How did the First Mobile Phone Look Like? Check Key Interesting Facts

Sep 29, 2025, 12:48 IST

Discover the amazing journey of mobile phones: from Martin Cooper’s first call in 1973 to today’s slim, powerful smartphones. Explore how mobiles changed the way we live, work, and connect.

Mobile phones are one of the most important inventions in the modern world. They have completely changed the way we talk, work, and live. From being big and heavy in the 1970s to today’s slim smartphones, the journey of mobile phones is truly amazing.

Who Made the First Mobile Phone?

The very first mobile phone that was made was developed by Martin Cooper, an engineer at Motorola. He made his first mobile phone call using a device called the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X on April 3, 1973. The first mobile was very large, weighed more than 1 kg, and the battery lasted only 20–30 minutes. Still, it was the beginning of wireless calling.

The First Mobile Phone Call

Martin Cooper made the first call to his rival, Dr. Joel Engel from Bell Labs. This call was to show that his invention worked. This call proved to the world that talking wirelessly through a small device is possible.

How Did the First Phone Look?

The first mobile phones were nothing like today’s. They were very big, heavy, and had long antennas attached to them. The Motorola DynaTAC had a small screen and a keypad for dialing numbers. It took nearly 10 hours to charge, but gave only half an hour of talk time.

The History of the Mobile Phone

From Car Phones to Portable Mobiles

In the 1980s, mobile phones were mainly fitted in cars because they were too big and costly. Slowly, smaller and portable models came, but they were still very expensive. Only business people and rich families could afford them.

Mobile Phones in the 1990s

By the 1990s, mobile phones became digital, which made calling clearer and better. This was also the time when SMS (text messages) were introduced in 1992. Phones started to become smaller, lighter, and more useful. Companies like Nokia, Motorola, and Ericsson were very popular.

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ALSO READ: How did the First Telephone Look Like? Check how Much Different it is from Modern Telephone

The Origin of Smartphones

The first real smartphone was named the IBM Simon Personal Communicator, which was launched in the year 1994. It had a touchscreen and features like a calendar and email. In the 2000s, phones started to include cameras, music players, color screens, and internet access. Companies like BlackBerry and Nokia ruled the market of mobile phones during this time.

The Game Changer: iPhone and Android

Everything changed in 2007 when Apple launched the iPhone. It had a large touchscreen, internet access, and apps—all in one. Very soon, giants like Google entered the market and introduced Android, which allowed many phone companies to make smartphones at an affordable rate. This made mobile phones popular everywhere.

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Mobile Phones Today

Now, smartphones are more than just mere mobile phones, which were originally made for only calling purposes. They are cameras, computers, music players, GPS systems, and even shopping tools, all in one. Billions of people around the world use this technology in their day-to-day lives. These smartphones have become a part of our daily lives.

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From Past to Present

From Martin Cooper’s heavy Motorola phone to today’s slim, foldable, and AI-powered smartphones, the journey of mobile phones shows how far technology has come today. Life without a mobile phone is almost impossible to imagine for us now.

ALSO READ: Which Indian King is Known as Napoleon of India?

Vidhee Tripathi
Vidhee Tripathi

Content Writer

Vidhee Tripathi completed her PG Diploma degree in Digital Media from Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. She is a graduate in Science with chemistry honors from Banaras Hindu University. She has 2 years of experience in various aspects of journalism. She was previously associated with the social media wing of Akashvani. At jagranjosh.com, currently she covers current affairs, national news and international news. She is also associated with the education news section of Jagran Josh.

Certificate: Creative Writing, Problem Solving, Web Content Writing
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