Apple's Original iPhone From 1983 [Image]

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Posted December 30, 2011 at 12:28am by iClarified

Check out this image of Apple's original 'iPhone' designed in 1983 by Hartmut Esslinger.

Esslinger is the same designer behind the Apple IIc computer and according to Wikipedia he was contracted by the company for $1,000,000/year .

In 1982 he entered into an exclusive $1,000,000 per year contract with Apple Computer to create a design strategy which transformed Apple from a "Silicon Valley Start-Up" into a global brand. Setting up shop in California for the first time, Esslinger and Frogdesign created the "Snow White design language" which was applied to all Apple product lines from 1984 to 1990, commencing with the Apple IIc and including the Macintosh computer. The original Apple IIc was acquired by the Whitney Museum of Art in New York and Time voted it Design of the Year. Soon after Steve Jobs' departure, Esslinger broke his own contract with Apple and followed Jobs to NeXT.

Take a look at the phone below...

Read More [via iPhoneFreakz] [via Wikipedia]

Apple's Original iPhone From 1983 [Image]

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TonnyBukdahl - December 31, 2011 at 1:09pm

I still have my dot matrix printer in the attic somewhere. Regarding this phone - I would love to get me one of these :-)

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fan - December 30, 2011 at 7:17pm

It is great !! Although I am not sure it can be named as iPhone. If my memory is correct the "i" stands for internet? So perhaps it was an aPhone for Apple phone?

wezz69 - December 31, 2011 at 1:00am

Im not sure it stands for internet because my first 2 "i"pods didnt have access to the internet

budsal - December 30, 2011 at 5:23pm

it has the apple logo. it must be real.

Kornmehl - December 30, 2011 at 10:54am

Who's to say Apple couldn't re-release such a touchscreen handset for landline service? It would be right up my alley, and I'm sure it would be so easy to put into production.

budsal - December 30, 2011 at 5:24pm

I agree. I would love to get a bunch of these for my store. I bet they'd be great for taking orders and notes, etc.

Orion's - December 30, 2011 at 4:45am

It's a trophy case

Ken - December 30, 2011 at 2:58am

My year~~~

Thunderbyte - December 30, 2011 at 12:32am

Who wants a stylus, uachhh? (Steve Jobs, 2007) ;-D

Thunderbyte - December 30, 2011 at 2:17pm

I was referring to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YY3MSaUqMg and the stylus in the 1983 picture (which was 24 years before the "new" iPhone, which I of course know). Obviously Steve didn't like styli several years later any more. I was referring to a well known meme of Steve's presentation of the "real" iPhone in 2007. But obviously YOUR knowledge (and spelling) about computers/technology is lacking so much that you didn't know that. And even more: you did not see the analogy I made between the two and really thought I somehow was confused or something. Well, your name is well chosen...

t - December 30, 2011 at 12:31am

I have to admit for 1983, that's a pretty bad ass phone. The screen quality looks pretty nice for being made so long ago.

PReaper - December 30, 2011 at 9:06am

I was thinking the same thing! :P

Mike - December 30, 2011 at 9:58pm

I had an Apple lllc that was purchased out of Burdines department store in Florida. Great computer. Pure pleasure to use. Even saved all summer for an ImageWriter ll for it. Ole dot matrix printer.

PReaper - December 30, 2011 at 10:06pm

Now that's epic! :) Still have them?

Mike - January 1, 2012 at 5:33pm

I wish I did but sold it for an Amiga 500 years and years ago.