Apple introduced the first iPhone in 2007 and became a market-cap leader.
Steve Jobs unveiled the original iPhone on January 9, 2007, and it went on sale in the United States on June 29 of that year. The device combined a mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and an internet communicator, while replacing physical keys with a multitouch screen.
The iPhone transformed Apple’s business. It created a powerful hardware platform for mobile software and services, and later models expanded into photography, payments, biometrics, and high-speed connectivity. The App Store, introduced in 2008, added a large developer ecosystem and made the phone more useful over time.
Nokia, Samsung, and BlackBerry were major mobile-phone companies, but the original iPhone is specifically associated with Apple. Apple’s later market value reflected the continuing scale of the iPhone ecosystem as well as its other products and services.