The iPhone launched a habit none of us can break

Imagine a one-inch window. Not very interesting, but if you make larger, say, 10 inches, you start to appreciate the sunlight coming through it, the sky, almost discernible trees, and the fleeting glimpses of people passing by. It holds your attention, at least for a little while. Now let’s make that window 10 x 8 feet tall.

You can’t look away. There’s so much going on, so much visual information. You want to stare out that window all day long.

That was the simple formula for the very first iPhone, released on this day, June 29, in 2007. Apple didn’t just lose the physical keyboard; it made the screen the same size as the 3.5-inch device, making it larger and more compelling than any touchscreen on any mobile phone before it. Read more...