With every iPhone launch, Apple proclaims its latest flagship to be the best it’s ever made. While the company undoubtedly improves its smartphone lineup with each annual upgrade, not all of its releases have had the same impact. With the launch of the iPhone 16 fast approaching, it’s time to take a step back in time and highlight the seven best iPhone models to date.
7. iPhone 5s (2013)
The iPhone 5s will always have a special place in my heart. For starters, it was the very first mainstream smartphone to feature a chip with 64-bit architecture. At the time, many considered the A7 chipset to be overkill due to how easy the phone was to perform. However, this change moved the industry forward and influenced Android phone makers, who followed shortly after.
Speaking of green bubble devices, the iPhone 5s was also one of the first phones to feature a reliable fingerprint scanner. At the time, many Android phones required users to swipe their finger over the sensor to authenticate, and they just weren’t as reliable. Touch ID, on the other hand, required iPhone users to simply place their fingertips on it, and voila!
Beyond performance, the iPhone 5s’ design is a timeless masterpiece that Apple repurposed with its first iteration of the iPhone SE. It was the first iPhone to offer three finishes after being limited to one or two colors for years. It was also the last iPhone to feature a flat back, thanks to its bump-less rear camera. The iPhone 5s, in my opinion, was the epitome of smartphone design at the time. It was the result of extensive research and incremental improvements over the years. It also marked the end of a major era of the iPhone, as its successor changed the entire formula.
6. iPhone 6/6 Plus (2014)
A year after the iPhone 5s, it was time for Apple to think differently. The formula was starting to get old, so it needed to come up with something completely new. The iPhone 6 debuted as Apple’s thinnest smartphone and the first to offer customers two size options. The 4-inch form factor was dropped, in favor of 4.7- and 5.5-inch models.
Despite the infamous “Bendgate” fiasco, the iPhone 6 attracted over 220 million customers, making it the best-selling smartphone to date. Its overall design continues today with the iPhone SE 2.
5. iPhone 12 (2020)
By the time the iPhone 12 came out, the iPhone X was already three years old and in need of a refresh. The iPhone 12 delivered, with a new design and a host of new features that belied its entry-level status.
After the iPhone XR and 11 were somewhat disappointing compared to their Pro counterparts, the iPhone 12 got things right. Among the improvements Apple made were a stunning flat-edged design reminiscent of the beloved iPhone 4, the first OLED display in a non-Pro model, 5G networking, a powerful processor, and a host of camera improvements. It also had the best blue color Apple has ever made.
4. iPhone X (2017)
The iPhone X is another memorable product that was announced as One more thing
With the iPhone X, Apple introduced Face ID, which enabled Portrait mode support for the front-facing camera as an added bonus. It was also the first model to adopt gesture navigation, which made controlling iOS easier, and the first OLED display. The classic iPhone was no more, and the X paved the way for the iPhones we use today.
3. iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max (2022)
The iPhone 14 Pro and its Max counterpart are high on my list. These iPhones were the first to ditch the infamous notch and pack useful software features into the pill-shaped cutout. I find myself relying on the live island every day, and at this point, I can’t imagine giving it up. It’s become a staple of iOS, at least for me.
Beyond the futuristic design, the iPhone 14 Pro models were the first to support the always-on display technology that I also rely on every day. They also featured a 48MP camera for the first time, which truly improved the quality of mobile photography.
2. iPhone 4 (2010)
Despite the Antennagate scandal (“you’re holding it wrong”), the iPhone 4 marked a new milestone for Apple, as it completely redesigned the exterior of the device and beefed up its internals with notable improvements. This model ditched the curved design and adopted a stainless steel and glass case design. While Apple tweaked the look in subsequent iPhones, the overall style persisted until the launch of the iPhone 6 in 2014. By then, it had become the iconic Apple smartphone icon that almost everyone could recognize from afar.
The iPhone 4 also popularized the concept of video calling with other people from our smartphones, as it was the first model to introduce FaceTime and a front-facing camera. It also made taking selfies more convenient, as users no longer had to turn their device around to take a picture of themselves.
Beyond the FaceTime camera and aesthetics, the iPhone 4 featured the first Retina display, which doubled the pixel density of its predecessor. While both the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 had 3.5-inch displays, the former had a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels (163 pixels per inch) while the latter increased it to 960 x 640 (326 ppi).
1. iPhone (2007)
Finally, I crown the original iPhone as the best model ever released. Sure, it’s the least technologically advanced, but it’s arguably the most iconic. Even today, many enthusiasts get goosebumps when they rewatch its introductory speech. It was far from a sure thing at the time, and Steve Jobs still took the risk.
At first, many publications pointed out that the device was doomed to failure. It didn’t meet the expectations of the general public and it wasn’t easy to get people to adapt to change. The first iPhone met this challenge and today it is Apple’s most popular product. The original iPhone will always be the best, in my opinion, because it proved the critical experts wrong and laid the foundation for today’s laptops.
Michael Simon contributed to this article.
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