On the iPhone’s 9th anniversary, 10 awesome facts about Apple

The first generation iPhone was launched today in 2007. Apple had been working on the iPhone (code-named Purple) for three years before its eventual release. 

Not only did it usher in the revolutionary modern smartphones era, it helped Apple elevate itself to a new level of financial success. Today the number of tasks a smartphone can do is mind-boggling and it all started nine years ago with the release of Apple’s first iPhone.

Here are 10 facts about the iPhones.

• The app store on the iPhone was the first place where you could legally download an application.
• The artists’ icon in the music app of iPhone is actually a silhouette of U2 singer Bono
• Time Magazine called the iPhone the invention of the year in 2007.
• Jailbreaking software Cydia got its name from cydia pomonella, which is considered the most common apple worm.
• Since the iPhone was released in 2007, Apple has owned more than 200 patents relating to the iPhone technology.
• During the launch of the iPhone, Steve Jobs prank-called Starbucks and ordered 4,000 lattes. He quickly cancelled the order however.
• Samsung makes the processors that power the iPhone. Despite going back-and-forth publicly over a series of lawsuits, the two competitors remain partner in this venture.
• The time on iPhone ads is always 9:42 or 9:41. Scott Forstall, then senior Vice President of the iPhone software explained that Apple reveals its product 40 minutes into the launch and they wanted the time on the ad to be close to the time on the audience’s watches. 
• Apple did not own the iPhone trademark when it was launched. Cisco had earlier launched a device called the iPhone but that didn’t stop Apple from naming their device the iPhone and the two companies eventually settled their differences  
• In March, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that Apple has sold over 700 million  iPhones