It’s been more than 17 years since Apple released its first-generation iPhone - a product that was destined to change the way we use mobile phones and prove incredibly profitable for the company.
Since then, over 2.6 billion iPhones have been sold, with a swathe of new features arriving with each new itineration - from facial recognitions and wireless payments to ever-more-advanced cameras and screens.
With the release of the iPhone 16 imminent we’re looking at the evolution of one of the world’s most popular gadgets.
1. Apple iPhone First Generation
Released in 2007, the original Apple iPhone was a gamechanger. The first smartphone to use a touch screen, it allowed users to make calls, send emails, listen to music, take pictures, and surf the internet on one device. | Getty Images
2. iPhone 3G/3GS
Interestingly, there was never an iPhone 2, with the second generation of the phone named after the 3G connectivity that speeded up internet access to make the phone far more usable. The iPhone 3G was released in 2008 and became the bestselling handset in the USA by the end of the year (overtaking the Motorola RAZR V3). An updated version, the iPhone 3GS, was released the next year, and was the first to record video. | Getty Images
3. iPhone 4/iPhone 4s
The iPhone 4 arrived in 2010 and was the first major redesign, incorporating a stainless steel frame and glass back. It was the first to have a retinal screen and the all-important front-facing mirror for video calls and selfies. The iPhone 4S followed in 2011 and introduced the Siri virtual assistant, prompting many calls of 'hey, Siri'. | Getty Images
4. iPhone 5/5s/5c
The iPhone 5 arrived on on September 12, 2012, with a larger 4 inch screen, a lighter aluminium body and used the Lightning connector for the first time. A year later the iPhone 5s was introduced with the first Touch ID fingerprint authentication sensor, alongside the cheaper iPhone 5 series which returned to using a plastic frame. | Getty Images