In this article, we’re reviewing all iPhones in order from oldest to newest.
Since Apple released the first iPhone they’ve been a gadget that many have loved and wished for.
All iPhones in order from oldest to newest
If you aren’t sure which iPhone you should get, keep reading. We will help you choose by reviewing each model so you can compare all iPhone models.
Table of Contents
- All iPhones in order from oldest to newest
- iPhone
- iPhone 3G
- iPhone 3GS
- iPhone 4
- iPhone 4S
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 5s and 5c
- iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
- iPhone 6s and 6s Plus
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XS and XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
iPhone
In 2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the very first iPhone. It was also referred to as the iPhone 2G (to distinguish it from its successor, the iPhone 3G) or even as the iPhone 1.
This device set new standards in the phone market and introduced the smartphone concept as we know it today. The iPhone was the debut of the “big-size” touchscreen, which years later became standard across every smartphone and also established design precedents. There had been smartphones available before the iPhone, but all of them with smaller LCDs and physical keyboards.
It featured a 3.5-inch LCD display which may seem tiny by today’s standards but was immense considering the phones available in 2007. With a resolution of 480×320 and 163ppi (points per inch), it was incredibly sharp.
It was available in 3 storage variants of 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB, which was almost “infinite” space for 2007. A 2-megapixel rear camera was also included which made a great impact on the world of portable photography.
Other specs included a 400 MHz S5L8900 CPU, 128MB of RAM, a 1400 mAh battery, and also offered Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
In conclusion, it is safe to state that the first iPhone had a key influence on the phone industry and set the standards for future devices until the present day.
iPhone 3G
This is the second-gen iPhone. It was launched in 2008 and was the successor of the first iPhone. It wasn’t much different from its predecessor, featuring the same LCD display with a resolution of 480×320 and 163ppi (points per inch) and the same S5L8900 CPU clocked at 412Mhz, offering also 128MB of RAM. The rear camera was also the same as the previous model.
It was available in both 8GB and 16GB of storage capacity. The dimensions of the iPhone 3G were marginally larger than those found on the original iPhone. The battery was slightly smaller, offering just 1150 mAh.
The device included some new hardware features such as 3G network availability and GPS navigation. When it was launched, the iPhone 3G featured iPhone OS 2.0 which introduced a major innovation: the App Store.
iPhone 3GS
Introduced in 2009, the 3GS was a major update compared to the previous 3G, despite the same form factor. It was introduced with the iPhone OS 3.0.
The S added to its predecessor’s name, stands for Speed, as this new improved model claimed to be twice as fast with its 600 MHz ARM Cortex-A8 CPU and PowerVR SGX535 GPU. RAM memory was boosted to 256MB and a new storage option of 32GB was available.
The rear camera was upgraded to 3 megapixels and it’s now capable of video recording (VGA @ 30fps). This model also introduced voice control and a digital compass.
Its LCD display while having the same dimensions and resolution, it’s now capable of being operated with multiple fingers (multi-touch). It offers a 1219mAh battery.
iPhone 4
The fourth-generation iPhone, succeeding the 3GS was unveiled in 2010. It introduced an all-new sleek design with a metal frame and a glass rear panel.
While maintaining the same size and aspect ratio of its predecessors, the iPhone 4 got an improved LCD display with a resolution of 960×640 and a pixel density of 326ppi (points per inch) named Retina Display.
Other specs. included an 800 MHz single-core 32-bit ARM Cortex-A8 with a PowerVR SGX535 GPU, 512MB of RAM and offered up to 32GB of internal storage.
The iPhone 4 moved a big step up in the camera quality department with its new 5-megapixel lens with an illuminated sensor. It was the first iPhone to have a front-facing camera and was able to record High-Definition Video (720p) @ 30fps. It also featured an LED flash.
This smartphone came with the iOS 4 which also marked the arrival of FaceTime chat and was powered by a 1420 mAh battery.
iPhone 4S
2011 marked the launch of the iPhone 4S. It was an upgraded version of the 4 in many key areas. S stands for Siri, Apple’s personal assistant that debuted in this new device and has been included in all iPhone generations since then.
While the Retina Display is the same that was introduced in the previous iPhone 4, the camera, once again, represented a big step up from its predecessor, now with an incredible resolution of 8 megapixels and capable of recording Full-HD (1080p) video with image stabilization.
It is now available in up to 64GB of storage while the CPU is now a Dual-Core 32-bit ARM Cortex-A9, clocked at 800Mhz with a slightly uprated GPU and the same 512MB of RAM.
It introduced the iOS 5 operating system. On the iPhone 4S, texting could be aided by the voice assistant, which allowed speech-to-text.
iPhone 5
The iPhone 5 was released in 2012 and it’s the 6th generation iPhone. It introduced a new design, thinner and lighter than previous models, and featured a new all-aluminum frame instead of metal. It was 18% thinner, 20% lighter, and had 12% less overall volume than its predecessor, despite having a bigger LCD display with 4-inches and a resolution of 1136×640 at 326 ppi.
