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Apples iPhone is now five years old. And in that time, the company has sold more than 250 million iPhones worldwide and cemented itself as the worlds top smartphone maker. Apple not only revolutionized its business with the iPhone, the company revolutionized the entire mobile market. And now, five years later, every other company in the space is left to hope and wish that one day, it can be like Apple.
Apples significance in the mobile market cannot be understated. The company made the world see that smartphones could be more than devices that users send out emails and surf the Web. More importantly, the firm has shown other companies how they can improve their own products.
Simply put, Apple has brought an awful lot to the mobile space. And the companys contributions over the last five years should be celebrated.
Read on to learn more:
1. A new world of touch screens
Before the iPhone arrived on the scene, there were a few devices with touch screens. However, they lacked the responsiveness and overall quality found in Apples option. Since then, touch screens have continued to improve. And we all have Apple to thank for it.
2. Shifting enterprise ideas
There was a timeeven after the iPhone launchedwhen IT decision-makers thought that they would never bring an Apple product into the office. But the iPhone helped change that, thanks to its many corporate-friendly features. Now, IT staff is bringing Apple devices, including the iPad and Macs, to the office. The staff is just fine doing it.
3. An eye on design
Looking at the devices that were available before the iPhone launched five years ago, its easy to be underwhelmed. Apple brought a real design focus to the marketplace and in the process, helped improve the overall look and feel of todays mobile devices. What other company could have done that?
4. Smartphone-only?
Prior to the iPhones launch, there were many people that decided a smartphone wasnt for them. After all, if they dont write out emails or browse the Web often, whats the sense? But since then, smartphone adoption has skyrocketed. On the downside, basic mobile feature phones, once the mainstay of Nokias business, are dying out.
Smartphones Are No Longer a Luxury
5. Multiple devices per household
Five years ago, mobile phones were a luxury in the home. Often families would have one device for everyone. But thanks to the iPhones design, which makes it a far more personal product, now multiple smartphones are running in the same household. It has helped Apple, as well as its carrier partners, immensely.
6. A cottage industry of developers
With Apples launch of the App Store in 2008, the company unleashed what has become a multibillion dollar industry centered on developing applications for mobile products. Now, developers around the worldmany of them working from homecan create whole new businesses out of their mobile apps. Thats awfully neat.
7. The death of the personal media device
Interestingly, Apple in many ways hurt its own operation when the company unveiled the iPhone. Prior to that, the iPod was the most sought-after mobile product. But with the iPhones music integration, the iPod was no longer necessary. The personal media device is on its last leg today, and its all Apples fault for killing its own once-hugely popular product.
8. Hello, tablets
The nice thing about the iPhone is that it prompted companies to think beyond smartphones for their touch-screen devices. Apple, for example, ushered in the tablet era with its iPad after enjoying huge success with its smartphone. Tablets wouldnt be nearly as popular or sought-after today if not for the iPhone.
9. New takes on old communication ideas
Apples iPhone communicationstalk, video, and textare by no means groundbreaking. However they have brought about change in the ways these features are used. Apples iMessage, for example, has reduced the number of text messages people are sending through carrier networks. And FaceTime has dramatically hampered other video chat tools from keeping up. Apple has brought on several new takes to old communication ideas. So far, users are responding favorably to that.
10. A change in entertainment consumption
Prior to the iPhones launch, there were many mobile phones that let you play games, listen to music or watch video. But the quality wasnt great and the vast majority of entertainment was still consumed either in the living room or on a computer. However, the iPhone radically changed the experience for the better. All other phone makers had to improve the media-playing capabilities of their products. Now, more people than ever are turning to their mobile products, like the iPhone, to play games, watch videos, and listen to music. It was a seismic shift in the marketplace that cant be overlooked.
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