The decision to ditch the common physical keyboard in favour of a full touchscreen was a 'heated topic' within Apple, an ex-employee has revealed.
In an interview with The Verge, former Apple exec Tony Fadell says that initially there were three iPhone prototypes, one of which was an 'iPod plus phone' that had a click wheel like Apple's music boxes of old.
None of the three prototypes featured a BlackBerry-style physical keyboard apparently, but the decision on whether to go touchscreen-only wasn't easily reached, the interview reveals.
"It was definitely discussed," Fadell says. "It was a heated topic."
Fadell says that personally he was sceptical, but "wanted to try" because it, "made sense that you wanted a full screen, you didn't just want a little keyboard".
Post-Apple, Fadell founded Nest, a company that makes a futuristic app-controlled thermostat. I went hands-on earlier this year -- hit this link to take a look.
Apple's decision to opt for a massive touchscreen was a controversial one at the time, with many folks suggesting that a big screen was rather gross, destined to collect face and finger grease.
That proved to be completely true, of course, but the lure of multi-touch scrolling through photos and websites proved so tempting that nobody seemed to mind it getting a bit greasy.
Apple did produce one phone with a physical keyboard... sort of. The Motorola Rockr came with Apple's iTunes software, as well as a host of physical keys.
The iPhone certainly seems to have sent physical keyboards the way of the dodo, with fewer and fewer phones opting to include pushable keys. But is that a good thing? Do you miss the days of rattling off lightning-fast predictive texts on a good ol' fashioned grid of numbers? Let me know in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
Fancy a trip down memory lane? Check out this video review of the first iPhone from 2007.
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Comments 15
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anonymous 30 April, 2012 13:36
My only question with the article is why did I bother reading it? Great, Apple didn't use a physical keyboard, like so many other models. Oh wait, no, Apple was the market innovator in getting rid of the physical keyboard, and they invented the wheel, oh and oxygen.
More nonsense from Luke in his quest to bring boring and in most case, questionable, facts about Apple to the world of the CNET readership (who it would seem, know a hell of a lot more than Luke obviously does). Luke - get over your fascination with Apple. People read CNET for information, not one-sided rubbish about how interesting Apple is. No one cares Luke, write about something else and prove you can be a proper grown-up writer.
damien2501 30 April, 2012 14:00
Why can no one write an article about apple without getting slated for it. I dunno which rock these apple haters crawl out from but it's pretty weird. They were the first company to pioneer a phone with an onscreen keyboard. Quite a brave move IMO. People hate to admit that apple invent anything.
anonymous 30 April, 2012 14:07
That's because according to you apple fanboys, apple invented everything. The app store, the mp3 player etc etc. Even their innovative design can't get them through a copyright case anymore. Check out the IBM communicator from the 90's - no physical buttons and had a touchscreen keyboard. Get your facts straight before you slate us "apple haters". Those apple tinted specs sure make you look stupid to the rest of the world. Maybe you can go to the new apple cafe and discuss how apple invented time, space and everything in between. Facts - that's what us "apple haters" love. Completely made-up rubbish seems to satisfy apple fanboys.
damien2501 30 April, 2012 14:22
Saying apple pioneered a phone with an onscreen keyboard means I think apple invented time, space and everything in between? Sound reasoning that.
anonymous 30 April, 2012 14:46
And we "apple haters" all live under rocks?
Seriously? Surely that's just an insult and far worse than unsound reasoning.
FFS - get over it, you love apple and can see nothing but apple goodness, while in the real world................................
YOU ARE WRONG - back down like anyone normal or continue to look like a pathetic apple fanboy. Your choice.
anonymous 30 April, 2012 14:53
This is what alienates apple fanboys - ignoring history and altering it to suit the apple view.
Even when someone shows you you're wrong, you just refuse to accept the facts.
anonymous 30 April, 2012 16:23
@anonymous - Get a life. Seriously.
anonymous 30 April, 2012 17:53
Yeah @ anonymous - get a life - all of you, errr us, err everyone else.
Thomas Christopher Jack Wood 30 April, 2012 18:13
What just happened?
Jordan-Findlay 30 April, 2012 19:49
People speak about how apple is awfull but I fail to see any reason to dislike them. I will not say other companies like Samsung and Htc is bad because they are not, in fact they are good but if anyone can tell me what they hate so much about apple please reply
Jordan
anonymous 30 April, 2012 23:43
Most "apple-haters" don't hate the products, in most cases they will recognise the quality of the overall package. The big problem with apple, with the associated 'lifestyle choice' that has built up around it, is the basic falsehoods that corrupt history, propagated by the fanbois. Within 5yrs, the iphone has become the first touch/smart phone, while apple invented the app store concept for their new miracle phone. The ipod used an intuitive interface, another original from apple, as it was the first mp3 player.. I've even heard apple invented the slate/tablet concept while it's design is innovative and unique. None of that is true but, helped in no small part by the truly magnificent apple marketing dept, it is now starting to become fact for many people due to the shielded views that many apple loyalists choose not question. Anyone, with any basic knowledge of technology, knows that apple products are not cutting edge, they are reliable and well matched. Most apple-haters know this as well as anyone but get sick of the fanbois with their claims of un-rivalled tech. A lot of so-called apple-haters will be providing useful feedback on articles such as this while merrily typing their critique on an ipad. It's not the products that are the problem, it's apple and appleism that causes people to stand up and want the truth, not the "apple tinted" version (to quote the above post). But then if you try and argue, you become labelled an "apple-hater".
damien2501 1 May, 2012 01:01
People do get labelled apple haters for criticising apple but it works both ways, people who like apple products get called apple lovers. It's possible to like apple products but not the way the company works.
anonymous 1 May, 2012 01:04
I think Cnet should tackle this issue and write an article about it rather than being labelled apple lovers by people
Bltch Bearne 1 May, 2012 01:40
Apple haters, Apple fanboys... It doesn't matter, we all come to CNET to read about tech. If you hate them all love them, Apple have changed the tech and computer markets in many ways. Some of these ways have been dirty handed and 'morally wrong' but business is business.
The reason people moan about Apple on here so much is because nearly every week there is an Apple story. Most of the time the are not stories. Sometimes it appears like the writers at CNET just write an Apple story to keep those fanboys/haters interested... Stop reporting on stories that are not really news just because a couple of people want it... There are other companies out there!!!
anonymous 1 May, 2012 14:41
I read this article because I found it to be an interesting little piece of Apple history. I am typing this on an iPhone, my previous three phones were Androids, and I doubt I'll go back. Besides iTunes being the worst media player I've ever used (and I've used a few), the integration of Apple products with one another is staggeringly seamless. That's why people get so into Apple products. They work very well individually, and complement each other wonderfully. And that's all I have to say about that.
P.S. I do use a pc, but my wife owns a MacBook Pro and an iPad, and they are a joy to use. Only since using her computer have I realized how much on the fly troubleshooting I do on my own computer all day long.