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The evolution of Apple gadgets

Do you remember all of these innovative gadgets?

Lance Cartelli
Lance Cartelli is an Emmy Award-winning producer and writer based in Los Angeles, California.
Lance Cartelli
Young woman with Apple iPhone
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The evolution of Apple gadgets

First released in June 2007, the original iPhone revolutionized technology. But it wasn't Apple's first major gadget. Here's a visual trip through Apple's many gadget hits and misses.

The Newton MessagePad
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Newton MessagePad

Let's start with Apple's inaugural mobile device, the Newton MessagePad, first developed in 1993.

The personal digital assistant was the first hardware to feature handwriting recognition, but the ahead-of-its-time innovation was discontinued in 1998.

Apple's New Portable Music Player
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iPod Classic

Introduced in 2001, the first-generation iPod revolutionized music consumption. The hardware included a black-and-white LCD screen and a 5GB hard drive that could store up to 1,000 songs. 

Apple and U2 Team Up
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iPod U2 Special Edition

Not every iPod was a hit, though.

Introduced in 2004, the U2 special edition black iPod came equipped with an eye-friendly red click wheel... and a price tag $50 higher than the original model. 

Sales were so poor that the flop is now a collector's item fetching tens of thousands of dollars.

Apple Releases New iPods
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iPod Photo

Unveiled in 2004 -- along with the U2 Special Edition iPod -- the iPod Photo is an upgraded version of the fourth-generation device. This iPod supported several photo types and it could be attached to a TV.

Apple iPod Mini at the Apple Computer store in Soho.,
6 of 24 New York Daily News Archive

iPod Mini

Released in February 2004, the iPod Mini featured the same touch-sensitive scroll that the third-generation iPod had. The difference in the device -- other than being smaller -- was the click wheel.

The iPod Mini was discontinued in 2005. 

A South Korean promoter shows the new iPod Shuffle
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iPod Shuffle

The smallest iPod model, and the first Apple device to use flash memory, was released in January 2005. The shuffle played random songs that were previously loaded by the user. 

Apple Launches New iPod In Seoul
8 of 24 Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

iPod Video

Coming off the iPod Photo, Apple introduced the fifth-generation iPod a year later. This upgraded version was the first Apple digital audio device that could play video. This is also the last iPod model to use a glass face. 

The Apple Nano iPod, 20 October 2005. ILW Picture by WAYNE VENABLES
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iPod Nano

In 2005, Apple decided to replace the iPod Mini with the Nano. The tiny device, equipped with a color screen, stored music with flash memory. The first-generation Nano had a battery life of up to 14 hours. 

Long-Awaited Apple iPhone Goes On Sale Across U.S
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First-generation iPhone

After years of rumors, Apple finally announced their first smartphone in January 2007. As Steve Jobs put it at the unveiling of the smartphone in 2007, the iPhone is a combination of a "widescreen iPod with touch controls", a "revolutionary mobile phone" and a "breakthrough internet communicator."

Time magazine named it the Invention of the Year. 

Steve Jobs Delivers Keynote Speech At Macworld Conference & Expo
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iPod Touch

Released the same year as the first-gen iPhone, the iPod Touch is similar to the smartphone except it's lighter, cheaper and doesn't use a cellular network. 

Apple Unveils Movie Downloads For iTunes And Two New iPod Models
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3rd-generation iPod Nano

With a design that mirrored the iPod Classic, the third-generation Nano was the first model of the device to allow video playback. The iPod Nano came in multiple colors and two storage sizes, 4 and 8GB. 

Apple Reports Record Earnings
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Apple TV

Unveiled as "iTV" in 2006, the first-generation Apple TV, a digital media player, needed an iTunes connection to work. The following year, Apple released a major update that turned it into a standalone device. 

New iPhone 3G Hits Stores Across US
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iPhone 3G

In July 2008, Apple's second-gen iPhone 3G was released with a multitude of upgraded features. The improved hardware included a sleek and sturdy design, an improved battery and a rear camera. 

Apple Announces Launch Of New Tablet Computer
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iPad

Nearly two decades after releasing the Newton MessagePad, Apple re-entered the tablet game with the iPad, a 9.7-inch touchscreen display.

After just 80 days on the market, Apple sold 3 million iPads. 

iPad Mini And iPad 4 Studio Shoot
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iPad Mini

Announced in 2012, the iPad Mini is the fifth product in the Apple's line of tablets. The device's screen is nearly 2 inches smaller than the original iPad. 

Latest IPhones Hit Shops In Hong Kong
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iPhone 5S

Released in 2013, the iPhone 5S was the first Apple smartphone to incorporate the Touch ID technology that allows a user's fingerprint to unlock the device. 

Latest IPhones Hit Shops In Hong Kong
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iPhone 5C

The iPhone 5C, made out of a durable hard-coated polycarbonate shell, was the first of Apple's smartphones to be offered in different eye-friendly colors. 

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus retail sales begin in Spain
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iPhone 6 Plus

In September 2014, Apple officially unveiled the iPhone 6 Plus, a smartphone with a huge 5.5-inch display and an upgraded camera. 

In the next version, the iPhone 6S Plus, Apple introduced the force-touch feature. 

Apple Unveils iPhone 6
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Apple Watch

Introduced as the "next chapter in Apple's story," the Apple Watch was released in four different options: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch Edition and Apple Watch Hermes.

Apple's Ipad Pro on Sale in Tokyo
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iPad Pro

The first iPad Pro, released in November 2015, is the largest and most powerful Apple tablet on the market. The 12.9-inch device was offered in three different colors: gold, silver and space gray.

In 2016, a 9.7-inch iPad Pro was announced with the addition of the rose-gold color option. 

iPad Pro And Accessory Product Shoot
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Apple Pencil

The Apple Pencil, released in 2015, is a digital stylus for the iPad Pro. The Bluetooth device can detect force, and it's designed specifically for drawing and other creative activities.  

Device And Controller Product Shoot
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4th-generation Apple TV

In the first major update since 2010, the fourth-generation Apple TV promised to be the future of television. The update included the addition of Siri and a new touch remote that featured swipe-to-select functionality. 

Apple Holds Press Event To Introduce New iPhone
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AirPods

Released in December 2016, the AirPods' wireless Bluetooth earbuds offer a ton of functionality. The headphones have Siri capability and sync through iCloud, and they support any Bluetooth 4.0 device. 

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