4 iPhone hardware changes made before Android phones

Apple is notoriously late to the party these days, especially in the mobile space. The company has a history of taking its sweet time before releasing new additions to the masses and jumping on current trends, such as USB-C ports. While iOS users thus miss out on the latest mobile technology available on some Android phones, they still get a stable, familiar experience.

However, while this is Apple’s reputation in 2023, the iPhone has led the way and set industry standards in the past. There are four specific things the popular iPhone did before any Android phone.

first They exist

Well, you know, the first thing the iPhone does before any Android phone is survive. Steve Jobs announced the first iPhone in January 2007, and it was available in June. Meanwhile, the first Android phone to hit the consumer market was the T-Mobile G1 (aka HTC Dream) in September 2008. So it’s been more than a year since the beginning.

After the first iPhone launched, other Android OEMs started copying this formula because it was objectively successful. And the greatest proof of its success is that it stands the test of time. While many other smartphones have changed in shape and form, the iPhone has generally remained the same in appearance since its launch. Of course, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is not the same as the 2007 model, but the core build remains somewhat the same and Apple only continues to introduce gradual improvements to the device.

2 Features Corning’s Gorilla Glass

One of the little-known facts about the first iPhone is that it was the first to feature Corning’s Gorilla Glass. At the time, it wasn’t even called that, but it’s the same branding that the latest Android phones use today. When Jobs put one of the first iPhone prototypes in his pocket, he noticed some scratches on the screen caused by the buttons. It turns out that while plastic is generally more shatter-resistant than glass, it can scratch very easily. And although Jobs apparently introduced an iPhone with a plastic screen in January 2007, the consumer product in June switched to glass. Therefore, no iPhone has ever been released with a plastic screen.

While the T-Mobile G1 used Gorilla Glass, many Android OEMs released phones with plastic screens in the early days. And while we no longer see popular smartphones with plastic screens on the market anymore, it took a while for Android phone makers to make the full switch.

3 Introducing 64-bit processors

Another important introduction of the iPhone is the 64-bit processor. Apple first equipped the iPhone 5s with a 64-bit A7 chip in 2014. At that time, smartphones were not as feature-rich and advanced, and many critics thought the change was too much. Necessary level for a phone. However, they don’t know much. About a year later, HTC released the first 64-bit Android phone, the Desire 510. And of course, other OEMs followed suit.

Nowadays, most flagship phones have more than 4GB of RAM, which is impossible if OEMs only use 32-bit processors. Not to mention that 64-bit chips have more data space, helping them process tasks at a faster speed. So, thanks to 64-bit conversion, our smartphones today are capable of performing advanced computational actions despite their relatively small size.

4 Remove the physical SIM

Finally, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models are the first smartphones to ditch the physical SIM card slot in the US. While this controversial move angered many users, it motivated carriers to adopt the latest technology and made it easier for users to install SIMs. eSIM using their app. Many carriers have allowed users to download eSIM using dedicated applications. So even if someone switches from iOS to Android (by mistake), they can still rely on the carrier’s Android app to get the eSIM.

What’s next?

If you look at the pattern here, you might notice that the iPhone used to be more of a hardware leader. Now, most of the interesting introductions we see on Apple smartphones have been on Android for a while. These include an always-on display, dual and triple rear camera systems, 5G support, wireless charging, etc.

At this point, it’s hard to guess where the iPhone will lead next. Now that our devices have matured and Android OEMs have experimented with all sorts of wild phone concepts, it’s hard to see Apple launching a hardware addition that hasn’t already been implemented on Android devices in the US. somewhere. And if the rumors about the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro are true, this year’s iPhone may not have any new improvements.