In pictures: The history of mobile phones

Take a stroll down memory lane and see the evolution of the mobile phone, from its humble beginnings with the Motorola DynaTAC in 1983 to the Apple iPhone 3GS in 2009!

Touch screen: IBM Simon Personal Communicator (1993)


The IBM Simon Personal Communicator was one of the first attempts at a commercially viable smartphone. A joint venture between IBM and Bellsouth, the Simon was only sold into the US and was best known for having no physical keys. It used a touch screen and optional stylus to perform the majority of its functions, which included dialling phone numbers, sending faxes and writing memos. It was priced at US$899 when it launched.

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