The iPhone
June 2007
The first iPhone had a basic 2-megapixel camera, but its large screen, internet and, from 2008, apps turned the phone into the main camera for most people.
How it began
Camera phones had existed since 1999–2000, with small screens and awkward menus. Apple’s iPhone of 2007 had a weak camera but a large touchscreen and a real web browser.
How it works
A tiny CMOS sensor and fixed lens sat in a slim phone. What changed photography was software: the screen for viewing and editing, the App Store from 2008, and fast connections for sharing straight away.
Why it mattered
The camera people always carried became good enough, and pictures could be shared instantly. Each model improved the camera, and apps such as Instagram grew around it. Sales of compact cameras collapsed from about 2010.
Limits and what replaced it
Small sensors gather little light, so phones turned to computational photography, combining many frames to make up for it.
Today
Smartphones take the large majority of the world’s photographs; the iPhone is among the most used cameras on photo sites.