It was the first time Apple increased the screen size since the launch of the first iPhone model in 2007.
The rear camera set-up is the same as its predecessor with its Sony 8-megapixel lens. The front camera was upgraded to 1.2 megapixels and it’s now capable of recording in HD (720p).
Storage options stayed unchanged, but RAM was doubled to 1GB of memory. Another big thing about the iPhone 5 is the introduction of 4G LTE connectivity.
It featured a 1.3 GHz dual-core processor, and a tri-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 running at 266 MHz for improved performance. Was powered by a 1440 mAh battery and run on Apple’s iOS 6.
iPhone 5s and 5c
2013 has seen the arrival of two new iPhones: the 5s and 5c. While the 5s was marketed to the high-end market, the 5c was basically a reskinned iPhone 5, meant to be slightly more affordable and featured a less premium construction with a polycarbonate plastic shell and a thicker body. It was offered in several different color options.
The 5s truly represented the seventh generation of iPhone devices. It maintained almost the same external design as its predecessor and received a new white/gold color scheme.
This phone’s internals was vastly upgraded in comparison to the previous model, now offering a 64-bit 1.3 GHz dual-core Apple Cyclone CPU and a PowerVR G6430 GPU with 4 cluster@450MHz. It was the first 64-bit processor to be used in a smartphone.
The 5s also introduced TouchID and was the first iPhone that could be unlocked via a fingerprint sensor located on the home button.
It offered 1GB of RAM and 3 storage variants: 16, 32, and 64 GB. The iPhone 5s’s camera was capable of recording FullHD video (1080p) and featured an 8-megapixel Sony sensor. It introduced the capability of recording slow-motion video and had a 2 tone dual-led flash for improved color balance.
Both the iPhone 5s and 5c were supplied with iOS 7.
iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
Introduced in 2014, this eight-generation saw, yet again, an improvement in screen sizes, jumping in size to a 4.7-inch High-Definition (HD) 1334×750 with 326ppi (points per inch). The 6 Plus has gone even further, offering a Full-HD 5.5-inch LCD display with 1920×1080 (401ppi).
It was the thinnest iPhone to date with just 6.9mm for the 6 and 7.1mm for the 6 Plus.
The 6’s internal specs were almost identical to those of the iPhone 5s. They both featured a 1.4 GHz dual-core 64-bit ARMv8-A with a PowerVR Series 6 GX6450 GPU and 1GB of RAM. Storage was available in 16 GB, 32 GB (iPhone 6 only), 64 GB, and, for the first time, 128 GB.
They both included an 8-megapixel rear camera with the capability of recording video in FullHD (1080p) now with 60 fps (frames per second). In addition, 6 Plus also offered optical image stabilization.
The iPhone 6 was powered by an 1810 mAh battery, while the iPhone 6 Plus features 2915 mAh. They both came with the iOS 8 operating system.
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus
Unveiled in 2015, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus looked almost identical to their predecessors. But in terms of hardware, there were major changes. Its chassis was also uprated, and a stronger 7000 series aluminum alloy was used, preventing many previously reported cases of bending, one of the known drawbacks of the iPhone 6.
Alongside the existing gold, silver, and space gray options, a new rose gold color option was also introduced.
The main camera was improved and now features a 12-megapixel Sony Exmor RS IMX315 sensor, capable of 4K video recording @ 30fps while the front-facing camera features a 5-megapixel sensor.
The RAM was also doubled from 1 GB to 2 GB and the dual-core 64-bit ARMv8-A CPU was now clocked at 1.85 GHz.
Despite having the same displays as the predecessors, they now feature 3D Touch. Sensors were embedded in the screen’s backlight layer measuring the firmness of the user’s touch input by the distance between it and the cover glass. It allowed the device to distinguish between normal and more forceful presses.
They were available with 16, 64, and 128 GB of internal storage using NVM Express (NVMe) technology for improved performance.
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
This was the tenth generation of iPhones and was introduced in 2016. With essentially the same design as its predecessors, this new generation added new color options and an IP67 rating for dust and water protection.
It was the first iPhone without the 3.5mm headphone jack and as a result, it received a lot of criticism.
While maintaining the same megapixel ratings, the cameras were improved and the 7 Plus for the first time features a dual-camera setup with a telephoto lens, being capable of 2x optical zoom. It also added portrait mode.
The LCD displays had identical sizes and resolutions to iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, but with an improved screen-to-body ratio and a better color gamut, and increased brightness.
For processing data, it used the Apple A10 Fusion 64-bit system-on-chip, which consists of two low-power cores and two high-power cores (only two cores are used at any point in time). Base models started at 32 GB of storage and went up to 256 GB.
The device was launched with the iOS 10.0.1 operating system.
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were released in 2017. This was the eleventh generation of iPhones. While being similar to their predecessors, the smartphones had glass backs instead of the complete aluminum housing, enabling the use of Qi inductive charging. It was the first iPhone with wireless charging capability.
