To interact with our smartphones, play games, and text our loved ones, we use touchscreen displays, which are present in every smartphone today. The first touchscreen smartphone was not the first Apple iPhone, as is commonly believed. Before the release of the iPhone, other phones that advanced the technology had touchscreen displays that date back to 1994. With the success of the iPhone, Apple did indeed popularize touchscreen use, but many other phones had touchscreens before the iPhone. We selected the three most innovative touchscreen-equipped smartphones that debuted before the iPhone and helped create the foundation for contemporary smartphones.

1. IBM Simon 

This gadget, widely regarded as the first smartphone ever, debuted in August 1994. It was commonly known as a PDA and was the first phone to use an LCD. In addition, Simon could send and receive faxes, cellular pages, and emails. Even its charging dock was included. The IBM Simon, however, did not fare well after slimmer flip phones became available.

2. Nokia 7710 

Launched sometime in 2004, this was the first Nokia smartphone to feature a TFT touchscreen. Even physical buttons for simple actions like accepting and declining calls were on the screen, which had a 2:1 aspect ratio. Even a directional pad and other buttons to access various menus were included. The touchscreen could also be used for the same purposes, but due to the phone’s quirky design, using it with one hand was challenging. The phone had a 128 MB Multimedia Card and 90 MB of internal memory. It was a prototype for the release of Google Maps on the iPhone in Italy and was sold alongside a satellite receiver and used for mobile satellite navigation.

3. LG Prada 

The capacitive touchscreen used in this phone, which Apple also used in the iPhone, was the first for mobile devices worldwide. Although it doesn’t operate like smartphones today, LG was already a step ahead of the competition before the iPhone was introduced. The phone went on sale a month before the iPhone. When it first began to appear in stores around the world, the latter device, however, stole the show. Although the LG Prada was marketed as a high-end smartphone, its construction was far inferior to that of the iPhone, which is made of metal and glass.

Some LG Prada Specs 

One of the surprising LG Prada aspects was that it supported Bluetooth, considering that Bluetooth has been a feature of commercially available products since 2001. It has Bluetooth 2.0, the most recent and significant at the time.

The LG Prada had some unique specs and features for a phone from 2006, including a microSD card slot, which was brand-new at the time. Additionally, the LG KE850 has a microSD card slot. Even though the technology was widely available in mobile phones in 2006, the microSD card format had only been authorized the year before. Up to 2GB microSD cards could be used with the LG Prada.

Last, the LG Prada’s camera outperforms the one that would eventually be found on the first iPhone. In addition to having the exact resolution (2MP at 1,6001,200), it also had a flash and the ability to record video, which the iPhone lacked.

The LG Prada’s lack of Wi-Fi capabilities is the most apparent oversight. This is mainly inexcusable given that the first Wi-Fi-enabled mobile phones were released in 2004. Wi-Fi was still uncommon on most phones in 2006, but for a cutting-edge device like the Prada, it would have been reasonable to expect top-tier connectivity.

Another significant issue is Prada’s lack of internal storage. That’s not a typo: the Prada has only 8MB of internal storage. You can add up to 2GB more with a microSD card, but even the most basic iPhone has 4GB of storage.

Finally, while the battery is removable, its capacity of 800mAh is relatively low. At 1,400mAh, the iPhone had nearly twice the capacity. Although battery capacity isn’t everything, user reports from LG Prada owners indicate that the battery was subpar.

While the LG Prada’s specifications were somewhat disappointing, it left much to be desired. Once again, we must give it to the iPhone to deliver the most critical specifications. 

LG Prada Camera 

The LG Prada’s camera would have been top-of-the-line in 2006. With the Prada branding on the LG KE850, it should be no surprise that the phone’s camera is excellent (once again, for 2006). The rear camera module records stills, the video has a flash, and the software gives you great control over your shots.

There’s no selfie camera here, but LG has included a small mirror to the left of the camera lens. You can use this to see your face and determine whether or not you will be in the frame if you try to take a selfie. It’s a low-tech solution, but it does more than the iPhone.

You can do simple things like set a shutter timer, turn on or off the flash, and change the image resolution (320 x 240 at the low end, 1,600 x 1,200 at the high).

You can do more advanced things, such as choose the type of lighting, similar to a poor man’s white balance. You can focus manually rather than using autofocus, and you can even apply filters. You can even change the camera’s sound when you press the shutter button. 

Although video recording options are limited, you can still control key parameters such as resolution (which is limited to 400 x 240), digital zoom, and whether or not the flash remains on during recording. 

The LG Prada’s poor software ultimately prevented it from becoming a legendary device.

Final Thoughts 

Without a doubt, the iPhone fundamentally altered the smartphone market. However, it’s crucial to remember that the iPhone wasn’t the first touchscreen smartphone. Instead, that distinction belongs to the three phones mentioned in this article, especially LG Prada. 

If you want to update your device with a brand-new iPhone but your budget doesn’t allow you, a used phone is an excellent option to have a new iPhone and save money.