Apple’s first ever iPhone ad highlighted one special feature: making phone calls

Yesterday marked ten years on from the first introduction of the iPhone, and while the device has gone through seven iterations and multiple design changes, the core of the object has remained the same: it’s a phone.

And that’s all Apple wanted you to know about the first version of the iPhone, a device we now expect to do thousands of different tasks. The company’s first advertisement for the 1st generation iPhone highlighted nothing more than the calling capability of the device.

Jump forward just three years to the release of the iPhone 3GS, and Apple’s marketing had taken a significant leap, promoting the use of multiple apps, network connectivity, and video streaming. Even so, the ability to make a phone call still sneaks in as a feature.

Fast forward to last year’s release of the iPhone 7 and you get a very different stpry. The launch of the product involved a two-minute commercial titled “Don’t Blink”. The ad covers multiple new features, including colour varieties, water resistance, fingerprint recognition and high definition cameras.

The video ends with a scrolling list of features over the last edition of the iPhone, packing an immense amount of information into just 107 seconds. Sadly, no phone calls make an appearance as a major selling point.

Missed our big launch news? Here it is in 107 seconds. Don’t blink. pic.twitter.com/zCdx8oDwgg

— Apple (@Apple) September 7, 2016

What’s next for Apple’s promotion of its flagship product? Could the device finally ditch its namesake (along with the headphone jack) and remove calling capabilities for good?

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