1993: IBM’s Simon Personal Communicator has a touchscreen and allows users to send and receiver emails.
 
1994: Apple’s Newton sports the first mobile web browser called PocketWeb.
 
1996: Nokia introduces the Communicator 9000 featuring a full QWERTY keyboard.
 
1997: Ericsson coins the term “Smartphone” to describe its GS88 Penelope.
 
1999: Ever since MMS became popular, mobile phones supported camera add-ons. Kyocera’s VP-210 was the first camera phone to feature a built-in camera though.
 
2000: Ericsson’s T36 is the first phone with built-in Bluetooth.
 
2001: Siemens raises the bar with its SL45(i) and brings MP3s, expandable memory, and a virtual Java machine to mobile phones.
 
2005: Motorola’s ROKR E1 was the first phone to sync with iTunes.
 
2005: Siemens’ SXG75 comes with a GPS receiver and turn-by-turn navigation software.
 
2008: Nokia builds a compass into its Navigator phone and lets you geo-tag photos.
 
2008: Apple introduces the App Store
 
20XX: ?
 
What’s next in line to make smartphones be smartphones – More integrated hardware features, better software, or simply a deeper collaboration between hardware and software? Personally, I’d like to see a deeper collaboration. Do you agree?