The word “revolutionary” is far too often used to describe some new product or device that appears on the market. Oftentimes, the particular product that this term has been ascribed to does not really warrant this description. This is definitely not the case with the Apple iPhone, which more than lives up to the description “revolutionary” and many others besides.

Marketed as a multimedia ready and Internet-capable mobile phone, the iPhone is a 4-band GSM cell phone that is also capable of camera and media player functions in addition to the ubiquitous text messaging. It also offers a relatively new feature, visual voicemail. The Internet capability of the iPhone is manifested in its web browsing, e-mailing, and Wi-Fi connectivity features.

The iPhone is a relatively new product, having only been released in the U.S. consumer market on June 29, 2007, where it was made available through Apple retail outlets, a number of online stores, as well as the AT&T telecommunications company. The iPhone is scheduled for release in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2007 as revealed in an announcement given on September 18, 2007. It will also be made available to German consumers on the same date, with a November 29, 2007

The origins of the iPhone can actually be traced to Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs’ decision to look into new applications for touch screens. Apple was then considering further involvement in the tablet PC industry, although Jobs was not entirely convinced of their market viability. He was equally skeptical of the PDA market, even in the face of widespread public clamor for Apple to release a new updated PDA. He was intrigued however by the implications of releasing a new type of cell phone, believing that the future of portable information and communications lay in these devices, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Possibly the most novel feature of the iPhone is its touch interface which bears some resemblance to the HTC Touch, although the latter is noticeably lacking multi touch capability. A proximity sensor is included with the iPhone, which cleverly turns off the display and touch screen whenever the unit is placed near the face.

It is still a bit too early to tell just how much of an impact the iPhone will have on the communications world but by initial market reactions, it seems to hold quite a lot promise.