The iPhone is an Internet-enabled multimedia mobile phone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. It has a multi-touch screen with virtual keyboard and buttons, but a minimal amount of hardware input. The iPhone’s functions include those of a camera phone and portable media player (iPod) in addition to text messaging and visual voicemail. It also offers Internet services including e-mail, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity. The first generation phone hardware was quad-band GSM with EDGE; the second generation uses UMTS and HSDPA.

Apple announced the iPhone on 9 January 2007. The announcement was preceded by rumors and speculations that circulated for several months. The iPhone was initially introduced in the United States on 29 June 2007 and is in the process of being introduced worldwide. It was named Time magazine’s Invention of the Year in 2007. On 9 June 2008, the iPhone 3G was unveiled, which supports 3G phone standard and includes Assisted GPS.

The genesis of the iPhone began with Apple CEO Steve Jobs‘ direction that Apple engineers investigate touchscreens. Apple created the device during a secretive and unprecedented collaboration with AT&T Mobility—Cingular Wireless at the time of the phone’s inception—at a development cost of US$150 million by one estimate. During development, the iPhone was codenamed “Purple 2″. The company rejected an early “design by committee” built with Motorola in favor of engineering a custom operating system and interface and building custom hardware.

The iPhone went on sale in the U.S. on June 29, 2007. Apple closed its stores at 2:00 PM local time to prepare for the 6:00 PM iPhone launch, while hundreds of customers lined up at stores nationwide. Apple sold 270,000 iPhones in the first 30 hours on launch weekend. The original iPhone is now available in five other countries: Ireland, the UK, France, Germany, and Austria.

On July 11, 2008, Apple will release the iPhone 3G in twenty-two countries, including the original six. Forty-eight more are expected to follow in the months afterwards.In the United States, purchasing the new phone will require signing a two year provider contract with AT&T.

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