![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MD3OA4LEN72BN3A3PWJPGWFYY4.jpg?smart=true&auth=eb46349ce418d18b8a9115b9e901ae337877c2c2c8e30f72cd89016459cf564f&width=400&height=225)
Samsung delayed the release of the original Galaxy Fold in 2019 after reviewers noticed issues with its folding mechanism. Antonie Robertson / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/X2OQVXHY6SFC6LZETENMPS5IGA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6a0a2187d640a35eff1b1e2af4bc44e51edbd046f7d8885e6c4b03bddfcd04fc&width=400&height=225)
BlackBerry was a leading mobile device brand, but it fell out of favour with consumers as smartphone technology advanced. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RCOCIPLAIBA6RMSYUFGFFPHNBI.jpg?smart=true&auth=4b5b72d2fc4f401da24617162cf55cf0363142c3f77c26dcc4bf2617f8204537&width=400&height=225)
The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X needed 10 hours of charging for 30 minutes of talk time. Bloomberg
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XEHM7MQSVZH4HFQTC3RPCLTKZY.png?smart=true&auth=7e49b424c1f05eb670c002c517e8df5e8cf84274b094e34743b6423bdfe1ccb3&width=400&height=225)
The IBM Simon had a touchscreen and the earliest form of apps. Photo: Wikipedia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FXJUNNM5CF3PNBLHKXWXQFMYNU.jpg?smart=true&auth=5885d95cd1efbf2231534b643d4a5b9430a662837673c50d82fbf504349dde0f&width=400&height=225)
Nokia 9000 Communicator series devices at the Smartphone.25 - Tell a Story! exhibition in Frankfurt. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FOQPYCH74FCBFG7MVK7TPQ7QEY.jpg?smart=true&auth=48f73bf7deda12869e309598bd48c2a8e334d0f9c246da5e944c756a1732f54c&width=400&height=225)
The Kyocera VP-210 had a front camera and can transmit two images per second through a mobile phone line. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GXLCCG75F5FV5PDEIDPXNP6B3A.jpeg?smart=true&auth=9d74add9ba3b08f3013274f867837e54d0ad1bd4f07e88c4734e94f0d5ebdb43&width=400&height=225)
The Siemens SL45 was the first mobile phone with expandable memory. Photo: Wikipedia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/K7NASECS4L7T6MBXNSWYDL6ORE.jpg?smart=true&auth=002448ccbc5ebb03024b770099ced31afc34d8d48f4e4e3a9ee7db8f56f20aa6&width=400&height=225)
Steve Jobs with the original Apple iPhone at the MacWorld Conference in San Francisco on January 9, 2007. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/66FD37VRCFH5RKRQAH73VEXMGQ.jpeg?smart=true&auth=1baa40213e33663380079d24390caea7e5c4bfc30e9fac1774ffaa5b76c57f07&width=400&height=225)
The HTC Dream ran on the very first version of Google's Android operating system. Photo: Wikipedia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3J5UMVHE4NAFFDMBWM3XYICL7Y.png?smart=true&auth=da3bcce4e1a9d3c48cdb79e17c69f759efb8f188cd66a3b25deb443b59feed5d&width=400&height=225)
The original Samsung Galaxy Note made the term 'phablet' very popular. Photo: Wikipedia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZFXXFNZUIPGDJ3ZAKOEXVDUUVM.jpg?smart=true&auth=5c56bc70175c2b8da93b2381960a55a53b926f3d142e65b86d09fac5705c5766&width=400&height=225)
iPhone 7 units during its 2016 launch at Dubai's Mall of the Emirates. Pawan Singh / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MD3OA4LEN72BN3A3PWJPGWFYY4.jpg?smart=true&auth=eb46349ce418d18b8a9115b9e901ae337877c2c2c8e30f72cd89016459cf564f&width=400&height=225)
Samsung delayed the release of the original Galaxy Fold in 2019 after reviewers noticed issues with its folding mechanism. Antonie Robertson / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/X2OQVXHY6SFC6LZETENMPS5IGA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6a0a2187d640a35eff1b1e2af4bc44e51edbd046f7d8885e6c4b03bddfcd04fc&width=400&height=225)
