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7,641 'iPhone' stories November 2008 - March 2016
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Introduced in 2007 by Steve Jobs, iPhone is Apple's flagship iOS device and easily its most popular product around the world. The iPhone runs iOS and includes a large collection of mobile apps through the App Store.

iPhone 9to5Mac

Introduced in 2007 by Steve Jobs, iPhone is Apple’s flagship iOS device and easily its most popular product around the world. Software wise, it runs iOS and includes a large collection of mobile apps through the App Store.

Table of contents

Since its introduction, Apple has released at least one new phone every single year. In recent years, that has typically been in the fall. iPhones are sold through multiple retail channels including Apple Stores, cellular stores, Best Buy, and other major electronic retailers. iPhones can be bought with a single up front payment, financed through the iPhone Upgrade Program, or financed through a cellular carrier.

Apple’s smartphone has become much more than just a phone since its debut. The iPhone can act as your primary camera, music player, GPS device, email client, mobile banking system, messaging device, movie player, and much more.

Current Lineup for 2019:

Discontinued Models:

Read below for all of our coverage

Apple invents ‘universal magnetic adapter’ to bring MagSafe to everything w/ a single port

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Mar 31 2016 - 12:39 pm PT
12 Comments

Yesterday we detailed an Apple patent showing work on a stackable Smart Connector plug of sorts. Today we get a look at a similar invention aimed at making the I/O on future devices more versatile with Apple’s invention of a “Universal Magnetic Adapter” that could allow for more future-proof devices using only a single port. As pictured in the drawing accompanying the patent above, the technology allows for a single port that uses magnetic inserts as adapters for your various devices. Or in other words, MagSafe for everything using a single port and adapters for the various connectors.

In its patent, Apple describes the problem with the current mess of adapters and cables users have to deal:


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iPhone SE demand not high enough to offset declining iPhone 6s sales, say supply chain sources

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Mar 31 2016 - 4:23 am PT
34 Comments

Supply-chain sources cited by the variably-reliable Digitimes claim that Apple’s Q2 chip orders are down on previous years, and that demand for the iPhone SE is not high enough to offset declining demand for the iPhone 6s/Plus.

Shipments for the new iPhone SE will be unable to offset the fall in shipments for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus devices in the second quarter, the sources continued. The shipment target for the SE in the second quarter is four to five million units, the sources said.

Apple did caution that the current quarter’s revenue would see its first year-on-year fall in 13 years, the company predicting a drop of around 11%, which will be in large part due to (probably temporary) ‘peak iPhone.’ This latest report suggests that the slump may continue into the following quarter …


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Foxconn’s acquisition of Sharp likely to reduce Apple’s dependence on Samsung

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Mar 31 2016 - 3:52 am PT
1 Comment

Foxconn’s acquisition of Japanese display-maker Sharp looks likely to help Apple reduce its dependence on Samsung as it prepares for a transition from LCD to OLED displays.

The WSJ notes that Samsung currently makes 95% of the world’s OLED displays, and that Apple always aims to have multiple sources of components to reduce risk and strengthen its negotiating position.

While Sharp doesn’t currently make OLED screens, it will almost certainly start doing so under Foxconn’s ownership.

Sharp can springboard off its existing technology to develop the screens, says Alberto Moel, a technology analyst for Bernstein Research. The two types use the same backbone, but OLED screens are topped with a layer of organic compounds instead of the liquid crystal layer for LCDs. “The first part of the production process is similar,” he said.

Foxconn has long been seeking to expand its role in iPhone production from low-margin assembly work into the more profitable component business.

Apple currently used OLED displays only in the Apple Watch, but is widely expected to switch to the newer display technology in the iPhone in either 2017 or 2018. While Samsung looks set to be Apple’s lead supplier, that’s something the iPhone maker will want to change over time.

First iPhone SE teardown reveals mainly 5s/6s parts inside, but a few surprises too

Avatar for Chance Miller Mar 30 2016 - 4:50 pm PT
18 Comments
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As the iPhone SE is slowly beginning to reach the hand’s of customers around the world, the folks at ChipWorks have already been able to take Apple’s latest 4-inch phone apart to see what’s powering it all on the inside. It’s often been said the iPhone SE is an iPhone 6s crammed into the body of an iPhone 5/5s, and for the most part, it looks like that really is the case.


