iPhone 15 launch: A look at the big iPhone launches of the past

Apple is ready to unveil its highly anticipated new iPhone 15 series at its “Wonderlust” event on Tuesday, September 12th. In addition to the iPhone 15 series, the event will also see some major other product launches, including the latest version of the Apple Watch. Interestingly, the company is expected to bring a number of updates and features with the iPhone 15 series, which will include the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The Wonderlust event, which takes place once a year, is typically known for some big hardware launches and has resulted in a number of new product releases from the company in recent years.

Apple has come a long way since launching the first iPhone in January 2007. It’s clearly been more than a decade and the evolution of iPhones over the years is worth remembering.

Before today’s launch of the iPhone 15 series, let’s take a look at the iPhone history.

iPhone History: Major iPhone releases from 2007 to 2023

1. iPhone (2007): The first iPhone was released in 2007 with a 3.5-inch screen with a resolution of 480 x 320 for 163 ppi and a 412 MHz ARM processor. Although it didn’t support third-party apps, the original model was considered way ahead of its time.

2. iPhone 3G (2008): It was completely identical to the original, featuring a slimmer metallic exterior and the addition of 3G connectivity.

3. iPhone 3GS (2009): With a similar design, this model featured a faster 600MHz ARM A8 CPU and also featured a fingerprint-resistant screen coating. Additionally, the storage has been doubled with 32GB and 256MB of RAM.

4. iPhone 4 (2010): At this point, the company made a real leap by providing a 3.5-inch screen with a resolution of 960 x 480 along with the introduction of a Retina display. Among other things, the phone featured a 5MP camera with LED flash and FaceTime calling via the front camera.

5. iPhone 4S (2011): Although it was quite similar to the iPhone 4, it featured another upgrade with more speed and also the historic introduction of Siri as a personal assistant. Compared to the previous launches, the iPhone 4s was considered to be more successful in the market.

6. iPhone 5 (2012): This phone had some revolutionary changes like a larger 4-inch display, LTE connectivity, a FaceTime HD front camera and a new Lightning port that replaces the older 30-pin charging port.

7. iPhone 5s & 5c (2013): In these models, Apple introduced Touch ID, a fingerprint sensor in the home button. Other features have also been improved, including an improved 8MP main camera and True Tone flash, as well as new camera modes such as Burst and Slo-Mo.

8th. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (2014): This model’s iPhone was available in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes and featured a new unibody aluminum design that was thinner than previous iPhones.

9. iPhone 6s & 6s Plus (2015): With further additions to the iPhone 6 series, Apple launched the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus the following year. These models featured certain improvements such as a new A9 Bionic chipset, 3D Touch, Live Photos, improved front and rear cameras, and the ability to use the “Hey Siri” command whenever connected to the power source.

10. iPhone SE (2016): The iPhone SE was considered one of the most expensive iPhone models at the time and featured, among other things, a compact 4-inch display, an A9 Bionic chipset, a 12 MP rear camera and 4K video recording.

11. iPhone 7 and 7 Plus (2016): Just six months after introducing the iPhone SE, Apple launched the iPhone 7 series that same year, which attracted attention for several reasons, including being the first iPhone to have an IP67 waterproof rating.

12. iPhone 8 and 8 Plus (2017): These phones featured a new glass and aluminum design and supported wireless charging for the first time on an iPhone. The iPhone 8 series also brought AR support, allowing users to experience games and apps in augmented reality.

13. iPhone X (2017): With this phone, Apple marked a big step by replacing the Touch ID sensor and Home button with Face ID. It was also the first iPhone to feature a 5.8-inch full-screen design and the wide notch that became a staple of future iPhones.

14. iPhone XS and XS Max (2018): With two sizes – 5.8 inches and 6.5 inches – the iPhone XS Max became the largest iPhone yet. The phones featured an A12 Bionic chipset, improvements to Face ID and improved IP68 water resistance. These iPhones also introduced the dual SIM feature. That same year, Apple also released the iPhone XR, which was essentially intended to be a cheaper version of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. It also featured the Apple A12 Bionic chipset.

15. iPhone 11 series (2019): This series included the launch of iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, a standard followed by Apple so far. These phones came in a variety of colors and also featured brand new wide and ultra-wide dual cameras. The iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max also featured three cameras on the back.

16. iPhone SE 2 (2020): Years after introducing the iPhone SE, Apple released the iPhone SE 2, a device powered by an A13 Bionic chip. However, it had similarities with the iPhone 8. The third in the series, the iPhone SE 3, was launched in 2022 but did not bring any major changes or upgrades.

17. iPhone 12 series (2020): In the same year, the company launched the iPhone 12 models, including the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. These phones were and were the first to support 5G first to introduce MagSafe. There have been some upgrades to the cameras and a few other additions, including Ceramic Shield for the display.

18. iPhone 13 series (2021): The iPhone 13 series was launched in September 2021 and included iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. These models looked similar to the 12 series but featured some key improvements, such as a significant lengthening battery life and the introduction of the new Cinema mode for videos.

19. iPhone 14 series (2022): The iPhone 14 series, introduced at Apple’s Far Out event last year and including the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, advanced the iPhone 13’s features. New additions to the 14 series featured the “Dynamic Island”, an oval cutout that replaced the wide notch, an A16 Bionic chip and the new Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite functions.