Steve Jobs Announced the iPhone and Apple TV 18 Years Ago Today

[MacRumors]

Today marks 18 years since Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the original iPhone and Apple TV at Macworld Expo 2007.

Standing on stage, Jobs introduced the iPhone as a product that combined three revolutionary functions: "an iPod with touch controls, a phone, and a breakthrough internet communications device." He emphasized that these were not three separate devices, but one, and said, "Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone."

This vision materialized as a device that broke away from industry conventions, featuring a sleek aluminum and plastic body, a 3.5-inch multi-touch display that precluded the need for a physical keyboard, a 2-megapixel camera, and iPhone OS—a mobile operating system that provided unprecedented functionality compared to the feature phones of its time. The iPhone consolidated multiple devices into one and laid the groundwork for future innovation.

While the iPhone dominated headlines, Apple also formally introduced the Apple TV, a product that had initially been previewed as "iTV" during a previous event in September 2006. Apple TV was presented as a set-top box designed to bring iTunes content to the television. The device allowed users to wirelessly stream movies, TV shows, music, and photos from their Mac or PC directly to their TV. It featured a 40GB hard drive for local content storage and supported 720p HD resolution, offering both HDMI and component video output, and was priced at $299.

Another notable announcement was Apple's decision to change its corporate name from "Apple Computer, Inc." to simply "Apple Inc." Jobs said that Apple was no longer just a computer company, signaling its intention to dominate multiple sectors.

Article Link: Steve Jobs Announced the iPhone and Apple TV 18 Years Ago Today

 

[MrENGLISH]

iPhone is now a legal adult in the US

 

[brofkand]

The 2000’s will go down as Apples most inventive and exciting decade.

 

[breather]

Today Years ago Steve Jobs announced there Iphone and Apple TV 18.

 

[mxrider88]

I miss him and the company under his guidance.
If only he could see what sort of garbage the current software is…

 

[orbital~debris]

iPhone introduction is legendary.

Man, the first tv was a cool product to own. It was just so nice to be able to hook up an Apple product to your TV and access your stuff there.

 

[yoak]

Remember being lucky and traveling to LA from Europe that same spring. Drove all around LA trying to find an iPhone in stock. Found one at The Grove I think. Spent all night in my hotel jailbreaking it, as that was the only way to use an iPhone outside the US at the time.
Coming back home with an iPhone was actually really exciting

 

[markfc]

iPhone introduction is legendary.

Man, the first tv was a cool product to own. It was just so nice to be able to hook up an Apple product to your TV and access your stuff there.

The video intro on boot was stunning to watch

 

[LV426]

I eschewed Apple devices for a few years, since I objected to the walled garden and massive 30% app tax. But after owning a couple of horrible Android devices, I tried out the iPhone 5 and was more than happy to stay switched. I appreciate the device simplicity and security. The only real hiccup I had with Apple was the appalling butterfly keyboard on the MacBook Pro circa 2016. That was a nightmare.

 

[smithsfan]

Crazy that Macy Gray is forever immortalized by the iPhone announcement.

 

[Morod]

What an amazing product unveiled that day! Nothing else in my life has changed society as much as the iPhone. For better or worse things have never been the same.

 

[schappim]

iPhone is now a legal adult in the US

You are making me feel old…

 

[Ghost31]

Nice. That about the time when the “Apple is doomed” articles started then?

 

[Christoffee]

iPhone XX incoming!

 

[casjohnr]

That poor Starbucks are probably still completing the 4,000 latte order

 

[entropys]

Epic product launch for the ages. A truly transformative product that changed the way people live.

The other amusing thing was it sucked every single bit of oxygen out of that year’s CES. Every other company looked lame. And Apple didn’t even go.

 

[entropys]

Ten years before then. And it was “beleaguered Apple Computer is doomed”

 

[SexExpert]

Today Years ago Steve Jobs announced there Iphone and Apple TV 18.

This is an excellent point, I wish the main article had picked up on it.

 

[Ctrlos]

A fun look down memory lane:

The iPhone looks awesome, but it's just too expensive for most people.

Holy **** that thing was cool!

*eats crow*

Just one thing... did anybody noticed the click wheel is gone... I don't know about you but I'm not crazy about having to use my finger to scroll up and down in that way...

If it had 3g, and was half the price then maybe, but the reality is if you look at the overall market, the proportion of people spending more than £75 on a handset is smaller than most people would think.

Did the phone really need to be "reinvented". IMHO is product is going nowhere.

-large touch screen for $600?

