Introduction

The iPhone is an internet-connected multimedia smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Since its minimal hardware interface lacks a physical keyboard, the multi-touch screen renders a virtual keyboard when necessary. The iPhone functions as a camera phone (also including text messaging and visual voicemail), a portable media player (equivalent to an iPod), and an Internet client (with email, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity). The first-generation phone hardware was quad-band GSM with EDGE; the second generation added UMTS with HSDPA.

Apple announced the iPhone on January 9, 2007,after months of rumors and speculation.The iPhone was introduced in the United States on June 29, 2007 before being marketed worldwide. Time magazine named it the Invention of the Year in 2007.Released July 11, 2008, the iPhone 3G supports faster 3G data speeds and assisted GPS.On March 17, 2009, Apple announced the iPhone firmware version 3.0, due to be released in mid 2009.

Worldwide iPhone availability: Original iPhone was available; now 3G iPhone 3G only Available later
Development of iPhone began with Apple CEO Steve Jobs' direction that Apple engineers investigate touchscreens. Apple created the device during a secretive and unprecedented collaboration with AT&T Mobility—Cingular Wireless at the time—at an estimated development cost of US$150 million over thirty months. Apple rejected the "design by committee" approach that had yielded the Motorola ROKR E1, a largely unsuccessful collaboration with Motorola. Instead, Cingular gave Apple the liberty to develop the iPhone's hardware and software in-house. Numerous codenames and even fake prototypes were devised to keep the project secret.

Jobs unveiled iPhone to the public on January 9, 2007 in a keynote address. Apple was required to file for operating permits with the FCC, but such filings are available to the public, so the announcement came several months before the iPhone received approval. The iPhone went on sale in the United States on June 29, 2007. Apple closed its stores at 2:00 pm local time to prepare for the 6:00 pm iPhone launch, while hundreds of customers lined up at stores nationwide. On launch weekend, Apple sold 270,000 iPhones in the first thirty hours. The original iPhone was made available in the UK, France, and Germany in November 2007, and Ireland and Austria in the spring of 2008.

Benefits

Who is the audience you envision for your application and what would appeal to them?

• *Don't think too complex - the most popular iPhone applications are ones that are very simple and easy to use.
• *What would be something that your application users would need again and again - they'll be more likely to download and pay for an iPhone application from the Apple App Store if it is something they could picture themselves using a lot.
• *Think FUN - it doesn't have to be serious, it doesn't have to necessarily enrich peoples' lives. People want something a
    little unique that is fun and rewarding to use.
• *Think mobile - people don't want to do very complex things while they're on the go. What is a resource that your
    audience would quickly turn to when they're in their car, on the subway, walking down the street.