It is kind of wild to think that the rectangle in your pocket has more computing power than the machines that sent humans to the moon. But here we are. If you are trying to track down iphones by release date, you are basically looking at a history of how the modern world was built. Honestly, looking back at the 2007 keynote where Steve Jobs pretended he was introducing three different devices—a widescreen iPod, a revolutionary mobile phone, and a breakthrough internet communicator—it still feels like a magic trick.
But the timeline isn’t just a straight line of "better screens." It is a messy, sometimes controversial journey of Apple deciding what we need before we even knew we wanted it. You remember the headphone jack drama? Or when the iPhone 4 had "Antennagate"?
History is funny like that.
The Early Days: When "Smart" Meant Basic
The original iPhone hit the shelves on June 29, 2007. It didn't have 3G. It didn't even have an App Store. Basically, you were stuck with what Apple gave you. It was a beautiful brick that changed everything. Then came the iPhone 3G on July 11, 2008, which finally brought the App Store to the masses. Suddenly, your phone could be a level, a flashlight, or a very basic game console.
The iPhone 3GS (June 19, 2009) was the first time we saw the "S" naming convention. The "S" stood for speed. It could finally record video, which seems insane to think about now—that there was a time iPhones couldn't record video.
Then we hit the iPhone 4 on June 24, 2010. This was the industrial design peak for many. Glass on both sides, stainless steel edges, and the first "Retina" display. It looked like it was from the future. But if you held it wrong, you lost signal. Apple’s fix? Give everyone a free rubber bumper. Classic.
Moving to the Modern Era
The iPhone 5 (September 21, 2012) was the first major screen size jump. It went from 3.5 inches to 4 inches. It also killed the old 30-pin connector for the Lightning port. People were furious about their old docks not working. We survived.
September 20, 2013 gave us the iPhone 5s and the colorful 5c. The 5s was a massive deal because of Touch ID. Fingerprint sensors were suddenly everywhere. It also had the first 64-bit chip in a phone.
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Then things got big. Really big.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (September 19, 2014) was Apple finally admitting people wanted giant screens. These phones were so thin they famously "bent" in people's pockets. Bendgate was the meme of the year.
A Quick Look at the Middle Years
- iPhone 6s / 6s Plus: September 25, 2015. Introduced 3D Touch (RIP) and Live Photos.
- iPhone SE (1st Gen): March 31, 2016. The internals of a 6s in the body of a 5s. People loved this thing.
- iPhone 7 / 7 Plus: September 16, 2016. The year the headphone jack died. Apple called it "courage."
- iPhone 8 / 8 Plus: September 22, 2017. The last "classic" design before the notch took over.
The Notch and Beyond
The iPhone X arrived on November 3, 2017, and it felt like a reboot. No home button. Just Face ID and gestures. It cost $999, which at the time felt like an extortionate amount of money for a phone. Now? That's almost the entry price for a "Pro" model.
Following that, we saw the iPhone XS and XR in 2018, then the iPhone 11 series in 2019. The 11 was a huge hit because it brought "Pro" camera features to a cheaper price point. Then 2020 happened. We got the iPhone SE (2nd Gen) in April, and then the iPhone 12 series in October and November. The 12 brought back the flat edges and introduced 5G.
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September 24, 2021, brought the iPhone 13. It was iterative, but the battery life was actually good for once. The iPhone 14 (September 16, 2022) gave us the "Dynamic Island" on the Pro models, turning a screen cutout into a feature.
The Recent Shift: USB-C and Titanium
The iPhone 15 series (September 22, 2023) was the end of an era. The Lightning port died, replaced by USB-C. This was a forced move by the EU, but honestly, it made everyone's life easier. The Pro models also switched to Titanium, making them significantly lighter.
September 20, 2024, was the iPhone 16 launch. This year was all about "Apple Intelligence" and the new Camera Control button. It also saw the introduction of the iPhone 16e in early 2025 (specifically February 19, 2025), which basically acted as the new budget king, replacing the old SE formula with a more modern, all-screen design and the A18 chip.
The State of Play in 2025 and 2026
Most recently, the iPhone 17 lineup hit shelves on September 19, 2025. This was a big year for the standard models, which finally got 120Hz ProMotion displays. No more choppy scrolling on the "cheap" phones. We also saw the iPhone 17 Air, a super-thin model that focused more on aesthetics than raw power.
As we look toward fall 2026, the rumors are getting weirdly specific. We are expecting the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in September 2026, likely featuring the first 2nm chips (the A20 Pro). But the real head-turner? The "iPhone Fold." After years of "it's coming next year," 2026 looks like the year Apple finally enters the foldable market with a book-style device that might just replace the iPad Mini for some people.
iPhone Release Timeline at a Glance
To keep it simple, here is the chronological flow of the major releases:
The journey started with the Original iPhone (2007), followed by the 3G (2008) and 3GS (2009). Then we saw the glass iPhone 4 (2010) and the Siri-enabled 4s (2011). The taller iPhone 5 (2012) led into the 5s and 5c (2013). The big-screen era began with the iPhone 6 (2014), followed by the 6s (2015) and the first SE (early 2016). Later that year, the iPhone 7 (2016) arrived. 2017 was a triple threat with the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and the revolutionary iPhone X.
We then got the XS and XR (2018), the iPhone 11 (2019), and the 5G-enabled iPhone 12 (2020) along with the SE 2nd Gen. The iPhone 13 (2021) and SE 3rd Gen (2022) kept the momentum before the iPhone 14 (2022) and the USB-C iPhone 15 (2023). Most recently, the iPhone 16 (2024) and the iPhone 17 (2025) have pushed us into the AI era.
What You Should Actually Do With This Info
If you're looking at iphones by release date because you want to buy a used one, here is the expert take: avoid anything older than the iPhone 13. The battery life on the 11 and 12 hasn't aged well, and the 13 was the first year Apple really nailed the efficiency.
If you are a "Pro" user, the iPhone 15 Pro is currently the sweet spot. You get the Titanium build and the USB-C port without paying the 2025/2026 premium. However, if you are holding out for a foldable, you absolutely have to wait until late 2026. Apple is notorious for letting Samsung and Google test the waters for five years before they jump in with a "refined" version.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your current model: Go to Settings > General > About. If you're on an iPhone 11 or older, your software support is nearing the end of the road.
- Wait for the Spring: If you want a budget phone, don't buy the old SE 3. The iPhone 16e is a much better value with its A18 chip and modern screen.
- Back up your photos: Regardless of which model you have, use iCloud or a physical drive. Even the best iPhones in history eventually fail, and a release date won't save your data.
The evolution of the iPhone isn't stopping. Whether it's under-display Face ID or a phone that folds in half, the timeline just keeps growing.