It was 20 years ago today...

Just received a press release from Asda flagging up that 20 years ago today IBM unveiled the first smartphone. Today, by comparison, a smartphone (from Asda, natch) has 32,000 times the memory capability, half a million times the functions, 25 per cent of the weight and costs seven per cent of the original price.

The very first smartphone was unveiled by IBM at the COMDEX trade show in Las Vegas. It was shaped like a brick, weighed more than 1lb (510g), had 1MB of memory, featured a built-in fax and a touchscreen with stylus. In real terms, the 'Simon' would cost £1,104 today.

The original Angler prototype, as it was called, combined a cell phone and PDA into one device, allowing a user to make and receive telephone calls, facsimiles, emails and cellular pages, among other functions. COMDEX show attendees and the press showed notable interest in the device. The day after Angler's debut, USA Today featured a photo on the front page of the Money section showing Frank Canova, Angler's architect, holding the prototype.

BellSouth Cellular initially offered the Simon throughout its 15 state service area for $899 with a two-year service contract or $1099 without a contract. Later in the product's life, BellSouth Cellular reduced the price to $599 with a two-year contract.BellSouth Cellular sold approximately 50,000 units during the product's six months on the market.

The term "smartphone" was not coined until 1997, but because of Simon's features and capabilities, it can lay claim to being the first smartphone. 

Here endeth the lesson...Have a good weekend!