Smartphones in India have become an essential medium of communication in recent times. Owing to the rich competition in the mobile world, you can get a decent 5G handset for as low as 10,000 bucks. But how did we reach here? Cut to the 1970s and we had an extra-large soap bar-shaped device that could connect via phone calls.
Now, head back to the present, and we have high-tech foldable phones that offer massive screen space and flagship specifications. So, to give you a flashback of the smartphone landscape, here is a timeline.
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The First Call: DynaTAC 800X
The first cell device from Motorola in 1973, engineered by Martin Cooperwas the DynaTAC 800X. According to Versus, it weighed 1.1kg and offered a battery life of up to 30 minutes after 10 hours of charging. It was priced at $3,995 (around Rs 3.31 lakh after currency conversion).
The late 80s And the Cell Phone Revolution
From the suitcase phone from Siemens to the entry of Nokia and Samsung, the era of the late 80s packed sweeping changes in the mobile world. Nokia introduced its first phone (Mobira Cityman 900) in 1987, followed by Samsung’s SH-100 next year. In 1989, Moto innovated again and introduced its first “flip” design phone – MicroTAC.
The Era of 2G and touchscreen
The Nokia 1011 is marked as the first 2G-enabled phone. The mid-90s also witnessed the launch of the first touchscreen smartphone by IBM. Plus, it was the first device with apps. By the end of the 19th century, the world witnessed QWERTY keypads from Nokia and colour screen phones from Siemens.
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3G Phones
As 3G debuted right before 2000, we witnessed the first phone that could browse the internet – the Nokia 7110. Right before the start of the new century, the South Korean giant introduced a phone with an MP3 player – the Samsung SPH-M100 Uproar, the Versus added.
The age of cameras and Nostalgia
The crown of making the first handset with a camera goes to Sharp J-SH04. However, this claim is contested against the Kyocera VP-210 VisualPhone, which had a front camera. Further, the iconic device – Nokia 3310 launched in 2000 and traded like crazy. It continues to ring nostalgic bells in the hearts of keypad phone users.
First iOS And Android Phone
As the world entered 2007, it was time for the next big thing in the smartphone world – the debut of iPhones. It shipped with a touchscreen display that was like a dream for phone users back then. A year later, HTC launched its ‘Dream’ handset, which is credited to be the first Android phone.
And after this, what followed was rapid advancement in the smartphone worldwhich is now moving towards the rise of foldable phones and 5G.
