The iPhone was first showcased by Steve Jobs 15 years ago. Of course, the iPhone is now one of the most influential devices in the world.
But when it was released 15 years ago, not many expected the iPhone to be as big as it is today. What was on people's minds at the time was that the iPhone was an expensive phone that was only available through one AT&T carrier in the United States.
The popularity of the iPhone has now led Apple to become the most valuable company in the world. But it turns out that there are three things that can make Apple a failed product in its first year, namely:
1. No App Store
As quoted from Inc., Monday (10/1/2022) when the iPhone was launched in 2007, the smart phone only had 16 applications. An app store like the App Store had not yet been born and the only third party app available was Google Maps whose functionality was limited because the iPhone didn't have GPS.
In early 2008, Steve Jobs agreed to create an application store where developers could register their applications. The decision went on to become one of the most important business policies in Apple's history.
Now the App Store and iPhone are inseparable ecosystems. This combination managed to contribute more than half of all Apple's revenue.
2. Problematic products
During a product demo in 2006, the iPhone prototype was plagued with many problems. The software is full of bugs and cannot perform many functions.
Jobs later told his team, "We don't have the product yet. He has all his technicians, all of whom work in secret, to fix any problems.
It was a stressful phase for Apple and Jobs, but they had very tight deadlines. They must present an iPhone or at least a product that can be demonstrated at the MacWorld event which took place on January 9, 2007.
If they fail, the iPhone probably won't make Apple the most profitable and valuable company in the world.
3. Deal with AT&T
Before the iPhone came, telecom operators in the US could dictate what features were on the phone. Not only that, the phones also come with a lot of bloatware installed by the carriers for extra income.
Jobs then convinced AT & T (then called Cingular) to become the exclusive operator of the iPhone. In exchange, Apple will receive $10 per month per customer, while retaining full control over the iPhone's design.
He even managed to convince AT & T to develop a new feature called visual voicemail which became an exclusive feature for the iPhone.
If Apple doesn't manage to land AT&T, chances are the iPhone won't exist. Apple doesn't have its own cellular network and it's likely that Jobs wants to continue to maintain his vision for the iPhone.