No thanks- I'll stick to my BB Pearl I got FREE from TMobile

Already gives me all the push email, internet, video, & music I
need.

Nothing revolutionary here folks. Move along..

Being cutting edge in the computer world is now far more difficult, even more so with no exciting new chips for a while. This is a step sideways, it's a gamble and it may just pay off

And let's hope Apple Inc. opens up the iPhone to developers...I can think of a lot of useful Widgets I'd like to see ported to this puppy before June.

How many times can I repeat myself "There is nothing revolutionary
about a touch screen interface!!" Tablet PCS have been around for
years!

This could either be the 2nd coming of the iPod, or the 2nd
coming of the Newton.

Bottom line, its NOT a slam dunk.

The only real advantage this has over other phones is its
prettier-

People prefer having real keyboards- not touch screens that
scratch up & are super hard to type on.

 

[IIGS User]

Ten years before then. And it was “beleaguered Apple Computer is doomed”

They should just sell it to Dell. Besides, the iPhone will never make it in the marketplace, it doesn’t have a physical keyboard.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I didn't pay any attention when the original was released, even though I was an Apple user..still had an G4 iBook, I think. My girlfriend at the time was a huge Apple fan and bought one about a week after release. She used it until the iPhone 6!

It's the best looking iPhone. Great ergonomics, the rounded sides, the pocketability!

 

[cgs1xx]

I loved the first couple of Apple TVs, you could download or move downloaded content to the Apple TV and you wouldn't need to even stay connected to the wifi !

 

[matsan]

Ahh, woke up my old 3G to join me in celebrating the moment!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Relative to that AppleTV, I really miss quite useful features like:

• Sync (our own media) which could be revived on the current one by adding a normal USB port to which anyone interested could add whatever storage we desired… OR put an m.2 or 2 slots inside for up to 16TB of internal storage (at market rates, not 3X-5X Apple pricing). Those interested in a sync revival could get it and those happy with stream-all wouldn't have to pay up for added storage inside. There were "abnormal" USB ports on recent gens, so this would simply be a matter of putting one back again and making it a "normal" USB port... which- beyond this- could scratch many other itches such as the dedicated FaceTime camera wanted by some, wired keyboard/game controller connections, etc. too.
• Analog audio out for benefits like using it as a music player with TV off… truly an “iPod for your TV.” This could be easily revived with a 3.5mm port added into the current one (or again a "normal" USB port to which a USB-to-3.5mm dongle could do this job). Analog audio is particularly useful for ZONE 2 receivers which usually need analog input. As is, buying “audio extractors” that aim to split out audio is generally a mess in terms of maintaining CEC and HDR while still letting a “TV off” music jukebox option “just work.” The chip inside already supports this, so it's really just a matter of adding a royalty-free port that connects to it- I'd have to think added cost would not be more than maybe 50¢ per unit at volume.

And then there are MANY software features that were fantastic in gen 1 that later Apple “improved” by subtraction. For example, if one tagged their own media's Show tag with a name, all serialized movies with the same Show tag would show as one line instead of individually. You clicked the Show name to then display the serialized movies. Thus, stuff like James Bond could gather all 2X movies in ONE line item entry, Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter, etc... resulting in a short main list of media with what is basically one-click submenus for some entries to display that group of movies. However, Apple subtracted this simple and great benefit generations of AppleTVs ago with no tangible replacement (yet). There is an inelegant workaround but Show "just worked" from the beginning, is still a tag associated with all m4v media, etc. Revive great "just works" benefits! And that's just one of MANY deprecated features that would be great to revive.

Jobs version got so much right in Gen 1. I wish Gen Next would get around to resurrecting some of the many great software touches that were there and then subtracted away since.

Bonus: while they are at it, revive Jobs era Front Row app for Mac too. It basically app-itized the AppleTV UI to run on Mac. A Front Row 2 app could allow those wanting to buy a much more powerful AppleTV buy even a Mac Studio Ultra to function as AppleTV "Ultra" if one desires. I bet FR2 would be easier to code now than FR1 was back then since M & A chips are such close cousins/siblings. That seems easiest path to the want of a M-based AppleTV... something Apple could easily do and might move some to pay up for maybe a Mac Mini or Mini Pro "AppleTV" instead of spending <$150 for the standard unit. Apple likes 💰💰💰. I'm surprised they've not already done this for the 💰💰💰.

 

[minimo3]

Reminds me of how gorgeous iOS used to look - particularly the music player and call screen. It evoked an emotion, versus today where it’s so generic.