It’s been more than 17 years since Apple released its first-generation iPhone - a product that was destined to change the way we use mobile phones and prove incredibly profitable for the company.
Since then, over 2.6 billion iPhones have been sold, with a swathe of new features arriving with each new itineration - from facial recognitions and wireless payments to ever-more-advanced cameras and screens.
With the release of the iPhone 16 imminent we’re looking at the evolution of one of the world’s most popular gadgets.
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5. iPhone 6/6 Plus/6s/6s Plus
On September 12, 2012, Apple introduced two different sizes of phone for the first time - the iPhone 6 and larger iPhone 6 Plus. They included mobile payment technology by way of Apple Pay, while the Plus was the first iPhone to come with optical image stabilization. A year later the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were released, with a more flexible frame and a camera capable of recording video in 4K for the first time. | Getty Images
6. iPhone SE
In a break from constantly-increasing numbers, the first generation iPhone SE came along in March 2016, essentially including most of the features of the iPhone 6s in the frame of the smaller iPhone 5s - perfect for those with small hands and small pockets. There would be three generations of the phone until it was discontinued in 2022. | Getty Images
7. iPhone 7/7 Plus
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were announced on September 7, 2016, and one of the main headlines was the removal of the 3.5 headphone jack - something that has never returned. AirPod headphones were to quickly follow making headphone wires a thing of the past anyway. Two-times optical zoom was added to the camera and the phones were water resistant for the first time. | AFP via Getty Images
8. iPhone 8/8 Plus/X
Here's where things get confusing. Apple released three phones in September 2017 - the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and the iPhone X. That meant they just skipped over any potential iPhone 9. The range saw the introduction of wireless charging for the first time. The iPhone X meanwhile was a big step forward, with a bezel-less design and Face ID facial recognition. | Getty Images