Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Fifteen years ago, Steve Jobs introduced the very first iPhone. He described it as three devices in one: a “widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone, and a breakthrough internet communications device.”
But since its first unveiling, the iPhone has become much more than that. It’s a symbol of the tech industry, of the modern era as a whole, and has made Apple the largest company in the world in terms of market capitalization. In 2015, it was speculated to be the most profitable product ever and helped grow Apple’s market cap to not just $1 trillion or $2 trillion — but as high as $3 trillion.
One reason for that is the steady pace of progress Apple has made to keep the iPhone at the top of the fray. It started…