The LCD display was the same as the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, but now featured a true-tone display which improved the viewing experience by automatically reducing blue-light exposure and making adjustments based on surrounding ambient lighting.
It featured a 12-megapixel main camera capable of capturing 4K video @ 60fps (frames per second). The iPhone 8 Plus upgraded the main camera for a wide-angle lens with up to 10X digital zoom or 2X optical zoom. It had a second, telephoto lens similar to the one found on the iPhone 7 Plus, but with improved depth-of-field and lighting effects in Portrait mode.
The performance was improved by the use of a 2.39 GHz hexacore 64-bit CPU and 3GB of RAM for the 8 Plus – while the iPhone 8 still offered 2GB. Both models came with 64 GB and 256 GB storage options.
Both the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were shipped with the iOS 11 operating system.
iPhone X
Unveiled in 2017 alongside with the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, the iPhone X introduced a gorgeous full-frame OLED LCD display with very slim bezels and without a “chin”, covering almost the entire front face of the phone – apart from the notch.
The home button was suppressed and replaced with Face ID – a new type of authentication based on facial recognition. This created a major change in the user experience, as users now need to swipe up with their fingers to close apps and switch between screens. Getting rid of the Home button means there is no more Touch ID.
The iPhone X had a 5.8-inch Super Retina display with True Tone technology, which uses ambient light sensors to adapt the display’s white balance to the surrounding ambient light.
This device featured 2 rear cameras. A 12-megapixel wide-angle camera with f/1.8 aperture, with support for face detection, high dynamic range, and, optical image stabilization. It was also capable of capturing 4K video at 24, 30, or 60 fps (frames per second). A secondary, telephoto lens features 2X optical zoom and 10X digital zoom with an aperture of f/2.4 and optical image stabilization. It also had a quad-LED True Tone flash.
It had 3GB of RAM, 64GB or 256GB of internal storage and a Hexa-core 64-bit CPU clocked at 2.39GHZ.
This iPhone was launched with iOS 11 and featured Aniemojis, which are emojis that move on the screen and that can be created using an avatar based on your own face. It made the iPhone X more fun.
iPhone XS and XS Max
These new phones were introduced in 2018 and marked the twelfth generation of iPhones. The design was similar to the iPhone X launched the previous year, with a full-frame OLED display. The X and the XS were almost identical in size, except the XS was marginally lighter while the XS Max is larger. It had a 6.5-inch OLED display.
The key difference from the previous year’s model is the A12 Bionic chip built with a 7-nanometer process. It was more efficient and increased the processing power while decreasing the battery drain. They were equipped with 4GB of RAM and 64GB, 256GB, or 512GB of internal storage.
They both used dual 12-megapixel rear cameras and one 7-megapixel front-facing camera. Despite the same megapixel rating, both cameras were improved in comparison to the previous models, having now bigger sensors.
The XS and XS Max were rated IP68 for dust and water resistance under IEC standard 60529, with Apple specifying a maximum depth of 2 meters and up to 30 minutes of submersion in water. It was an improvement over the IP67 rating of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X
Both phones were launched with the iOS 12 operating system.
iPhone XR
Launched in 2018 like the XS and XS Max, the XS was targeted at the entry-level market and was meant to be more affordable than the rest of the line-up. It was designed to be a budget option for the iPhone XS.
Unlike its more expensive siblings with their OLED displays, this phone had a 6.1-inch “Liquid Retina” IPS LCD display with 1792×828 (326 ppi).
It was available in three storage capacities of 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB had 3GB of RAM and a 2.49 GHz hexacore 64-bit CPU.
In contrast to the XS, it had just a rear single camera and didn’t feature an optical zoom lens. Although, the iPhone XR offered an adjustable depth of field through software.
It was powered by a 2942 mAh battery and came with iOS 12 installed.
iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
The thirteenth generation, launched in 2019, had seen the arrival of 3 models. The iPhone 11 was marked as the entry-level and was the least expensive of Apple’s annual line-up, making the phone slightly more affordable but still offering a great bunch of features.
Along with the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, the iPhone 11 used Apple’s A13 Bionic processor, which contains a third-generation neural engine. It had a 6.1-inch IPS LCD display, unlike the 11 Pro which had a 5.85-inch OLED, and the 11 Pro Max with its huge 6.46-inch OLED display.
The iPhone 11 included a dual-lens 12MP rear camera array and supported 4K video at up to 60 fps and 1080p slow motion at up to 240 fps. Only the primary lens had optical image stabilization. The iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max both included a triple-lens 12 MP rear camera array capable of 2x optical zoom
iPhone 11 had three internal storage options: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max had internal storage options of 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB. They all included 4 GB of RAM and were all rated with IP68 water and dust resistance, along with dirt and grime.
The battery capacity ranged from 3110mAh for the iPhone 11, 3046mAh for the 11 Pro, and 3969mAh for the 11 Pro Max.
They all shipped with the iOS 13 operating system.
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