Quick answer: The first iPhone was announced by Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007 and went on sale in the USA on June 29, 2007 at $499 (4GB) and $599 (8GB) with a two-year AT&T contract. It had a 3.5-inch screen, a 2-megapixel camera, EDGE internet and no App Store. Here are the facts that still surprise people almost two decades later. Facts verified as of October 7, 2026.
First iPhone Specs and Launch Price at a Glance
This table is NexPloreInfo’s own compiled summary of the original iPhone, using Apple’s 2007 announcements and the commonly documented hardware specifications.
| Detail | Original iPhone (2007) |
|---|---|
| Announced | January 9, 2007 (Macworld, San Francisco) |
| USA release | June 29, 2007, 6:00 p.m. local time |
| Launch price | $499 (4GB) | $599 (8GB), with 2-year AT&T contract |
| Display | 3.5-inch, 480 x 320 pixels, 163 ppi |
| Processor and memory | Samsung ARM chip running at 412 MHz, 128 MB RAM |
| Rear camera | 2 megapixels, no front camera, no video recording |
| Network | Quad-band GSM/EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, no 3G |
| Battery | 1,400 mAh |
Did You Know the First iPhone Had No App Store?
This is the fact that surprises people most. The original iPhone shipped with only the apps Apple built in. There was no App Store at all. It arrived on July 10, 2008 with iPhone 3G, and Apple said it opened with over 500 native apps, more than 125 of them free. Today’s phone ecosystem started with a few hundred apps, not millions.
How Much Did the First iPhone Cost in 2007?
Apple’s own launch announcement confirms $499 for the 4GB model and $599 for the 8GB model, tied to a two-year AT&T service contract. For readers in the UAE, that is roughly AED 1,833 and AED 2,200 at today’s exchange rate, though the phone was never sold in the UAE at launch. Apple said at the time that the USA launch came first, with Europe in late 2007 and Asia in 2008.
The price did not hold. According to the documented history of the device, Apple cut the 8GB model to $399 on September 5, 2007, only about two months after launch. Early buyers were upset enough that Apple offered a store credit.
What Could the First iPhone Not Do?
By modern standards the list of missing features is long:
- No 3G. It used EDGE for mobile data, which is why Wi-Fi mattered so much for web browsing.
- No copy and paste. That arrived with iPhone OS 3.0 in 2009.
- No MMS picture messaging and no video recording.
- No front camera, so no selfies and no video calls.
- No removable battery and no memory card slot.
Even so, Steve Jobs said at the January 2007 unveiling that iPhone was “literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone,” according to Apple’s announcement. That was a bold claim, but the touchscreen-only design is the one every smartphone copied.
First iPhone vs a 2026 Phone: The Numbers
The gap shows how fast mobile hardware moved. This is NexPloreInfo’s own comparison, using the original specs above and the 2026 flagship level.
| Spec | iPhone (2007) | Typical 2026 flagship |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | 2 MP | 48 MP or higher main sensor |
| RAM | 128 MB | 8 GB to 16 GB (up to 125 times more) |
| Storage | 4GB or 8GB | 128GB to 1TB |
| Network | EDGE | 5G |
A 2026 flagship with 16 GB of RAM has 125 times the memory of the first iPhone. Your phone’s camera sensor can also capture over 20 times more pixels per photo.
How Many First iPhones Were Sold?
The original model sold roughly 6.1 million units before it was replaced by iPhone 3G in July 2008, according to figures compiled on Wikipedia’s iPhone (1st generation) page. That is a small number next to today’s yearly volumes in the hundreds of millions, but it was enough to prove touchscreen phones could win. Time magazine named the iPhone its Invention of the Year for 2007.
Why the First iPhone Still Matters
The 2007 iPhone mattered because of how it worked, not its spec sheet. It replaced the physical keyboard with a full-screen multi-touch display and let people pinch, tap and flick. It is part of a longer story that started with the IBM Simon, the first smartphone in 1994, and it now sits alongside inventions like the first digital camera from 1975, whose camera idea now lives inside every phone.
Apple’s latest direction is foldables. If you want to see how far the design has moved, read our guides to the iPhone 18 Pro and the best foldable phones in 2026.
First iPhone FAQs
When was the first iPhone released?
It was announced on January 9, 2007 and released in the USA on June 29, 2007.
How much storage did the original iPhone have?
Apple launched 4GB and 8GB models. A 16GB version followed in February 2008.
Did the first iPhone have 3G?
No. It used EDGE and Wi-Fi. 3G arrived with iPhone 3G in July 2008.
Was there an App Store on the first iPhone?
Not at launch. The App Store opened in July 2008 with over 500 apps.
Is an original iPhone worth anything today?
Sealed original units have sold at auction for very large sums, but a used working phone is worth far less. Prices vary, so check recent sold listings before buying or selling.
Sources
Apple Newsroom (January 9, 2007; June 28, 2007; July 10, 2008) and the iPhone (1st generation) reference page on Wikipedia. Prices and sales figures reflect the record as of October 7, 2026.
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