When did smartphones become mainstream?

jsmoke

jsmoke

jsmoke

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I was trying to remember. So you had first iPhone in 2007, would you say around 2012 the majority of people had a SP, or earlier?
 
I had a Sony Xperia X1 around the end of 2008 and it was unusual enough (and smartphones in general) that a lot of people commented on it - it wasn't til after the end of 2009 possibly 2010 that I started to see smartphones creeping into more common ownership - by the time I got my Note 1 in 2011 some of the bigger screen HTC phones, etc. weren't an unusual sight.
 
I'd say before then - probably 2005 or so Blackberry's, N series Nokia's, symbian powered Sony Ericsson's and similar were all "smart" and in common ownership.
 
I had a Nokia N-Gage back in 2002. I’m sure it had a web browser.

  • Nokia Game Deck runs on Symbian OS operating system and offers useful features, including Bluetooth Enabled, Colour Screen, Email, GPS, Games, Internet Browser, MP3 Player, Speakerphone, USB, Vibration, Wi-Fi Capable. This Silver Smartphone is powered by a reliable processor, ensuring stable performance. This Smartphone comes with 3.4 internal storage which is enough to store your contacts and audio files.
 
Yeah I had a Phillips 535 or something back in 2003 which had a camera, colour screen, web browser, MP3 player and apps, etc. but it was nothing like a proper smartphone with a full browser, large touchscreen, etc.
 
I'm talking about modern touchscreen phones. I know we had these from 2007 till now but a bit like the internet, it was there in 1994, got busy of sorts in around 2000, but I still wouldn't say it was until around 2007 when broadband and FB et all came in that the majority had it.

So I'd say around 2010-2012 that touchscreen smartphones really were everywhere?
 
If you're only talking about touchscreen phones then I got my first one some time in 2010 and I was one of the last of my friends/colleagues to do so.

As for the Internet, I think we got it at home in 1999 and it was fairly mainstream but not ubiquitous
 
Around 2002 or so was when Symbian and Windows Mobile phones had began to utilise resistive touch displays that were some 200x300 or so in resolution.

I had a Sony Ericsson P900 brick back then and it was a solid workhorse. Good for hitting people over head with and excellent for thr tasks of that era.
https://m.gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_p900-544.php

Symbian was everywhere and the apps were of questionable quality back then since the Internet as we know it wasn't a thing. I had hated mobile devices of this era because they were so cumbersome to use.

The arrival of the iPhone 3G changed everything and imo was a pivotal moment I'm technology however you look at it. Upon taking mine to work, I recall having the entire engineering office around my desk coo'ing at just scrolling up and down random web pages.

Edit: a million mistakes
 
Was meant to say brick but you got me :) I sidegraded to a Nokia 6600, which I still have. Even that was a rock solid device.
 
Nokia N-Gage for me. Then had multiple Symbian 60 devices until i get the first iphone 2G I have then been on android ever since. I would say that smartphones really caught on with the iPhones. It took them from the geeks to the mainstream.
 
MrRockliffe said:
iPhone 3GS for me. That's when people around me really started to take notice of smartphones
Click to expand...

I'd agree, 2008 onwards. It's also when the Samsung Galaxy S range really came in to being.

I had a variety of HTC windows based smartphones before that, but it was never mainstream, and people used to be surprised to see me watching tv shows on the tube.
 
It’s an enormous shame that Symbian never got to realise it’s full potential. Motorola looked to be on the right track with their A925 and A1000 devices, but then lost the plot in true Motorola style. Nokia appeared to be it’s saviour, but splitting into different series of Symbian for different handset tiers killed off that relationship
 
I would say 2007/2008 when the iPhone 3G was released and became truly mainstream.
 
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