The Evolution of the Cell Phone Design

The Evolution of the Cell Phone Design

The Evolution of the Cell Phone Design

Cell phones have come a long way since the first one was designed and produced back in 1983 by Motorola. Since then, there has been a major evolution over the past 34 years – it doesn’t seem like cell phones have been around that long – and it’s truly amazing the way technology has advanced throughout the years.

Whether you’re a web design agency in San Diego blog for cell phone companies over the last 30 years, or just an avid consumer buying various cell phones throughout the evolution, you’ll be really impressed by the design changes and the advances technology has seen since the first cell phone was created.

We’ll now look at many of the varying cell phone types beginning in 1983 and going until the present. Please enjoy this journey with us and think back fondly about your favorite cell phone designs throughout the years.

1983

As mentioned, the first cell phone to hit the market came out in 1983 and it was produced by Motorola. The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X was truly a beast of a cell phone that you’ll occasionally see in current movies produced today but taking place in the 80s. People love making fun of these old style dinosaur cell phones because they were humongous!

Even just 10 years later, cell phones and portable house phones became much thinner, much smaller, and a lot less heavier. Believe it or not, this first cell phone was so expensive that it retailed for $3995 so only the most rich and famous could afford it.

As you can see, cell phones have certainly evolved throughout the years. But this was the original and it got rave reviews when it was first produced.

1989

In 1989, Motorola outdid themselves and produced the first pocket-sized cell phone. This new model was called the Motorola MicroTAC. Even though this was the first cell phone that was truly portable, it was also incredibly expensive. It retailed for $2995 and the battery life only lasted 75 minutes!
Up until this point, the majority of the cellular phones were considered car phones because they were so large that they couldn’t fit in your pocket. This is the first truly portable option and it set the trend for future models.

1994

The Evolution of the Cell Phone Design

You may not believe this, but the first smartphone actually hit the market in 1994. It looks nothing like today’s current model, but it was certainly the first iteration of cell phones that people use today.

The name of the phone was the IBM Simon Personal Communicator. At this point, cell phone prices are continuing the drop although they are still incredibly expensive even though some of today’s top cell phones cost about the same. This phone retailed for $1100 and you weren’t required to have a contract.

1999

In 1999 cell phones definitely made another change for the better. In this year, the phones were released with Internet access for the very first time. Nobody could have ever suspected that just 10 years later you’d be able to watch TV from your smart phone, but that’s what currently happens in today’s world and our technology continues to advance in amazing ways.

2001

This year was the beginning of the cell phone boom. Text messaging became very popular and most phones came with a QWERTY keyboard. The Blackberry RIM phone reached the height of popularity just one year later in 2002.

2009 to Present

The Evolution of the Cell Phone Design

At this point, phones are more powerful than personal computers just 25 years ago. They come fully equipped with Internet access, cameras, the ability to play video, mp3 player capabilities, plenty of storage space and so much more. Cell phones are more like multimedia devices that people can’t seem to live without.

Conclusion

Clearly, cell phones have evolved a great deal throughout the years. It’s fun taking a trip down memory lane so enjoy the ride.