On January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone at Macworld in San Francisco, just two days after Bill Gates delivered his keynote at CES in Las Vegas. The demo appeared flawless, yet behind the scenes, engineers braced for potential glitches.

Gates framed the era as a Digital Decade, insisting that powerful hardware alone was insufficient and that users demanded connected experiences. Jobs countered by showcasing a device that merged phone, internet, and multitouch, positioning the iPhone as the missing link in mobile productivity.

The launch reshaped the smartphone market, pushing competitors toward touch‑screen, internet‑centric designs. Apple also announced a corporate name change, dropping “Computer” to become Apple Inc., signaling a broader focus beyond PCs.

Within 74 days of its June release, Apple sold its first million iPhones, and by 2021 the company reported over 1 billion active devices, reaching 2 billion by early 2023. The iPhone’s success fuels ongoing innovation in iOS, wearables, and services.