The first iPhone was launched in 2007, with Steve Jobs declaring it would redefine phones. By 2025, the iPhone will celebrate 18 years of innovation. Apple had already revolutionized the Mac and iPad, but with the iPhone, Jobs cemented Apple’s third revolution in product categories.
Over the years, the evolution of iPhones has been remarkable, with each model representing a classic product of its time. In this article, we’ll explore the history and evolution of iPhone models from 2007 to 2025, focusing on the advancements made in design and technology.
In other words – we’re going to look at the fascinating progression of iPhones over time.
#1 – The First iPhone (2007)
A narration on the evolution of iPhones will begin with the first iPhone, of course. It might be hard to believe that you could put only 16 GB of data in the original iPhone.
The first iPhone was launched in 2007. There was not much to be put on the phone, as there was no App Store yet. The phone could handle only 128 MB of memory, and the camera was only 2 megapixels. There were also no third-party apps, no GPS, and no video recorder on the phone. The fact that you possessed a phone back in 2007 was enough luxury.
First of all, the iPhone knocked down the physical keyboard, which was all the existing smartphones had to offer. It brought in touch screens. It had the pinch-to-zoom feature. You could just tap, and the screen would zoom in. This feature seemed to be nothing less than magic, something straight out of a movie. Moreover, the device had the multitasking feature, which enabled you to switch from mail to music to contacts and back.
Something that most of us don’t give a thought to is that there was no iPhone 2. Apple didn’t launch one with a ‘2’ in its name since the next device in the iPhone evolution timeline was the iPhone 3G.
#2 – iPhone 3G (2008)
The iPhone 3G was a step ahead in the evolution of iPhones. It wasn’t much different from the original iPhone in terms of internal specifications. The only difference was that 3G came into play. With this, you could access the internet at much faster speeds. Most importantly, there was an App Store now, as the iPhone 3G intended to make its distinct mark in the history of iPhones.
#3 – iPhone 3GS (2009)
With iPhone 3GS, Apple introduced the 32 GB option for the first time. With the introduction of the App Store in iPhone 3G, 16 GB of memory would soon be inadequate. There were new apps to check out, after all. Apple also added voice control in this model. The video recording feature was also added, and the camera was upgraded to 3.0 megapixels. The voice control was not called Siri yet. Also, with this, Apple initiated the tradition of adding an ‘S’ to the model name for an upgrade.
#4 – iPhone 4 (2010)
This was an even bigger step ahead in the progression of iPhones. The iPhone 4 was the first iPhone with a front camera. It also had a Retina Display. Apple had highly increased the pixels while keeping the screen size the same at 3.5 inches. It had a modern-day look with a bit sleeker shape. With 512 MB of memory, the iPhone 4 model could handle a lot more than the 3GS, which had only 256 MB of memory. The iPhone 4 was surely a milestone in the evolution of iPhones.
#5 – iPhone 4S (2011)
The iPhone 4S didn’t differ much from the 4. The camera was upgraded to 8MP from 5MP. The 64 GB option was also introduced for the first time. But the biggest upgrade was the arrival of SIRI, your personal assistant, which proves to be a really helpful feature today. Apple had sold 4 million units of this model in the first week. It took the evolution of the iPhone to the next level.
#6 – iPhone 5 (2012)
With the iPhone 5, the memory was upgraded all the way up to 1 GB. It was a big step in the history of iPhone models. The camera stayed the same. Moreover, along with 3G, the iPhone 5 had LTE connectivity. Also, Apple, for the first time, had increased the screen size by 0.5 inches. The previous models had a 3.5-inch display, and this model had a 4-inch display. Apple sold 5 million units of this model.
#7 – iPhone 5S and 5C (2013)
The 5C was nothing but an affordable version of the iPhone 5S. It had a plastic shell and was available in 4 different colours. The 5S brought with it Touch ID, slow-motion video, and the M7 motion coprocessor.
