Objects & Inventions
Smartphone
A smartphone is a mobile phone that integrates a programmable operating system, Internet/network connectivity and third‑party apps — combining telephony with general computing.
Photo by Vojtech Bruzek on UnsplashScope: this entry covers the general class of mobile phones that combine advanced computing, networking and application ecosystems (i.e., telephony + programmable OS + apps).
Because 'first smartphone' depends on criteria (telephony + PDA features, touchscreen, programmable apps, app distribution), this record treats 'first smartphone' in historical context and cites contemporaneous museum and industry sources when naming early candidates.
Quick facts
- A smartphone is a mobile phone that includes an advanced operating system, Internet/network connectivity and the ability to run third‑party applications — i.e., it combines telephony with programmable computing and app distribution. (GSMA device definitions.)
- The device most commonly identified as the first smartphone is the IBM Simon Personal Communicator: IBM showed a prototype in 1992 and BellSouth sold a consumer version in 1994; Simon combined a cellular phone with PDA functions (email, fax, calendar), a touchscreen and downloadable programs. (Computer History Museum; Smithsonian.)
- Apple’s iPhone (announced January 9, 2007) and the launch of the App Store (July 10, 2008) popularized the modern touchscreen, app‑centric smartphone experience and created the large third‑party app economy that defines today’s phones. (Apple press release; contemporaneous tech coverage.)
- Before the iPhone era, several vendor families (BlackBerry, Nokia Communicator series, Palm Treo, Ericsson R380, etc.) offered phones that combined telephony with email, PDA features or mobile OSes — the smartphone concept evolved through many approaches before converging on touchscreen app platforms. (Industry histories/timelines.)
- Smartphones are tracked as a distinct device category by industry organizations and are now the dominant class of personal mobile device worldwide; major smartphone platforms (Android, iOS) support broad app ecosystems and services. (GSMA / industry reports.)
A surprising fact
A typical modern smartphone has far more raw processing power and memory than the Apollo Guidance Computer that helped land Apollo 11 on the Moon.
