In ten years, iPhone has changed our lives like this

Ten years ago, Nokia was still the unrivaled leader in the mobile phone industry. When Microsoft's failed Windows Vista was about to be released, the coolest products at CES were still TVs and MP3s that could play streaming media.

As a result, not long after CES ended (January 9), former Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled a mysterious product, the iPhone that changed the world. This $499 phone had only 4GB of memory at the time, and it was a super device that combined a mobile phone, a player, a camera, and could also connect to the Internet.

Jobs said at the launch event: "The iPhone is a revolutionary product. It is magical and at least five years ahead of other products in the industry."

Since then, Apple has sold more than 1.2 billion iPhones in 10 years, and has become the world's most profitable company. At the same time, the birth of the iPhone has also led to the rise of smartphones. "Copycat" products from brands such as Samsung, HTC, Motorola and Xiaomi have illuminated the world at night, and even in poor areas without stable electricity, smartphones are available.

"It's hard to measure the impact of the iPhone," said Ross Rubin, an analyst at Reticle Research. "It's fair to say that the ripples of the iPhone are everywhere in our lives."

Below, we summarize 10 ways that the iPhone has changed our lives:

1. We are always online

In the past, when we downloaded QQ, we could only communicate through text messages or phone calls, but now everyone is online 24 hours a day, and even if we are not connected to Wi-Fi, we have 4G network.

Of course, the iPhone brought more than just the idea of ​​always being connected to the internet. It also changed the way we access the internet. The iPhone made mobile browsers pleasant to the eye for the first time. Looking back at previous small-screen phones, browsing the web was simply torture. Then, the App Store ushered in the era of apps, and everyone even abandoned browsers.

2. The emergence of new categories such as tablets and smart watches

After the iPhone was born, some devices were born because of it, and some devices died because of it. The iPad is a larger version of the iPhone, and the Apple Watch is a smaller version of it.

However, the real iPhone hit is probably the peripheral accessories. The market for mobile phone cases, Bluetooth speakers, headphones and charging bases has expanded many times over the years. According to data from research firm ABI Research, the global mobile accessories market will reach $110 billion by 2021. Most importantly, this market shows no signs of slowing down.

3. Application of upper

Many people have forgotten what happened ten years ago, but the first generation of iPhone was actually not compatible with third-party software. At that time, iPhone was really an embroidered pillow. But just one year later, with the release of iPhone 3G, iOS was updated and App Store began its own innovation journey.

To be precise, an iPhone with the App Store is a product that is truly worth buying. Currently, the number of apps in the App Store has exceeded 2 million, and almost every company has its own app. Without this invention, I'm afraid that sharing photos and videos and taking a Didi Express would simply be a pipe dream.

4. Everyone is a photographer

Of course, phones before the iPhone also had cameras, but Apple opened up our way to sharing through the Internet and apps, and people are more willing to pick up their phones to take pictures.

The continuous improvement in the image quality of smartphone cameras has also caused a "consequence" - the entry-level compact camera has completely disappeared.

"People all over the world have fallen in love with photography, and the pictures we take and share are unimaginable to previous generations," said Current Analysis analyst Greengart.

5. Live streaming of your life

Mobile phone cameras are not just for taking pictures. We also get a mobile video recorder. At the same time, access to high-speed networks allows people to broadcast their lives live to the world in real time. We can video chat with relatives on the other side of the ocean, and upload the sleeping posture of our cute cats at home to video websites. In recent years, more and more people have been using their mobile phones to broadcast live around the world.

6. Magic of fingers

Touch screens were a rarity before the iPhone, but now even children have learned how to interact with the screen with their fingertips. However, when they swipe their fingers across the screen, they are surprised to find that the screen does not move. The innate ability of touch is best demonstrated on the iPhone, which is also the best legacy left to us by Steve Jobs. It can be said that it is the most important invention after the mouse in the field of interaction.

The touch operation method brought by the iPhone also affected the PC industry. Even Microsoft had to make Windows support touch. Subsequently, the tablet and computer markets began to shift as a whole.

7. Pocket Maps

The arrival of GPS and maps on iPhone is also a groundbreaking event. When we arrive in a strange place, we no longer need to hold a paper map and get lost. At the same time, various navigation software has gradually replaced the central control screen of the car. After the barometer is added to the mobile phone, we can clearly know whether we are driving on an elevated road. For people who take public transportation, looking at the bus stop sign is a thing of the past.

8. Mobile games take over our time

The emergence of iPhone has brought a new look to mobile games. Tetris and Snake have become history, while Fruit Cutting and Angry Birds have become mainstream. At the same time, the payment method of games has also changed. Most games adopt a free strategy and then make money through in-app purchases and advertising.

Right now, at most 7 of the top 10 apps in the App Store are games. The iPhone has created a prosperous mobile game market.

9. Cash is no longer king

Apple is not the first company to do mobile payment, but it has played an important role in promoting this technology. At the same time, the iPhone's wallet application can also integrate various membership cards, discount coupons and vouchers, making it very convenient for us to buy things.

Nowadays, cash is gradually disappearing, and mobile payment and cashless society will become the future of human society.

10. The iPhone’s impact is endless

Just 10 points are not enough to describe the huge contribution of the iPhone, so we will add a few more below.

Apple killed Adobe Flash, and we no longer need to carry calculators and flashlights when we go out. At the same time, the emergence of podcasts changed our habit of listening to the radio on the road.

In addition, social networks have gradually shifted from desktop to mobile, allowing people to connect anytime, anywhere. This can be seen from Facebook's revenue, where 84% of advertising fees come from mobile advertising.

However, the impact of the iPhone is not all positive. Many children play with their phones too much and begin to have difficulty concentrating and poor eyesight. The US government monitors its citizens through mobile devices, and the leakage of personal information has also led to an endless stream of online fraud.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.