What was the original cell phone?

The first commercially available cell phone was the Motorola DynaTAC, released in 1973. Users eventually nicknamed the DynaTAC “the brick" due to its large size and weight. Developed by Martin Cooper, the original cell phone allowed users to break away from wired communication and make calls on the go. While it may seem clunky by today's standards, the DynaTAC laid the foundation for more compact and advanced cell phones for future generations.

Who invented the smartphone?

IBM is considered the inventor of the smartphone. While it's difficult to credit one person for the device’s invention, the IBM Simon Personal Communicator (SPC) was one of the first smartphones. The IBM Simon offered basic functions, like a touchscreen and a stylus, plus it could make phone calls and more. Only six months after its release, IBM pulled Simon from shelves due to poor sales.

When was the first smartphone made?

The first smartphone was made in 1994 with the introduction of the IBM Simon Personal Communicator (SPC). The term "smartphone" is subjective since it depends on the criteria used to define a smartphone, which evolves over time. However, one of the earliest devices that can be considered a smartphone is the IBM SPC.

How much did the first smartphone cost?

The first smartphone, the IBM Simon, cost $1,100 in 1994. After you adjust for inflation, that is around $2,284 today. While it cost less than the DynaTAC 8000X, it only sold 50,000 units and was ultimately pulled from shelves after less than a year.

The history of cell phones: Dialing back the clock