• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers

2

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

3

Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar

1

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers

2

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

3

Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
TechFortune 500

Apple’s iPhone, Now and Then: Comparing the 2007 iPhone to the iPhone 7

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 29, 2017, 7:00 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

It might be hard to believe, but 10 years ago today, Apple’s iPhone was officially released, setting off a firestorm in the international mobile phone market.

The original iPhone was a decidedly groundbreaking device, combining Apple’s (AAPL) services with a touchscreen-based handset that would prompt countless others to deliver copycats. The original iPhone kicked off the past decade’s smartphone surge, and still serves as one of the industry’s most legendary products.

Still, if the 2007 iPhone were on store shelves today, you’d laugh at it.

The device would appear bulky, its screen too dull, and its processing power would be a joke. Simply put, the technology world is racing along at lightning speed, and the original iPhone, release 10 years ago today, is about as obsolete as it gets.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

Here’s a look at how the original iPhone compares to Apple’s most recent handset, the iPhone 7:

A Pocket-Ready Device?

The original iPhone was a bulky little bugger. It was about 11.6 mm thick, making it substantially thicker than the 7.1mm-thick iPhone 7. And although the iPhone 7 is about an inch taller and a third of an inch wider, it weighs about the same at 4.8 ounces.

A (Dis)satisfying Display

If you picked up the original iPhone right now, you might be disappointed by its screen. The device’s display measured just 3.5 inches—a tiny screen compared to the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus. But the bigger problem is that the original iPhone had a 480-by-320-pixel resolution and 163 pixels per inch. While that was fine for the day, nowadays, it would be abysmal. The iPhone 7, for instance, comes with a 1,334-by-750-pixel resolution and has 326 pixels per inch.

Customers take a look of the new iPhone 7 smartphone inside the Apple Inc. store in New York
Customers take a look of the new iPhone 7 smartphone inside the Apple Inc. store in New York on September 16, 2016.Eduardo Munoz — Reuters
Eduardo Munoz — Reuters

The Power Question

It’s hard to quantify just how much more powerful the iPhone 7 is than the original iPhone, but suffice it to say that you’d be waiting an awful long time to do even the simplest of things with Apple’s first handset.

That smartphone came with a processor with a 620MHz clock speed that Apple actually underclocked, or reduced its speed, to 412MHz. The iPhone 7’s processor has a 2.34GHz clock speed. So what does all that mean? The iPhone 7 is far more powerful and faster than the original iPhone.

Is This Thing On? (Probably Not)

Battery life matters greatly in a world dominated by smartphones. But it also mattered in 2007. Too bad the iPhone’s battery could only muster about five hours of talk time. The iPhone 7, on the other hand, delivers up to 14 hours of talk time. The iPhone 7 Plus can deliver 21 hours of talk time.

A Different iOS Experience

Apple’s original iPhone delivered a dramatically different software experience to users. It didn’t have so many built-in apps, like Apple Maps, News, the flashlight, or even the App Store. And the apps it did offer have been dramatically overhauled, so if you picked up the device today, you might be lost trying to navigate its software.

Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs holds new iPhone in San Francisco
Jobs holds the new iPhone in San Francisco, California on January 9, 2007.Kimberly White — Reuters
Kimberly White — Reuters

Where My Selfies At?

This seems relevant in a selfie-dominated world: the original iPhone didn’t have a front-facing camera. In fact, it wasn’t until the iPhone 4, a device Apple released in 2010, that the company offered a front-facing camera in its handset. The iPhone 7, on the other hand, comes with a 7-megapixel front-facing camera and can record video in 1080p. Oh, how times have changed.

What Is This Headphone Jack Thing?

Now that Apple has called the headphone jack obsolete and removed it from the iPhone 7, it might shock you to discover the original iPhone actually had one. Yes, that means you could have plugged your headphones into the iPhone and listened to audio all day long without worrying about dongles or Bluetooth connectivity.

Did someone say, courage?

U.S.-NEW YORK-IPHONE 7-IPHONE 7 PLUS-RELEASED
This photo taken on Sept. 16, 2016 shows the iPhone 7 Plus in an Apple Store at the Grand Central Terminal in New York.Li Muzi—Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images
Li Muzi—Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images

Pricing and Availability

Apple’s original iPhone wasn’t cheap. In fact, it came in two variants with 4GB and 8GB of onboard storage. The 4GB model, which was ultimately discontinued later in the year due to poor demand, cost $499. The 8GB option went for $599.

However, those prices are for a device that was locked in a two-year contract only with AT&T (T). There were no installment plans, no rebates, and for sure, no opportunities to bring the smartphone to another carrier.

Apple’s iPhone 7 starts at $649 and the iPhone 7 Plus starts at $769. But here’s the kicker: it’s available unlocked, allowing you to bring it to the carrier network of your choosing.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

Hudson Leogrande, the founder and CEO of popular hoodie brand Comfrt
SuccessEntrepreneurs
He was homeless at 16. Now, he sits on the board of David Beckham’s wellness company and his business is about to hit $1 billion in revenue
By Emma BurleighAugust 2, 2026
3 minutes ago
SpaceX’s record IPO is helping spur a new wave of startups aiming for orbit and opening a vast new market beyond Earth
Startups & VentureAerospace
SpaceX’s record IPO is helping spur a new wave of startups aiming for orbit and opening a vast new market beyond Earth
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezAugust 2, 2026
1 hour ago
SpaceAI could be Southeast Asia’s edge against El Niño—if governments actually use it
AsiaSatellites
SpaceAI could be Southeast Asia’s edge against El Niño—if governments actually use it
By Karryl Kim Sagun Trajano and Iuna TsyrulnevaAugust 2, 2026
7 hours ago
Amid fears of Iranian cyberattacks, Michigan joins Minnesota in reporting hackers targeted water systems. The FBI is now investigating
CybersecurityFBI
Amid fears of Iranian cyberattacks, Michigan joins Minnesota in reporting hackers targeted water systems. The FBI is now investigating
By Michael Casey and The Associated PressAugust 1, 2026
13 hours ago
Elon Musk’s fortune slumps to pre-SpaceX IPO levels after rout
Big TechWealth
Elon Musk’s fortune slumps to pre-SpaceX IPO levels after rout
By Tom Maloney and BloombergAugust 1, 2026
20 hours ago
A dead SpaceX rocket that’s been adrift for over a year is about to slam into the moon, carving out a new crater with the equivalent of 3 tons of TNT
Innovationspace
A dead SpaceX rocket that’s been adrift for over a year is about to slam into the moon, carving out a new crater with the equivalent of 3 tons of TNT
By Marcia Dunn and The Associated PressAugust 1, 2026
20 hours ago

Most Popular

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
Success
Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
By Preston ForeAugust 1, 2026
22 hours ago
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
Economy
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
By Jason MaAugust 1, 2026
12 hours ago
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
Personal Finance
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
Jensen Huang says this is the greatest time in history to start a business—and his advice is to stop overthinking it: 'How hard can it be?’
Success
Jensen Huang says this is the greatest time in history to start a business—and his advice is to stop overthinking it: 'How hard can it be?’
By Preston ForeJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
Retail
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
Success
'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.