released on June 29, 2007. The original iPhone was available in 4, and 8 GB capacities, with a 16 GB capacity released on February 5, 2008.
The original iPhone introduced the “multi-touch” display that allowed control by dragging one or more fingers across the glass display, although no interface controls required multiple fingers in the iPhone OS 1.0. This iPhone has sensors including an accelerometer (to detect landscape or portrait orientation), an ambient light sensor (to control screen brightness), and a proximity sensor (to turn off the display when held to the ear).
Other features included Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), EDGE, Bluetooth 2.0, and a 2.0 megapixel camera. The case is 2.4 inches by 4.5 inches, is 0.46-inch thick, and weighs 4.8 ounces.
This example is in somewhat rough shape cosmetically, but still functions perfectly. It includes the charging base station that shipped with the original iPhone.
The iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe was designed for the iPhone 12 line and used Apple’s MagSafe connector to attach to the back of iPhone model after the iPhone 12.
This iPhone Leather Wallet was updated from the original design and now includes Find My support. However, the Find My support is limited, compared to other devices that use the technology. An AppleInsider review noted, “You can’t track your wallet, you can’t use the U1 chip to track where it was left, and you can’t make it emit a noise. You can merely get a pin of its last connected location.”
Apple described the Leather Wallet:
“Designed with both style and function in mind, the new iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe is the perfect way to keep your ID and credit cards close at hand. It now supports Find My, so you can be notified of your wallet’s last known location if it gets separated from your phone. Crafted from specially tanned and finished European leather, the wallet features strong built-in magnets that allow it to effortlessly snap into place on the back of your iPhone. You can even stack it on top of a case with MagSafe to create a look that’s unique to you. The leather wallet supports up to three cards and is shielded so it’s safe for credit cards.”
The iPhone 14 Pro was announced on September 7, 2022; began pre-orders on Friday, September 9, 2022; and was available beginning Friday, September 16, 2022. Apple’s website led with the following description of the iPhone 14 Pro:
“A magical new way to interact with iPhone. Groundbreaking safety features designed to save lives. An innovative 48MP camera for mind-blowing detail. All powered by the ultimate smartphone chip.”
The primary new technologies used in the iPhone 14 Pro included: “Always-On display, the first-ever 48MP camera on iPhone, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, and an innovative new way to receive notifications and activities with the Dynamic Island.”
The four colors available at release were deep purple, silver, gold, and space black. The iPhone 14 Pro had a 6.1-inch “Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion” with an Always-On display (for the first time on an iPhone) that used a 1Hz refresh rate with power-efficient technologies. In practice, the Always-On display faded to a dim/dark version of the Wallpaper and allowed the time and up to four widgets to show (a widget above the time and up to 3 below the time). Other “Live Activities” showed in the bottom two-thirds of the Lock screen, including alerts and play/pause options for media.
The iPhone 14 Pro also delivered “the highest outdoor peak brightness in a smartphone: up to 2000 nits, which is twice as bright as iPhone 13 Pro.”
The Dynamic Island was also introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro. The design of this iPhone removed the “notch” that had been used since the iPhone X and moved the functions slightly lower into a pill shape. Apple described the Dynamic Island system as one “that blends the line between hardware and software, adapting in real time to show important alerts, notifications, and activities. With the introduction of the Dynamic Island, the TrueDepth camera has been redesigned to take up less of the display area.”
Apple continued, “Without impeding content on the screen, the Dynamic Island maintains an active state to allow users easier access to controls with a simple tap-and-hold. Ongoing background activities like Maps, Music, or a timer remain visible and interactive, and third-party apps in iOS 16 that provide information like sports scores and ride-sharing with Live Activities can take advantage of the Dynamic Island.”
The iPhone 14 Pro camera system added a 2x camera (in addition to the 0.5x, 1x, and 3x options on the iPhone 13 Pro). The iPhone 14 Pro also offered a new “48MP Main camera with a quad-pixel sensor that adapts to the photo being captured, and features second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization.”
Other new camera features included a front TrueDepth camera with an ƒ/1.9 aperture for better low-light photos and video, adaptive True Tone flash with an array of nine LEDs, and Action mode for “incredibly smooth-looking video that adjusts to significant shakes, motion, and vibrations, even when video is being captured.”
All iPhone 14 models added Crash Detection that used a variety of built-in sensors (dual-core accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, GPS, and microphone) to “detect a severe car crash and automatically dial emergency services when a user is unconscious or unable to reach their iPhone.” Additionally, Emergency SOS via satellite was added, “which combines custom components…to allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.”
The iPhone 14 Pro models are powered by the A16 Bionic chip that includes two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, an accelerated 5-core GPU with 50% more memory bandwidth, and a new 16-core Neural Engine capable of nearly 17 trillion operations per second.
Many of the new features of the iPhone 14 Pro were enabled by iOS 16, released along with the entire iPhone 14 line.
