The iPhone has come a long way since the original iPhone was launched back in 2007. From a tiny display and no third-party apps to what is now essentially a powerful mini computer, the evolution of iPhones over the years is a commendable feat. Inevitably, 2023 saw the introduction of a new chapter in the iPhone story with the iPhone 15 and a huge change for all consumers: the USB-C.

Though the latest Pro models offer a significant boost in processing power on an iPhone, listing the iPhone models in order shows exactly how Apple has kept fans of the revolutionary smartphones happy for 16 years with consistent improvements to their hardware.

Since its debut in 2007, Apple has sold more than 1.5 billion units across the globe

22 The iPhone – June 29, 2007

Announcement Date: January 9, 2007

Announced on Jan. 9, 2007, the original iPhone was marketed as a "widescreen iPod." It had a 3.5-inch display, a 2MP camera, and storage that maxed out at 16GB. Compared to phone memory today that doesn't seem like much, but it was a lot at the time. It had 128MB of RAM, which was fairly impressive, and weighed just 135 grams.

Despite not ing any third-party apps, the original iPhone was considered ahead of its time thanks to its revolutionary touch screen design. At the time, most other phones, including the now-defunct BlackBerry, had physical keyboards. Despite the initial apprehension from industry analysts, the original iPhone paved the way for what would eventually become Apple's most successful product category.

21 iPhone 3G – July 11, 2008

Announcement Date: June 9, 2008

Barely one year after the release of the first iPhone, which took place before the App Store went live, Apple released the iPhone 3G. It had 3G connectivity and up to 16GB of storage. Like the original iPhone, it offered a 3.5-inch display, 2MP camera, and 128MB of RAM. The hardware differences between the iPhone 3 and the original iPhone were minor, with the major additions being the App Store and 3G connectivity. Even so, it sold a million units in the first weekend of its release.

20 iPhone 3GS – June 19, 2009

Announcement Date: June 8, 2009

Less than 11 months after the iPhone 3G, Apple announced the iPhone 3GS on June 8, 2009. Like the iPhone 3G, the iPhone 3GS also sold a million units in its first week. Apple realized that with the recent introduction of its App Store, 16GB might not cut it for some s, so it released this version with a 32GB storage option and 256MB of RAM, which was double that of the iPhone and the iPhone 3G. The iPhone 3GS also featured a new 3MP autofocus camera, an inbuilt digital com, and new accessibility features like VoiceOver.

19 iPhone 4 – June 24, 2010

Announcement Date: June 7, 2010

One year later, Apple introduced the iPhone 4 in June 2010. It was the first iPhone with a Retina display, although it retained the same 3.5-inch screen size. It offered other upgrades too, including a 5MP camera with LED flash and FaceTime calls using a front camera – the first on an iPhone. The iPhone 4 also introduced a new glass and stainless steel design, a big upgrade over previous iPhones.

18 iPhone 4S – October 4, 2011

Following up on the iPhone 4, Apple announced the iPhone 4S on Oct. 4, 2011 with an 8MP camera, 64GB storage, the digital personal assistant Siri, and 1080p video recording. The iPhone 4S launch also coincided with the release of iCloud, Apple's cloud storage service. The iPhone 4S was more successful than previous models, selling four million units in its first weekend.

17 iPhone 5 – September 21, 2012

Announcement Date: September 12, 2012

The iPhone 5 was released in September 2012 and introduced some revolutionary changes – a bigger 4-inch display, LTE connectivity, a FaceTime HD front camera, and a new Lightning connector replacing the older 30-pin charging port. Even more successful than its predecessor, it sold five million units in its first week.

16 iPhone 5s & 5c – September 20, 2013

Announcement Date: September 10, 2013

One year later on Sept. 10, 2013, Apple introduced the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. The iPhone 5s brought Touch ID to the iPhone, integrating a fingerprint sensor into the Home button. It also featured an improved 8MP primary camera and True Tone flash, along with new camera modes such as Burst and Slo-Mo. The iPhone 5c was a cheaper iPhone available in five vibrant colors, but lacked the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Both phones combined sold over nine million units in the first weekend.

15 iPhone 6 & 6 Plus – September 19, 2014

Announcement Date: September 9, 2014

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were launched on Sept. 9, 2014. They came in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes, and a new design made of unibody aluminum that was thinner than previous iPhones. The new iPhones were also the first to come with Apple Pay, allowing s to make less payments in stores using the Touch ID fingerprint sensor for authentication. Video recording got a boost with these iPhones, as did the FaceTime front camera.

14 iPhone 6s & 6s Plus – September 25, 2015

Announcement Date: September 9, 2015

Exactly a year later, Apple announced the follow-up to the iPhone 6 series with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in September 2015. Apart from generational improvements like a new A9 Bionic chipset, the new iPhones also brought 3D Touch, allowing s to apply pressure to the iPhone's display to view additional options. The iPhone 6s series introduced other new features, including Live Photos, improved front and rear cameras, and the ability to use the 'Hey Siri' command without the iPhone being plugged into a power source.

13 iPhone SE – March 31, 2016

Announcement Date: March 21, 2016

The first iPhone SE model was launched in 2016. It offered most features of the more expensive iPhone 6s models, barring 3D Touch. Housed in the body of an iPhone 5, the iPhone SE featured a compact 4-inch display. Other features included an A9 Bionic chipset, 12MP rear camera, 4K video recording, Live Photos, and the ability to use 'Hey Siri' without being connected to a charger.