There’s no denying that the iPhone has changed the world. From the day it was introduced, the technology has taken an increasingly more forceful role in our day-to-day lives, and now it seems impossible to get by without an Apple device in our pockets. From communication to work to health and fitness, the iPhone has changed it all.
Single and ready to find a new partner? There’s an app for that. Struggling to monitor your diabetes? There’s an app and wearable device for that. Ready to put in an offer on a house? There’s an app for that. Want to organise a funeral? There’s an app for that.
In short, Apple has created an ecosystem and platform that’s been adopted by billions of people, and though Google’s Android is a worthy competitor, no other manufacturer has been able to seamlessly integrate software and hardware quite like Apple, offering an unbeatable user experience and a one-of-a-kind tool.
When the very first iPhone was unveiled, it took the world by storm. Granted, it wasn’t the world’s first smartphone – Blackberry, Palm, and Sony Ericsson each say they achieved that feat first – but Apple created the world’s first modern smartphone. Remember: at the time of the iPhone’s launch, rivals were launching flip phones and devices with slide-out keyboards, whereas the iPhone focused on minimalism with a flat design and a single button. Above all else, Apple can be thanked for putting the internet in our pockets.
Today, we’re constantly connected to the internet – and we’ve become so used to this connection that many suffer withdrawal symptoms when they’re away from their devices. Social media, endless notifications from news and eCommerce brands and the ability to monitor our homes through CCTV cameras on the Home app and children through the Find My app have made the iPhone an indispensable part of everyday life.
The device has been even more essential in developing countries, where their phone became the first and only device where they could access the web, opening up the world overnight.
iPhone has also turned the world into photographers. It’s hard to imagine going on a vacation, heading to a restaurant, or catching up with friends without taking some snaps to document the day and share it on Instagram and Snapchat. When the original iPhone launched, it came with a 2MP rear camera.
Nowadays, we’re able to shoot 4K footage from our phones, use technology like Cinematic Mode to create TV-quality footage, and more. But having a camera in your pocket is about much more than selfies: it’s changed how we view the world. Everything is documented – live coverage of major events is shared on Twitter within minutes of them happening, and everyone can share their view with the world.
Without iPhones, we wouldn’t have social media. It’s now a dominant part of our lives, each and every one of us turning to platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok to keep up with news, our friends, and hobbies. Sure, the iPhone isn’t the only way to access social media, but for many people, their first exposure to social media was from an iPhone, and several of the biggest social media platforms started life as apps created for the iPhone.
What good social media does today is questionable; many are going ‘cold turkey’ and psychologists are warning of the dangers of apps like Instagram and TikTok and the potentially damaging mental health impact they’re having on young minds.
How has the iPhone changed your life? Let us know and check back soon for more news.
