The iPhone turns 15

Last updated on June 14th, 2023

On Wednesday, the iPhone turned 15 years old. Five years ago, I wrote about the iPhone on its 10th anniversary. Some things have changed since 2017; nobody uses the word “phablet” to describe smartphones anymore, as large sized screens are now the default. Below are some of the major landmarks (and personal experiences) since 2017 for Apple’s smartphone.

RIP to the iPod

The iPhone’s success has come at the expense of Apple’s previously popular device, the iPod. And as of 2022, it’s now an obsolete device, as Apple announced it’s no longer making iPods.

The iPhone models du jour

Since I usually write about Apple’s various keynotes, here are links to each model I mentioned since 2017:

The iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X (2017)
The iPhone Xs and Xr (2018); Apple also stopped selling the iPhone 6S and first-generation iPhone SE, its final iPhone models with headphone jacks.
The iPhone 11 (2019)
The iPhone 12 (2020)
The iPhone 13 (2021)

My switch from Android to iOS

All of the iPhone models listed above are still supported by the latest version of iOS. (The iPhone 8 is the oldest device supported by iOS 16.) Apple’s lengthy support of older iPhones is one major reason why, after years of using Android phones, I finally switched to an iPhone. (I also switched from mediocre Android/Fire tablets to an iPad later the same year.)

Initially, I had an iPhone 6S Plus, bought at a discount from my prepaid cellular provider. A few years later, I traded it in for my current model, the 2020 iPhone SE. So far, I don’t have any regrets about switching. I’ve had no major technical problems; I can use the same apps I use on my iPad; the phone build quality is excellent; and my phone will be supported for years. My previous Android phones were lucky to have even two of those points.

The iPhone is the majority of Apple’s revenue

As has been the case since a few years after it launched, the iPhone is Apple’s biggest money-maker and most popular device.

Statista made an animated infographic showing the changes in Apple’s revenue categories over the years. As of 2021, the iPhone made up 52% of Apple’s revenue, or more than everything else (iCloud, Apple TV+, iPads, Macs) combined.