BlackBerry was a leading mobile device brand, but it fell out of favour with consumers as smartphone technology advanced. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RCOCIPLAIBA6RMSYUFGFFPHNBI.jpg?smart=true&auth=4b5b72d2fc4f401da24617162cf55cf0363142c3f77c26dcc4bf2617f8204537&width=400&height=225)
The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X needed 10 hours of charging for 30 minutes of talk time. Bloomberg
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XEHM7MQSVZH4HFQTC3RPCLTKZY.png?smart=true&auth=7e49b424c1f05eb670c002c517e8df5e8cf84274b094e34743b6423bdfe1ccb3&width=400&height=225)
The IBM Simon had a touchscreen and the earliest form of apps. Photo: Wikipedia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FXJUNNM5CF3PNBLHKXWXQFMYNU.jpg?smart=true&auth=5885d95cd1efbf2231534b643d4a5b9430a662837673c50d82fbf504349dde0f&width=400&height=225)
Nokia 9000 Communicator series devices at the Smartphone.25 - Tell a Story! exhibition in Frankfurt. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FOQPYCH74FCBFG7MVK7TPQ7QEY.jpg?smart=true&auth=48f73bf7deda12869e309598bd48c2a8e334d0f9c246da5e944c756a1732f54c&width=400&height=225)
The Kyocera VP-210 had a front camera and can transmit two images per second through a mobile phone line. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GXLCCG75F5FV5PDEIDPXNP6B3A.jpeg?smart=true&auth=9d74add9ba3b08f3013274f867837e54d0ad1bd4f07e88c4734e94f0d5ebdb43&width=400&height=225)
The Siemens SL45 was the first mobile phone with expandable memory. Photo: Wikipedia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/K7NASECS4L7T6MBXNSWYDL6ORE.jpg?smart=true&auth=002448ccbc5ebb03024b770099ced31afc34d8d48f4e4e3a9ee7db8f56f20aa6&width=400&height=225)
Steve Jobs with the original Apple iPhone at the MacWorld Conference in San Francisco on January 9, 2007. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/66FD37VRCFH5RKRQAH73VEXMGQ.jpeg?smart=true&auth=1baa40213e33663380079d24390caea7e5c4bfc30e9fac1774ffaa5b76c57f07&width=400&height=225)
The HTC Dream ran on the very first version of Google's Android operating system. Photo: Wikipedia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3J5UMVHE4NAFFDMBWM3XYICL7Y.png?smart=true&auth=da3bcce4e1a9d3c48cdb79e17c69f759efb8f188cd66a3b25deb443b59feed5d&width=400&height=225)
The original Samsung Galaxy Note made the term 'phablet' very popular. Photo: Wikipedia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZFXXFNZUIPGDJ3ZAKOEXVDUUVM.jpg?smart=true&auth=5c56bc70175c2b8da93b2381960a55a53b926f3d142e65b86d09fac5705c5766&width=400&height=225)
iPhone 7 units during its 2016 launch at Dubai's Mall of the Emirates. Pawan Singh / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MD3OA4LEN72BN3A3PWJPGWFYY4.jpg?smart=true&auth=eb46349ce418d18b8a9115b9e901ae337877c2c2c8e30f72cd89016459cf564f&width=400&height=225)
Samsung delayed the release of the original Galaxy Fold in 2019 after reviewers noticed issues with its folding mechanism. Antonie Robertson / The National
Samsung Galaxy S22 launch: The most iconic phones from Nokia 9000 to Apple iPhone 7
Some of these devices made low-key entries but went on to have a significant influence on the market
![Alvin R Cabral](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F360bece2-5ae8-4f90-ae0b-6730c58d3042.png?smart=true&auth=3302ed218d16f5b8c50a7b5fdfcbbc850c9ce77a8563b2af6b1d64d759c1dd00&width=70&height=70)
Alvin R Cabral
09 February, 2022
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