Wired magazine has a fresh article today, recounting the events that led up to the Apple iPhone. It really is a good read, though a bit gushy at parts. The article gives great insight into the US cellphone industry, specifically the power that the carriers yield over manufacturers (or used to yield).
The article also mentions the first “Apple phone”, the Motorola ROKR, and quickly points out how completely terrible it was. It’s also interesting to note that Apple tried to come up with a phone in 2 ways – the first, the original ROKR, which was done in the traditional way of ceding to the carrier, and the second, the iPhone, which was done how Apple wanted it to be done.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article, though I’m personally not a huge fan of the iPhone for my usage needs. Regardless of my thoughts on the actual device itself, there’s no arguing that it changed the industry for the better, forever.