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Foxconn finally agrees to buy Sharp for $3.5 billion

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Mar 30 2016 - 2:31 am PT
6 Comments

Deja vu? The Foxconn acquisition of Sharp was almost a done deal a few weeks ago, until Sharp revealed some additional liabilities at the eleventh hour it had not previously disclosed. This meant Foxconn had to go back to the drawing board and re-assess the deal, renegotiating some parts of the contract with Sharp. The initial offer was worth $6.2 billion. Today, the companies announced Foxconn will buy Sharp in a $3.5 billion dollar deal.


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Waze app will now alert you when driving over the speed limit

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Mar 29 2016 - 3:38 pm PT
11 Comments

The Waze maps app— the one Google acquired a few years back to improve its own mapping services—today announced a new features that will warn drivers when they are driving over the speed limit. 

Now when you’re using the Waze app to navigate, you’ll automatically see a visual warning (pictured above) if you go over the speed limit, and you can also manually set audio warnings for reaching the limit or hitting 5, 10 or 15% over.


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Opinion: Why the FBI accessing the San Bernardino iPhone doesn’t mean it’s all over

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Mar 29 2016 - 8:05 am PT
25 Comments

See italicised updates below, with statements from both the Department of Justice and Apple.

The battle between the FBI and Apple over accessing a work phone used by one of the San Bernardino terrorists started as headline news and ended in a rather anti-climactic fashion.

The high-profile congressional hearing was due to be followed by a big showdown in court. Instead, the FBI asked that the hearing be vacated, and later quietly announced that it had, with help, managed to gain access to the phone. Nothing to see here, move along.

But while this particular case may be settled, it’s extremely unlikely that this will be the end of the matter – for two reasons …


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Foxconn shares suspended due to “major announcement” expected to be Sharp acquisition

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Mar 29 2016 - 6:01 am PT
1 Comment

It looks like the on-off acquisition of display-maker Sharp by iPhone assembler Foxconn is back on. The WSJ reported earlier that the two companies have been discussing a significantly lower valuation for the company, and Reuters now reports that share trading in Foxconn has been suspended due to a “major announcement.”

Japan’s Sharp Corp and Taiwan’s Foxconn are set to sign a merger deal this week after repeated delays, with the two sides set to agree on a smaller bailout than originally planned for the troubled Japanese electronics maker, two sources familiar with the talks said.

The deal is expected to be finalised during board meetings by both companies tomorrow for around $2B less than originally discussed, after a rather stormy journey.


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Nintendo’s first iOS game Miitomo will launch in US & other countries on March 31

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Mar 29 2016 - 5:33 am PT
2 Comments

Update: The Miitomo app is now available on the U.S. App Store.

The game is already available in Japan— that’s how Jeff managed to go hands-on in our first look video earlier this month— but today Nintendo confirmed that its first iOS game, Miitomo, will officially arrive in the US on March 31st.

The game isn’t exactly bringing over any of Nintendo’s very popular first party franchises to iPhones and iPads, but it does feature known Mii characters and, as we noted in our review, the release feels very much like a Nintendo title:

When you first start Miitomo, it’s immediately recognizable as a Nintendo title. It feels like someone took my Nintendo Wii and shrunk it down to fit inside of my iPhone 6s. The music and sound effects, most notably, are of the characteristic Nintendo style. The Miis themselves look just like the Miis on the game-maker’s handheld and home consoles. The writing — witty, with just a hint of corniness thrown in for good measure — is classic Nintendo.

Nintendo noted in its press release today that Miitomo was downloaded over a million times in the first three days after launch in Japan and it also managed to become the #1 most downloaded free app in both the App Store and Google Play.

While Nintendo didn’t mention other countries by name today, it did say that “several other countries” will receive the title on the 31st alongside users in the US.

Check out our review of the game from earlier this month to get a first look before it officially arrives in the US and other countries on the 31st.

Apple acknowledges iOS 9 crashing bugs when tapping links, fix coming ‘soon’ with a software update

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Mar 29 2016 - 2:50 am PT
58 Comments

Since posting our original story, we have heard from a lot of readers that are affected by iOS 9 crashes or app hangs when tapping links, spanning multiple iOS versions (not just 9.3) and devices. In a statement, Apple has now confirmed that they are working on a fix for the problem, coming in a software update (presumably iOS 9.3.1).

“We are aware of this issue, and we will release a fix in a software update soon.”
A temporary workaround is still unknown, although community investigations have revealed why the bug has arisen. It is based on what apps the user has installed and how those apps handle universal links.


