The first smartphone ever built turns 20

20 years ago, the IBM’s Simon, the world’s first smartphone, was introduced in the US as the first device of its kind, one that combined cellphone communication, and simple, but innovative, computing capabilities.

Primarily marketed to enterprise customers, the device featured limited (yet consistent with the times) Internet capabilities. The Simon featured a calendar, it could send emails, and well as text messages, and take notes.

Much like many other concepts ahead of their time, the Simon was not a particularly successful product. IBM sold almost 50,000 units before discontinuing production.

Some of the drawbacks of the Simon, were its weight, 1.1lb, and its bulk. The green LCD display alone was as big as an iPhone 4, while the device itself was over five times as thick, making it look like a dark grey brick.

The coverage of Simon’s data network was limited to 15 US states, and its battery had an average life of one hour.

With a price tag of 900 dollars, the Simon was definitely a tough sell, considering the lack of WiFi and the fact that 4G LTE was still a long way from being invented.

The London’s Science Museum is marking the 20th anniversary of the Simon, with a permanent gallery titled “The Information Age Exhibition”, illustrating how far technology has come in the last 200 years, through an 800 items exhibit, this October.

Charlotte Connelly, curator of the exhibition, points out how the technology on display reminds us of simpler times in which it was possible to disconnect from technology altogether, even temporarily.