Apple introduced the first-generation iPhone in 2007, a commercially available smartphone built around a multi-touch screen. The device combined a phone, an iPod-style music player, and internet communication features in one product.
The original iPhone was announced by Steve Jobs in January 2007 and went on sale in the United States on June 29 that year. Its interface replaced many physical keys with software controls and gestures such as tapping, swiping, and pinching.
Apple did not invent every feature associated with smartphones. Earlier devices from companies such as IBM, Nokia, and BlackBerry offered mobile computing, email, or touch input. The iPhone’s importance came from integrating these functions with a capacitive multi-touch interface and a consumer-focused software experience.