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iPhone SE a big hit in China, with 3.4M preorders through retailers – CNBC

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Mar 28 2016 - 7:16 am PT
14 Comments

A CNBC report claims that Apple has received more than 3.4M pre-orders for the iPhone SE through retailers in China. The report says that gold was the most popular color, accounting for 1.3M orders, with rose gold close behind at 1.2M. If the numbers are correct, adding in orders direct from Apple and in other countries could see some very impressive sales numbers …


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KGI: Apple to revamp iPhone lineup in 2017 w/ iPhone 4-like design, AMOLED screen, 5.8-inch model

Avatar for Chance Miller Mar 26 2016 - 10:04 am PT
128 Comments
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Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo at KGI Securities has today issued a new note in which he says that Apple will entirely revamp its iPhone lineup come 2017. According to Kuo, Apple in 2017 will release a new iPhone with glass casing and an AMOLED display. This somewhat contradicts an earlier note from the analyst that said Apple was aiming for an AMOLED iPhone by 2018.


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iPhone SE diary: Why I’m seriously considering my first ever iDevice downgrade

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Mar 23 2016 - 8:08 am PT
64 Comments
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Apple deserves a great deal of credit for the iPhone SE. I outlined yesterday why I believe the product makes long-term strategic sense, and the vast majority of you agree. But Apple has also managed to tempt not just one but two 9to5Mac writers to do something almost unthinkable for tech junkies: downgrade our iPhones! Like Zac, I too am seriously considering selling my iPhone 6s and replacing it with the SE.

I’ve long been a fan of small-screened phones. I actually sat out both the iPhone 5 and 5s because neither seemed to me at the time to offer enough reason to upgrade. But there’s only so long I can be without the latest tech, so eventually I had to bite the bullet and buy first the iPhone 6 and then the 6s.

However, the iPhone SE comes very close to offering the best of both worlds: the latest tech and a smaller form-factor …


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Israel’s Cellebrite reportedly the security company helping FBI unlock San Bernardino iPhone

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Mar 23 2016 - 4:42 am PT
20 Comments

Israeili YNetNews reports that the so-far unnamed “third party” which has offered to help the FBI try to break into the San Bernardino iPhone is Cellebrite, a mobile forensics company based in Israel.

The FBI has been reportedly using the services of the Israeli-based company Cellebrite in its effort to break the protection on a terrorist’s locked iPhone, according to experts in the field familiar with the case. Cellebrite has not responded to the report. But if it is indeed the “third party” in question, and it is able to break into the terrorist’s iPhone, it would bring the high-stakes legal showdown between the government and Apple to an abrupt end. Cellebrite, considered one of the leading companies in the world in the field of digital forensics, has been working with the world’s biggest intelligence, defense and law enforcement authorities for many years. The company provides the FBI with decryption technology as part of a contract signed with the bureau in 2013.

Cellebrite declined to comment officially, and no information was given as to the method the company plans to use. One unlikely source claims to know …


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Apple posts three exclusive ‘environmental’ iPhone and iPad wallpapers on its website

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Mar 23 2016 - 3:46 am PT
2 Comments

As part of Apple’s Renew program, where the company is encouraging people to recycle their old devices to help the environment, Apple has posted some exclusive environmental wallpaper to download on its website. The URL (apple.com/thanks) is given out on cards in Apple Stores to people who recycle their old device in store, as a small gesture of appreciation.

However, the URL is open to anyone to visit and download some cute, exclusive, iOS 9 wallpaper that isn’t included in the default list of iOS wallpaper …


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Here’s how Apple’s new 4-inch iPhone SE compares to the rest of the lineup

Avatar for Zac Hall Mar 22 2016 - 10:34 am PT
10 Comments
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Small iPhone fans, rejoice! Apple has finally updated its 4-inch iPhone for the first time since the iPhone 5s in 2013. Dubbed the iPhone SE, Apple’s 2016 4-inch iPhone could pass for the iPhone 5s if you weren’t looking too close (save for the rose gold version), but how does it compare to its predecessor as well as the rest of the current iPhone lineup? We break it down below:


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Opinion: The iPhone SE is a smart, long-term move – and creates the prospect of a $299 iPhone

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Mar 22 2016 - 7:45 am PT
35 Comments

I argued a couple of months ago that ‘peak iPhone’ was likely a temporary phenomenon, but that Apple might have to be willing to accept lower margins if it is to continue to grow its sales.

I think it will also need to learn to be a little more flexible when it comes to its profit margins, especially in growth markets. That ~40% markup has served it well for a great many years, but I don’t think it can necessarily expect to maintain it indefinitely.

Yesterday, the company indicated its willingness to do just that. For the first time, Apple’s entry-level phone is a brand-new device that offers close to flagship specs at a price level close to the previous-generation phone. That will hit Apple’s margins on the device for sure, but the company is looking to the long-term …


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