#8 – iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (2014)
The 6 marked a change in the design of the iPhone, taking the evolution of iPhones to the next level. The internal specifications were almost like the 5S, but it came with a significantly larger screen and an even larger one than the 6S. The option of having 128 GB storage was made available for the first time while keeping the memory the same. The camera didn’t see any upgrade. Despite this model seeing no significant change, Apple sold 10 million units of this model in the first week itself, a record that the company keeps breaking every time a new launch comes around.
#9 – iPhone 6S and 6S Plus (2015)
As far as the look is concerned, these models seem exactly the same as the previous ones. Apple did, however, make quite a few changes to make these models remarkable in the history of iPhone. The camera was upgraded from 8 MP to 12 MP. The memory was also doubled. 3D touch was also introduced, but like any other technology, 3D touch is not being used to its full potential because it’s in its early days. Also, since iPhone 6 had some bending issues, Apple started giving these models 7000 series aluminium to prevent future issues.
#10 – iPhone SE (2016)
If you’re wondering which model this is, then you’re probably not alone, since the iPhone SE was just like the 6S. It had all its features but in a slightly smaller size. It also didn’t have the 3D Touch. This was introduced as a more affordable version of the 6S, and many people loved it, while many people remain blissfully unaware of this model to date.
#11 – iPhone 7 and 7S plus (2016)
With the 7 & 7S Plus, Apple dropped the base model with 16 GB storage. It was another revolutionary step in the history of iPhone models. These came with a base storage of 32 GB, going all the way up to 256 GB. The 7S proved to be a bigger success than all the other S models because of its dual camera. This made a very significant lossless zoom feature possible. It also had the portrait mode, which enabled you to click beautiful pictures. With this, Apple also introduced a stylish new jet black colour.
#12 – iPhone 8 and 8 Plus (2017)
In 2017, Apple released the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus with a new glass and aluminum design in three stunning colors made of the most durable glass. The iPhone 8 phones, unlike current iPhones, had an intuitive home button and a familiar design. The iPhone 8 series was one of the flagbearers of the evolution of the iPhone.
The removal of the rose gold and jet black colour variants was notable. The models also added inductive charging, a faster processor, and improved cameras and displays. The iPhone 8 had a 12 MP camera with autofocus, an aperture of f/1.8, and optical image stabilisation. It featured a wide-angle lens with up to 10 digital zooms or 2 optical zooms. The iPhone 8 Plus also included a secondary telephoto lens, similar to the one found on the iPhone 7 Plus.
#13 – iPhone X, XS, XS Max and XR (2017-2018)
In this step in the evolution of iPhones, the X series was a major design and feature leap from the previous 8 series. It introduced a bezel-less OLED display, eliminating the Home button, and replacing Touch ID with Face ID for facial recognition.
The iPhone X also has a stainless steel frame, a sharper Super Retina display, and Animoji powered by the new TrueDepth camera system. The X set the foundation for modern iPhones, pushing Apple toward gesture-based navigation and advanced facial authentication.
#14 – iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max (2019)
Apple’s flagship 13th-generation iPhones, the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, were released in 2019. Gold, Silver, Space Gray, and Midnight Green were the colours available for the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. Midnight Green was a new color never available earlier in the history of iPhone models. Apple centered the logo on the device’s back with no text, and the glass featured a frosted matte finish, replacing the glossy finish found on previous glass-backed iPhones.
The A13 Bionic processor is found in both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. Samsung created the display for the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The Super Retina XDR Display was found on both models.
#15 – iPhone SE (2020)
Following in the footsteps of the first-generation iPhone SE, Apple released the second-generation iPhone SE in 2020 to take the evolution of the iPhone to the next level. The iPhone SE had an aluminium frame and a glass front and back. It had the same physical dimensions and physical sizes as the iPhone 8 and is otherwise identical, with the exception of a centered Apple logo and the removal of the iPhone branding. The second generation of the iPhone SE, with a screen diagonal of 4.7 in (120 mm), was among the smallest mainstream in-production smartphones.
