From “Brick Phones” to AI
: 40 Years of Smartphones
The iPhone 17 has just been released. And as winter settles in, the Galaxy S26 will likely make its debut soon after.
These sleek devices—small enough to rest in your palm—can now write text using AI, automatically edit photos, and even produce videos ready for social media. They are no longer simple phones; they have long since become extensions of our memory, thought, and creativity.
But it makes you wonder: “Was it always like this?”
Of course not. The smartphone was not born overnight. It is the product of four decades of human innovation. And that story isn’t just about Motorola and Apple—it’s also about the bold challenges of Samsung, LG, and Pantech in South Korea.
Today, let’s follow that journey—from the early “brick phones” to today’s AI-powered devices—and see how humanity transformed the way we communicate.
1980s
The Miracle of Carrying a Telephone
In 1983, Motorola DynaTAC 8000X changed everything. It weighed almost 1 kilogram, with only 30 minutes of talk time, yet it became a symbol of freedom. For the first time, people could make a call without returning home, and that alone transformed everyday life.
Six years later, in 1989, the world saw the Motorola MicroTAC, the first flip phone. Opening the lid to start a call felt futuristic—straight out of a sci-fi movie. That foldable design would later become a defining feature of Korea’s mobile-phone industry.
At that time, South Korea’s own mobile-technology spark had just begun to ignite. GoldStar (now LG Electronics) and Samsung Electronics were still heavily dependent on foreign components, but both began developing domestic mobile devices with a shared goal:
“We will build our own phones.”
1990s
The Birth of the Smartphone
In 1993, IBM Simon Personal Communicator arrived. It combined phone, memo, calendar, email, and a touchscreen—all in one device. It’s widely regarded as the world’s first smartphone. It looked bulky and slow by modern standards, but 14 years before the iPhone, it already showed the concept of a computer in your hand.
In 1996, Nokia 9000 Communicator introduced a laptop-like clamshell design with a full QWERTY keyboard, quickly becoming the ultimate business phone.
And in 1999, RIM BlackBerry 850 introduced the revolutionary push-email feature—messages arrived automatically without manual refresh. From that point, people were no longer holding just a phone, but a personal communication terminal.
Meanwhile, big changes were unfolding in South Korea. In 1994, Samsung Electronics established its Wireless Communications Division and began developing fully domestic handsets. At that time, global markets were dominated by Motorola and Nokia, and Korean devices still struggled with quality issues and reliability.
Then, on March 9, 1995, an extraordinary event took place at Samsung’s Gumi factory in Korea — the “Mobile Phone Burning Ceremony.” About 150,000 defective phones were set ablaze in front of 2,000 employees. Chairman Lee Kun-hee declared,
“Let this fire remind us never to create such shame again.”
It was not a mere display—it was a turning point in Samsung’s quality philosophy. That moment marked the beginning of Samsung’s lifelong commitment to “quality as life itself.”
Four years later, the development team finally released the Anycall SCH-800 in 1999—a product that became a symbol of Korean technological independence. On the back of its circuit board, engineers engraved a small phrase:
“A belief that we can do it.”
Anycall shattered the dominance of Motorola and Nokia, standing proudly as a world-class phone built with Korean technology. Soon after, LG’s Cyon and Pantech’s SKY followed, opening the era of Korean-style design phones.
2000s
The OS Wars and the Golden Age of Korean Phones
In 2000, Ericsson R380 became the world’s first Symbian OS smartphone, marking the shift from phones to true handheld computers. By 2003, Nokia 6600 introduced the camera and Bluetooth, defining the multimedia-phone generation.
- Samsung Anycall V200 (2003) — among the first globally commercialized phones with a built-in camera.
- Anycall SGH-T100 — one of the earliest color TFT LCD displays (160×128).
- Pantech SKY IM-100 — beloved slide design and emotional UI.
- LG Cyon — TV phones, touch phones, ultra-slim models.
When Motorola Razr V3 (2004) dominated global sales, Korea had already moved a step ahead technologically: the world’s thinnest flips, miniature cameras, and high-resolution displays were arriving from Seoul.
Then came 2007 — the turning point. Apple iPhone (1st generation) made history. That day, Steve Jobs said:
“Today, we’re introducing three revolutionary products… These are not three separate devices. This is one device. And we are calling it — iPhone.”
Buttons disappeared. The screen became everything. The word smartphone finally entered common language.
The following year, HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1) introduced Google’s Android OS. By 2009, Samsung Galaxy i7500 entered the Android market, followed by LG’s Optimus and Pantech’s Vega. From then on, Korea became one of the centers of the global smartphone industry.
2010s
Popularization — The Era of Samsung vs. Apple
In 2010, Samsung Galaxy S was released — the true beginning of the smartphone era for Samsung and the start of its Android leadership.
The same year, iPhone 4 turned smartphones into fashion icons with glass, stainless steel, and the Retina Display.
In 2011, Galaxy Note arrived with a 5.3-inch display and the S-Pen, launching the phablet era.
LG G2 (2013) introduced an innovative rear-button layout, redefining ergonomics.
Pantech eventually disappeared, and LG closed its smartphone business in 2021. Still, their innovations—dual cameras, rear keys, modular designs, sliding UIs—remain part of modern smartphone DNA.
In 2015, Galaxy S6 Edge brought the world’s first dual-curved display. In 2017, iPhone X removed the home button and introduced Face ID, completing the shift to all-screen devices.
2020s
AI, Foldables, and the Era of the Complete Smartphone
In 2020, Galaxy Z Fold2 ushered in the age of foldables — an experiment that became a category.
Around the same time, iPhone 12 introduced 5G and MagSafe, spawning a magnetic-accessory ecosystem.
By 2025, the iPhone 17, Galaxy Z Fold6, Google Pixel 9, and the upcoming Galaxy S26 are no longer just smartphones. They have evolved into personal AI devices — capable of editing photos, writing emails, and holding natural conversations by learning each user’s tone and habits. Modern smartphones are digital selves, sharing our memories, emotions, and creative impulses.
Looking Back at 40 Years of Smartphones
The DynaTAC (1983) gave us freedom.
The IBM Simon (1993) gave us knowledge.
The Anycall (1999) gave us pride.
The iPhone (2007) changed our experience.
And today’s AI smartphones have begun to share our thoughts.
The history of the smartphone is ultimately the story of humanity’s desire to communicate more freely. From telephone wires to conversations with artificial intelligence, that journey continues. And at the center of it stand not only Motorola and Apple, but also Samsung, LG, and Pantech.
The next stage may already be unfolding. As AI becomes core, and as foldables and wearables merge, smartphones are transforming into personal, integrated devices. In the years ahead, experience will matter more than screens, intelligence more than hardware, and connectivity more than performance.
Holding a smartphone in our hands today, what we should do is simple — watch closely how this small device will once again redefine our lives.
Thank you for reading — stay curious, and stay happy!
You can view the original blog post in Korean at the links below: