Made to Evolve through the ages.......

To know where you’re going, you’ve got to first know where you’ve been. On Jan. 9, 2007, Apple’s Steve Jobs announced the first iPhone at the MacWorld convention in San Francisco. It was promptly dubbed the “Jesus Phone” by a critical public that crucified it worshipped it like a gift from God itself.

And so it began.

This week, Apple is scheduled to announce what many expect to be the iPhone 5, the successor to the iPhone 4S, which many expected to be the iPhone 5. No matter. We’ve taken a crack at the rumors before: larger screen, LTE, improved Siri, a slot for connecting rainbows and fairy dust. But we'll find out soon enough what Tim Cook has up his sleeve.

The iPhone’s success certainly stems from its hardware design. But Apple should be credited with developing the app ecosystem, convincing a world of developers to not only develop apps for the iPhone, but to cede Apple a cut of the profits, submit their apps to Apple’s guidelines, and let Apple cut out possible competitors when it chooses. In all honesty, developing that apps ecosystem almost stands as a greater achievement than the phone itself.

Over the years, the iPhone has slimmed down, added an additional color, an additional antenna, some additional carriers, a friendly yet somewhat cheeky personal assistant, and yes, a few additional customers as well. Since Apple announced the phone, "antennagate" and "You’re holding it wrong" have entered the tech lexicon, when an irascible Steve Jobs reluctantly announced the infamous bumper case promotion. Apple spent a few dollars worth of rubber to placate an irate public (and tech press) who, correctly or not, took issue with their $400 phone not working properly in areas of low signal. Meanwhile, the iPad entered the market, dismissed by many as just a larger version of the iPhone. We know how that turned out.

As you flip through the following pages, be sure to check out how the phone’s basic design has been left unchanged. That has served Apple well, as the iPhone has remained an iconic slab of black (and white) against a sea of Android devices - several of which copied elements of Appe's design, according to a San Francisco jury.

Motorola ROKR

This collaboration with Motorola actually predated the iPhone, and likely convinced Apple to go it alone, rather than with a partner. The ROKR E1 phone essentially flopped and is barely remembered today.

iPhone

When Steve Jobs announced the $499 (4GB) and $599 (8GB) iPhones in 2007, consumers went nuts, lined up in droves, and spawned a new generation of fans eager to be first to own Apple’s latest product. The first iPhone also saturated AT&T's network, causing years of angst until Verizon signed on in early 2011. The first iPhone also was the beginning of the end for the iPod, as the spacious 8GB of storage was enough to hold most of one's music collection.

iPhone 3G

Launched on June 9, 2008, the $199 (8GB) or $299 (16GB) iPhone 3Gupgraded the 2G connection used by the original iPhone to a speedier 3G, adding assisted GPS in the process. That, in turn, helped the iPhone lock onto a GPS signal faster. But the real innovation was iOS 2.0, which included the App Store, MobileMe, and push email, along with other enhancements.

iPhone 3GS

Launched on June 8, 2009, the iPhone 3GS, priced at $199 (16GB) and $299 (32GB) upgraded the processor used by the iPhone 3G, and added a compass and 7-Mbit HSDPA support, to boot. But the 3GS's main addition was an upgraded camera, which finally allowed users to record 480p videos and put another nail in the coffin of the camcorder industry. Apple's iOS 3.0 also added copy and paste functionality, finally.

iPhone 4

On June 7, 2010, Apple announced theiPhone 4, its most controversial model yet. Of course, who can forget that Gizmodo obtained a prototype of the phone that was left in a bar, photographed it, tore it down, and was banned from Apple product launches as a result. When Apple finally launched the three models of the iPhone at $199 (16GB), $299 (32GB), and $399 (64GB), excitement was at a fever pitch. The drama escalated when the "grip of death" controversy manifested, as magazines (including PCMag) reported that cell signals dropped in fringe areas. In 2011, Verizon was added as the iPhone’s second carrier, while the first white iPhones, shipped, too.

iPhone 4S

Siri, what was the most recent iPhone named? Why, the iPhone 4S, of course, which kept the same pricing structure as the previous model. Apple’s latest iPhone added the personal assistant plus support for iCloud, although the launch was overshadowed by the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs a day later. A host of smaller improvements were also included. Following the release of the iPhone 4S,Sprint, Cricket, and other carriers now carry the iPhone - save for poor T-Mobile, which is trying to lure unlocked iPhones to its network.