The One Device Summary

The iPhone wasn’t the first of its kind, but it transformed the way we communicate, work, and live. What’s the hidden story behind the device that redefined modern technology?

1. The iPhone’s immense success is attributed to more than just Steve Jobs.

Apple’s iPhone dominates markets worldwide, not just as a phone but also as a camera, music player, and computer. By 2016, it had sold over one billion units, outpacing even global cultural phenomena like the Harry Potter series. Many credit Steve Jobs for this innovation, but the device’s development was a collaborative effort.

In the early 2000s, Apple engineers toiled quietly on improving human-computer interfaces. This team included Joshua Strickon, an MIT alum exploring touch technology, and user interface designers Imran Chaudhri and Bas Ording. They envisioned a device that moved away from traditional keyboards and mice, emphasizing direct interaction through multitouch technology.

This secretive research led to the first rudimentary prototype of the iPhone. Yet its origins go back further, drawing on existing innovations like touchscreens and early handheld computers. Jobs didn’t create the technology but masterfully directed its assembly into an attractive, cohesive product.

Examples

• Over one billion units sold by 2016.
• Early experiments with unconventional interfaces by Joshua Strickon and others.
• Collaborative efforts by Apple engineers without Job’s initial involvement.

2. Early mobile phones laid the groundwork for iPhones decades ago.

The first precursor to the iPhone was invented in 1910 by Lars Magnus Ericsson, founder of Ericsson. This early mobile device was actually a car phone connected to telephone wires. Seven years later, Finnish inventor Eric Tigerstedt created a wireless “flip phone” prototype with a sleek design.

Though these early phones didn’t catch on, the 1990s saw IBM engineer Frank Canova produce the Simon Personal Communicator, the first “smartphone” featuring a touchscreen and basic apps like a calendar. However, limitations in hardware at the time meant the device was large and could only support a few functions.

These inventions provided the inspiration and stepping stones for the eventual success of the iPhone, demonstrating that the concept of a connected, multifunctional pocket device was being dreamed of long before Apple’s time.

Examples

• Ericsson’s 1910 car phone led to the idea of mobile connectivity.
• Eric Tigerstedt’s 1917 wireless phone paved the way for today’s sleek designs.
• IBM’s Simon in the 1990s introduced the touchscreen and apps.

3. The rechargeable battery technology powering your iPhone was born out of energy crises.

The rechargeable lithium battery, essential to iPhones, became possible due to research triggered by the oil crisis in the 1970s. Stan Whittingham, a chemist at Stanford hired by Exxon, experimented with lithium batteries to create alternative energy solutions. His early models, however, were prone to overheating.

Physicist John Goodenough improved the design by using cobalt oxide, which created a stable energy cycle. This advancement not only led to more useful batteries for modern gadgets but also spurred a lucrative industry. By 2024, the lithium-ion battery market is projected to reach $77 billion.

This leap in battery technology directly enabled sleek, portable devices like the iPhone. Long-lasting power transformed how people used their phones, making them capable of high-energy tasks like streaming video and GPS navigation.

Examples

• Stan Whittingham’s early lithium research at Exxon in the 1970s.
• Goodenough’s cobalt oxide innovation stabilized lithium batteries.
• By 2024, the lithium-ion battery market is expected to hit $77 billion.

4. Cameras inside iPhones once lagged behind but now define modern photography.

The first iPhone camera in 2007 had just two megapixels, compared to its competitors like Nokia, whose phones featured eight megapixels. Despite the humble beginnings, the iPhone’s camera has since evolved into a highly advanced system with over 200 integrated components.

A key shift occurred with the inclusion of the front-facing "selfie" camera in 2010, fundamentally changing how people took and shared images with others. This addition contributed to the selfie craze transforming photography into a social experience.

Before the iPhone, taking photos was clunky, requiring traditional cameras. Now, iPhones have made professional-quality photos accessible to everyone, from casual users to journalists and influencers.

Examples

• The original 2007 iPhone camera could only shoot two-megapixel photos.
• Apple’s selfie camera, introduced in 2010, fueled selfie popularity.
• Apple employs 800 people in its camera division to refine technology.

