Was iPhone the First Touchscreen Smartphone? Complete History of Touchscreen Phones

Hey friends, I’m Jessica, and today we’re diving into a fascinating question that I get asked all the time — “Was the iPhone really the first touchscreen smartphone?”

As someone who’s been an Apple user for years and a tech enthusiast long before the first iPhone launched, I can tell you — the story is a bit more complicated than most people think. While the iPhone completely changed how we think about smartphones, it wasn’t technically the first touchscreen phone.

Let’s rewind a bit and uncover the real history behind the touchscreen revolution, how Apple reshaped the industry, and what made the first iPhone so revolutionary despite not being the “first.”

Before iPhone: The Era of Early Touchscreen Phones

When the iPhone launched in 2007, the tech world was already familiar with touchscreens — though not in the sleek, fluid way Apple introduced.
Touchscreens existed decades earlier in PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and a few early smartphones. Let’s explore some key milestones that came before Apple entered the game.

📱 1. IBM Simon (1994) – The Real First Smartphone

Believe it or not, the world’s first true smartphone was the IBM Simon Personal Communicator, released way back in 1994 — 13 years before the iPhone!
It had:

• A monochrome touchscreen

• Apps like email, calculator, and calendar

• The ability to send faxes and make calls

It was clunky and expensive (around $1,000), but IBM Simon deserves the title of the first smartphone with a touchscreen interface.

🖊️ 2. Palm and Handspring Devices (Late 1990s–2000s)

Before the iPhone, Palm Pilots and Handspring Treos dominated the “smart device” market. These PDAs had touchscreens that required a stylus, and users could manage contacts, schedules, and notes.

Some models like the Treo 650 even supported phone calls and internet access — though the experience was far from what we consider “smartphones” today.

🧠 3. Windows Mobile and Pocket PC Phones (2000–2006)

Microsoft’s Windows Mobile devices like the HTC TyTN and HP iPaq featured resistive touchscreens and supported emails, documents, and third-party apps.

Again, you needed a stylus for accuracy, and interfaces were not finger-friendly. These devices were loved by business users but not exactly built for everyone.

💼 4. LG Prada (2006) – The Stylish Competitor

Just months before Apple revealed the iPhone, LG launched the Prada (KE850).
It featured a capacitive touchscreen, which didn’t need a stylus — something even Apple’s team reportedly admired.

It looked elegant, supported multimedia, and even won design awards. But it lacked the fluid multitouch gestures and user-friendly OS that Apple’s iPhone introduced.

Apple’s Entry in 2007: A True Game-Changer

Now, let’s talk about the moment that changed everything — January 9, 2007, when Steve Jobs stood on stage and said:

“Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone.”

The iPhone wasn’t the first touchscreen smartphone — but it was the first one that got it right.

Here’s why Apple’s iPhone became the true revolution:

✨ 1. The First “Finger-Friendly” Interface

Earlier touchscreen phones used resistive displays, meaning you had to press hard or use a stylus.
The iPhone introduced a capacitive multitouch display — smooth, responsive, and built for fingers.

You could pinch to zoom, swipe, and tap naturally — gestures that felt intuitive and fun.

🧩 2. iOS — The Real Secret Weapon

Apple didn’t just build hardware; they built an entire ecosystem.
The iPhone OS (now iOS) was designed to run smoothly with touch input — no tiny buttons, no stylus, no complicated menus.

Everything felt polished: icons, animations, and transitions. It was user experience perfected.

📶 3. Seamless Integration

From music (via iTunes) to web browsing (Safari) and email, everything worked together out of the box.
You didn’t need to install complex software or sync with a PC manually. For users, it just worked.

🧠 4. App Store Revolution (2008)

A year later, Apple launched the App Store, changing mobile computing forever.
Developers could build apps for millions of users — and suddenly, your phone wasn’t just a phone anymore.

It became your camera, map, diary, calculator, entertainment hub, and social connector.

So, Why Do People Think iPhone Was the First Touchscreen Phone?

That’s a great question — and the answer lies in impact, not invention.

While other companies created touchscreen phones before Apple, those devices were niche, complex, and not very enjoyable to use.

Apple didn’t invent the touchscreen — they perfected the user experience around it.

Think of it this way:

• IBM Simon introduced the idea.

• Palm and Windows refined it for business users.

• Apple democratized it — making it beautiful, intuitive, and accessible for everyone.

That’s why most people feel like the iPhone was the first touchscreen smartphone. It’s the one that actually mattered to everyday users.

Fun Fact: Steve Jobs Didn’t Want a Stylus

In his 2007 keynote, Steve Jobs famously said:

“Who wants a stylus? You have to get them, put them away, you lose them. Yuck! Nobody wants a stylus.”

This philosophy shaped Apple’s entire touchscreen approach — natural interaction using your fingers.

While competitors were focused on specs, Apple focused on experience — and it worked brilliantly.

How iPhone Redefined the Smartphone Industry

Even though it wasn’t first, the iPhone reset the standard for what a smartphone should be.
After its launch, the market shifted dramatically:

• Nokia’s dominance started to fade.

• BlackBerry’s physical keyboard suddenly looked outdated.

• Google reworked Android completely after seeing iPhone’s design.

Within a few years, every smartphone adopted touchscreens as the default input method.

That’s the power of Apple’s innovation — not inventing, but reimagining.

Today’s Perspective: Touchscreens Everywhere

Fast forward to now — nearly every device you use, from tablets to smartwatches and even cars, uses touchscreen interfaces inspired by that 2007 iPhone moment.

Even though Apple didn’t make the first touchscreen phone, it made the first one that made sense — elegant, responsive, and enjoyable.

It wasn’t about being first.
It was about being the best.

Jessica’s Final Thoughts

So, was the iPhone the first touchscreen smartphone?
👉 Technically, no.
👉 Practically, it changed everything.

Before the iPhone, smartphones were for tech enthusiasts or business users. After the iPhone, they became for everyone — simple, connected, and fun.

I still remember unboxing my first iPhone in 2008 — that magical feeling of sliding to unlock, pinching to zoom, and watching photos glide across the screen. It wasn’t just a phone; it was the future in my hand.

Apple didn’t invent the touchscreen — but it redefined human-computer interaction in a way that still shapes the world today.