It’s been 15 years since Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone, and a lot has changed since then. Each generation of the iPhone has brought unique advancements that are sometimes hard to see but have been significant when we look back. And this is what I did with the iPhone GRID frames.
I’ve always enjoyed understanding how things we see and use every day work, such as the code and hardware that makes it all work. Earlier this year, I discovered GRID, a company that sells disassembled electronics in frames. I even wrote about the GRID iPhone 4S here on:
As someone who really loves technology (and Apple, of course), I was looking for some related decorations for my home – and then I met GRID 4S, which is literally a piece of disassembled iPhone 4s that you can put anywhere.
GRID is a company that has been selling framed electronic products for a while, and they all seem pretty cool. For Apple fans, they have products with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, and second generation iPod touch.
After getting the GRID frame for iPhone 4s, I had to add other models to my collection. Seeing how the iPhone has evolved over the years has been great, but being able to watch the evolution of hardware right in front of me is even more amazing — which is why I wanted to share this gallery with our readers.
iPhone 2G
Who doesn’t remember the moment Jobs first introduced the iPhone in January 2007? It was a momentous moment that changed everything. And while I’ve never owned an iPhone 2G (also known as the iPhone Classic), this product made me completely immersed in the Apple ecosystem (I ended up getting my first iPod touch that same year).
The design of this iPhone may seem simple by today’s standards, but it was much more complex than other smartphones of the time. The body of the iPhone 2G was almost entirely made of aluminum, but with a plastic bottom to provide cellular and Wi-Fi reception.
This iPhone already had a built-in rear camera, but the quality was very poor. Its sensor – with a very low aperture – takes 2-megapixel photos, and it can’t shoot video. Also, it has no focus adjustment.
The logic board was split in two and based on a Samsung ARM processor, as Apple had not yet developed its own Apple Silicon at the time. Although the processor has a single core at 620 MHz, Apple has reduced the clock speed to 412 MHz to save battery life. There are other things to note, such as the simplicity of components such as the speakers and vibration motor.
As a gift, GRID added a logo to the metal plate, which made my iPhone even more unique.
iPhone 3GS
A year later, Apple completely redesigned the iPhone with the launch of the iPhone 3G. It was the first model to support 3G networks, but there were no other changes in the hardware (it even uses the same processor as the iPhone 2G). However, in 2009, the iPhone 3GS arrived, retaining the same design but with more hardware improvements.
The iPhone 3GS was announced at WWDC 2009 by Phil Schiller as Steve Jobs had to leave Apple for several months that year due to a liver transplant. During the keynote, Schiller mentioned that the “S” stands for “speed” as the iPhone 3GS was the first to have an updated processor and graphics. This ARM processor, also made by Samsung, is clocked at 600 MHz.
Aside from the shiny plastic back, we can see that the iPhone 3GS camera is slightly different from previous generations. Unlike its predecessors, the iPhone 3GS had a 3-megapixel zoom sensor that captured 480p video.
It’s also great to see how Apple labels its components, even the smallest ones like flex cables.
Iphone 4s
The iPhone 4, released in 2010, was the first major change to the iPhone since the original product was released. After a massive leak, the iPhone 4 was unveiled with a new glass design, Retina display, Apple’s first A4 processor, and significant camera upgrades.
In 2011, exactly one day before the death of Steve Jobs, the iPhone 4S was announced at an event hosted by Apple’s recent CEO Tim Cook. The iPhone 4S followed the strategy of the iPhone 3GS, keeping the same design as the previous generation, but with deeper hardware improvements.
One of the highlights was the A5 chip, the second version of Apple’s own ARM chip, which was also the first dual-core chip in an iPhone. The performance of the iPhone 4S was noticeably faster than any other iPhone.
Looking at the camera module, it’s not hard to guess that it’s a lot better than the cameras seen on previous iPhones. The sensor looks more advanced as it now shoots 8MP photos and shoots 1080p video for the first time. It also has a small LED flash, which was introduced with the iPhone 4.
The front camera was only 0.3 MP, just like the iPhone 4 (which was the first model with such a camera), but even so, it certainly gave many people amazing moments during their first FaceTime calls or selfies taken with iPhone. Look how small the front sensor is.
Overall, the internal construction of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S is much stronger, and most of the components, such as buttons and flex cables, seem to be more refined.
iPhone 6
The iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s, which have a slightly larger screen, were followed by the iPhone 6. I remember watching an Apple event in September 2014 and getting very excited about the new iPhones as they were so much larger than their predecessors.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus had a completely new, more rounded design, made entirely of aluminum, with plastic strips on the back of the antennas. With a smaller logic board and more internal space, Apple was able to add bigger batteries to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (they were still not perfect, but much better than the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5).
The rear camera sensor was still 8MP, but it has more tricks. It was the first iPhone that could record 1080p video at 60 fps or 720p video at 240 fps, allowing super slow motion. Users could take photos while recording video, and autofocus became faster and more accurate. You can also see the True Tone LED flash in the photos.
Here, the front camera was already 1.3MP with the ability to shoot video in 720p. In terms of performance, the A8 chip was still a dual-core processor, but now with a 64-bit architecture (first introduced with the A7 chip in the iPhone 5s). The iPhone 6 still had a mechanical home button that also doubled as a biometric reader.
iPhone 7
Finally, we get to the iPhone 7, which I consider to be the last iteration of the original iPhone form factor before the iPhone X (with the exception of the iPhone 8 and iPhone SE). The iPhone 7 was a real upgrade, with a refreshed look (including this gorgeous matte black version) and major improvements.
Unlike other iPhones, the Home button on the iPhone 7 is somewhat virtual. It is, but it is not a mechanical part, since it works on the basis of pressure sensors.
At the time, the quad-core A10 Fusion chip was way ahead of the competition and is still considered a great chip today. The name “Fusion” comes from the fact that this chip was the first with different cores for full performance and power efficiency.
The cameras on the iPhone 7 were quite advanced, optical stabilization for the first time on all models. The larger 12-megapixel sensor has an f/1.8 aperture for better photos in dark environments and can record 4K video. The front camera has also taken a giant leap with a 7MP sensor.
Components such as the Lightning port and speakers are protected with rubber because the iPhone 7 was the first waterproof iPhone. Speaking of speakers, look how much bigger the iPhone 7’s speaker is because it was also the first iPhone with stereo speakers. And I couldn’t forget Taptic Feedback, which is really cool to see that it looks exactly like Apple shows in their videos.
Looking to the future
We currently have very different iPhones, without a home button, with much smaller chips and advanced facial recognition sensors. However, I’ll save them for another article in the future when we move on to the next iteration of iPhone design.
How to buy a GRID iPhone
If you also want to get up close and personal with the iPhone hardware or simply decorate your home with tech, check out the GRID store for these frames and more.
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