Smartphone: In today’s era, smartphone has become an important part of our life. But have you ever wondered who bought the world’s first smartphone and when was it made? The device we today call a smartphone originated in the 1990s. At that time phones were only for calls and messages but a company took a step which changed the world of mobile technology.
Started with IBM Simon
In the year 1992, IBM created a phone which was not only for making calls but it also had a touchscreen and many digital features. The name of this phone was IBM Simon Personal Communicator (SPC). It is called the world’s first smartphone. IBM Simon was first launched in the US in 1994 and was priced at around $899, which was considered a huge amount at that time.
Who was the first buyer?
IBM Simon’s first customer was not an ordinary person, but an American business professional who was a frequent traveler and wanted to keep his work-related emails and contacts with him. Although the company did not make public the name of that customer, it said that the initial buyers were mainly business executives and government officials. This phone was mainly made for office work so that people can do their work even while on the go.
Features of IBM Simon
This phone was far ahead of its time. It had features like touchscreen display, facility to send and receive email, calendar, contact saving, notepad and ability to send fax. No one had even thought of all these features at that time. In total, about 50,000 units of the IBM Simon were sold, which was a huge success at that time.
The foundation of today’s smartphones
Moving in the same direction as the “smartphone” envisioned by IBM Simon, companies like Nokia, BlackBerry, Apple and Samsung further modernized the technology in the coming years.
The hi-tech 5G smartphones that we have today have their roots hidden in the same small device of 1994 which the world called the IBM Simon as the first smartphone. It not only changed mobile communication but also started the digital era.
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