5. Siri is the result of decades of refinement in artificial intelligence.

Apple’s voice assistant Siri is a combination of artificial intelligence, speech recognition, and digital language processing that helps users with tasks in real-time. The technology, however, finds its roots in the 1960s when Indian researcher Dabbala Rajagopal Reddy began experimenting with speech-recognition systems.

Reddy’s Hearsay II system in the 1970s could recognize up to 1,000 words. This groundbreaking work paved the way for applications like Siri that integrate natural language understanding, allowing users to talk to machines in intuitive ways.

Today, Siri processes billions of queries weekly, seamlessly connecting users to their devices and the internet to deliver quick, personalized information.

Examples

• Researchers coined the term "artificial intelligence" in 1956.
• Reddy’s Hearsay II could interpret 1,000 English words in the 1970s.
• By 2016, Siri was answering two billion questions weekly.

6. Tin mining for iPhone production causes widespread suffering.

Tin used in iPhones is often sourced from places like Cerro Rico in Bolivia, where over four million miners have died over centuries due to poor working conditions. In modern times, some 15,000 people, including children, continue to labor under backbreaking conditions.

On Bangka Island, Indonesia, workers also face risks, with weekly deaths from mine collapses. This material is essential for soldering electronic components but comes with a human toll.

Despite the cutting-edge technology it represents, the device’s production connects deeply with global labor exploitation and environmental degradation.

Examples

• Cerro Rico in Bolivia has claimed millions of lives since the 1500s.
• Bangka Island’s mines see frequent fatalities due to unsafe practices.
• Child labor remains an issue in several tin-mining regions.

7. Factories in China assembling iPhones subject workers to harsh conditions.

Manufacturing plants like Foxconn’s factory in Shenzhen, China, employ hundreds of thousands of workers to assemble iPhones under oppressive conditions. The factory has been notorious for leading to a string of suicides in 2010 due to overwork and abusive practices.

In response, Foxconn installed large nets to prevent workers from jumping off factory buildings rather than implementing measures to improve their lives. Workers report relentless hours, demeaning management, and confined spaces.

Despite being tech hubs, these factories are tightly secured, shielding the outside world from truly understanding the exploitation of laborers within their walls.

Examples

• Foxconn employs 1.3 million globally; Shenzhen’s factory once housed 450,000.
• In 2010, 14 workers died by suicide due to grueling conditions.
• Security measures include barbed wire and facial-recognition checks.

8. The iPhone’s design drew inspiration from past products and ideas.

The development of the iPhone was not an isolated event. It combined diverse technologies like touchscreens, AI interfaces like Siri, and apps initially seen in earlier devices like IBM’s smartphone prototype Simon. Each leap was incremental.

Apple’s success lay in packaging these innovations into a single interface. The attention to user experience and sleek, intuitive design turned multiple tools into one desirable device.

The iPhone’s story showcases the importance of refining existing technologies rather than inventing entirely new ones.

Examples

• IBM’s Simon had the first touchscreen in the 1990s.
• Multitouch concepts were pioneered by less well-known Apple engineers.
• Siri’s roots link back to speech-recognition work from the 1960s.

9. The iPhone symbolizes both innovation and global inequality.

The iPhone is a marvel of human creativity, bringing revolutionary technologies to billions of people. Yet behind its polished exterior lies a story of exploitation, resource depletion, and environmental harm.

Its production chain spans workers in mines, factories, and tech labs, highlighting the inequalities behind the tech industry’s success. Understanding this broader context invites reflection on how to make innovation more equitable.

The device both connects and divides the world in surprising ways.

Examples

• Workers in tin mines in Bolivia endure dangerous conditions.
• Chinese factory workers assemble phones under extreme pressure.
• Tech labs refine designs but rely on global resource networks.

Takeaways

1. Reflect on the human cost of the gadgets we use daily and prioritize sustainable consumer choices.
2. Stay informed about the origins of technology and advocate for ethical labor and environmental practices.
3. When purchasing devices, explore companies’ commitments to fair labor and sustainable resource sourcing.