#16 – iPhone 12, 12 Pro, 12 Mini, and 12 Pro Max (2020)
Apple introduced the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini, featuring a Super Retina XDR OLED display instead of the Liquid Retina LCD found on the iPhone 11 and XR. Apple introduced MagSafe, marking a revolutionary step in iPhone history. Both models use the A14 Bionic chip and support Dolby Vision 4K HDR video up to 30fps. The iPhone 12 and 12 Mini are the first to exclude a power adapter and EarPods, a controversial change that sparked debate on social media. However, Apple includes a USB-C to Lightning cable. It also applied this change retroactively to other iPhone models.
The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max also had 5G support, a LiDAR sensor, and ProRAW (DNG). With the new DNG v1.6 specification, users were able to capture high-quality lossless 12-bit images in the native Photos app. The iPhone 12 series features the first significant redesign since the iPhone X. The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max were available in Silver, Graphite, Gold, and Pacific Blue. Pacific Blue replaced Midnight Green as the new color, and Graphite became Space Grey.
#17 – iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, and 13Pro Max (2021)
The fifteenth generation of iPhones included the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Apple designed and uses the A15 Bionic system on a chip in this series. The iPhone 13 and 13 Mini feature a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, and a 5-core GPU. The design of the iPhone 13 series has not changed significantly.
However, due to the larger lenses, the rear camera module now covers a larger area. The Face ID and camera module on the front display, known as the ‘notch,’ is 20% smaller than in previous generations. With the iPhone 13 series, Apple advanced the evolution of iPhones to the next level, making them the epitome of luxury in smartphones as known in 2022.
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#18 – iPhone SE (2022)
Apple released the third-generation iPhone SE in 2022. In 2023, this is no longer the latest in the progression of iPhones we’ve had. It is merely a part of the iPhone’s 15th generation.
Apple builds the iPhone SE with an aluminum frame and a glass front and back. The iPhone SE comes in three color options: Midnight, Starlight, and Product Red. People use Midnight and Starlight in place of Black and White. The Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) architecture system on a chip (SoC) includes an integrated motion coprocessor and a fifth-generation neural engine. The phone did not have the ultra-wideband capabilities enabled by the U1 chip found in the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro. Apple included its True Tone feature in this iPhone to help the screen colour match the environment.
#19 – iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max, (2022-2023)
The iPhone 14 series introduced several key changes over the 13 series in the evolution of iPhones. The iPhone 14 Pro models feature the new Dynamic Island, replacing the notch with an interactive area for notifications and live activities. The 14 Pro also upgrades to a 48 MP main camera, significantly improving photo quality.
The Always-On Display was introduced on the Pro models, allowing users to glance at key information without waking the device. Additionally, Emergency SOS via Satellite was a new safety feature. The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus offered improved battery life and performance, but retained similar designs to the 13 series.
In 2023, a new yellow color variant was launched for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.
#20 – iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max (2023)
The iPhone 15 series, released in September 2023, introduced several key upgrades over the iPhone 14 series. One major change was the switch from the Lightning port to USB-C, offering faster charging and data transfer speeds. The iPhone 15 Pro models feature a titanium frame, making them lighter and more durable.
The A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro models offered the usual enhanced performance and graphics capabilities. The Dynamic Island feature was made standard across all models, while the camera system saw upgrades with better low-light performance and a new photonic engine for improved image processing.
#21 – iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, and 16e (2024)
In the evolution of iPhones, the iPhone 16 series is one with several key upgrades. The A18 chip delivered better CPU and GPU performance. It has a vertically stacked dual-camera with a 48MP main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide sensor with autofocus for macro shots. It also has better battery life and a display featuring tougher ceramic shield glass. The 16 series also introduces the Action Button and Camera Control Button for enhanced functionality.
The 16e is the more affordable variant with a similar design, A17 chip, and some advanced features, but with slightly lower camera quality and fewer premium materials.
To Sum Up
That’s a wrap for the Phone evolution timeline from 2007 to 2025. Over the years, Apple has seen a lot of changes, and the evolution of iPhones has been remarkable. Despite the many criticisms the company faces daily, you’ve got to admit that they’ve continued reinventing the phone and revolutionized the smartphone industry. We’ll see you at the next iPhone launch. Let us know if you’d like to read about the history of iPhone apps next.
