IBM Simon (1994)

Often considered the world’s first smartphone, the IBM Simon was truly ahead of its time. With a touchscreen interface, ability to send emails, and features like a calendar, address book, and even predictive typing, the Simon anticipated smartphone features by over a decade. Its innovative approach came at a cost – both in terms of its $899 price tag and its battery life of just one hour – but its visionary design showed where mobile technology was heading.