Released: November 3, 2017

The iPhone X (and yes, it’s pronounced “ten”) was the shock announcement for 2017. Not only are Apple doing a Windows by bypassing 9 entirely, they’re bringing out a deluxe iPhone with an all-new design. So, what’s the iPhone X all about?

The most immediately striking feature is the screen. For the first time, there’s no Home button – it’s an all-glass, (almost) bezel-less design that reaches all the way from top to bottom. At 2436 x 1125, it’s the highest-resolution display of any iPhone yet – sure to make browsing and video-watching alike a whole new experience.

Another huge new feature is Face ID – Apple’s brand new security measure that’s set to replace Touch ID. Rather than unlocking with your fingerprint, the iPhone X scans your entire face from different angles. Importantly, this means it can’t be fooled by a photograph, and Apple claims it’s the most secure form of identification on the market.

Camera-wise, it packs the same 12MP wide-angle and telephoto lens as the iPhone 8 Plus. The iPhone X is also being hyped up for its Augmented Reality capabilities – although for now, we’ll have to wait and see what the future holds on this front.

Naturally, the iPhone X uses the six-core A11 chipset, and it’ll also feature a custom version of iOS 11 designed to make the most of the expanded screen.

Of course, all this new technology comes at a price, and the £999-£1,149 range has already raised a few eyebrows as it’s by far the most expensive iPhone yet. What do you think – does the iPhone X impress enough to justify an upgrade?

Released: September 22, 2017

As usual, the iPhone 8 is being released alongside a larger, more expensive phablet version – the iPhone 8 Plus. Just like its little brother, the 8 Plus features wireless charging, a glass-plated back and the significantly more powerful A11 Bionic chipset.

The screen size is the same as the iPhone 7 Plus at 5.5 inches, and with a 401ppi display you’ll be able to enjoy full HD viewing of your videos and movies while enjoying the True Tone tech, which was first seen on the iPad Pro. New stereo speakers on the top and bottom also allow for deeper bass and higher volume, making this the firm choice if you enjoy using your phone as a mini-TV.

Storage has also taken a step up – where the 7 Plus only offered 32GB or 128 GB, you’ll be able to choose from 64GB or 256GB for the 8 Plus. Compared to the iPhone 8, your battery should last significantly longer between charges, and you’ll be able to make full use of wireless charging too.

Like the 7 Plus, the 8 Plus comes with a significant camera boost in the form of a wide-angle sensor and telephoto lens. A brand new feature called Portrait Lighting also promises better face shots by auto-correcting the lighting.

The iPhone 8 Plus definitely looks like a significant upgrade from its predecessor – will it be enough to tempt you?

Released: September 22, 2017

The iPhone 8 introduces a brand new feature to the lineup: wireless charging. Announced along with the 8 Plus and iPhone X, the 8 also features a glass-backed design, a higher-powered processor and improvements to the display.

While the 8 is almost a replacement for the expected 7S – an incremental rather than revolutionary upgrade – there are still plenty of worthy new features to shout about, especially wireless charging.

Now, rather than plugging a cable into your phone every night, you’ll leave it on a charging pad instead and fill its battery via the magic of electromagnetic induction. It’s still fast-charge capable with a wired connection, too – Apple claims it’ll charge up to 50% in 30 minutes.

On top of this, there’s a full-glass rear within a water and dust-resistant aluminium frame, and while the screen size and resolution has stayed the same at 4.7 inches, it’ll benefit from more vivid colours thanks to an upgrade to the Retina HD display. Speakers are reportedly 25% louder too.

The 12MP camera has had a boost as well, boasting a larger sensor that can capture 83% more light compared to the 7’s, meaning better low-light shots. The frame rate for video recording has also been increased.

Finally, there’s a more powerful A11 Bionic six-core chipset in the driving seat. As well as promising a dramatic speed boost, the two dedicated efficiency cores are expected to improve battery life while the phone is idle.

Is the iPhone 8 enough of an upgrade, or will you be skipping directly to the iPhone X? Let us know!

Released: September 16, 2016

The bigger brother of the iPhone 7, the iPhone 7 Plus features a mighty, full-HD, 5.5-inch screen, a great battery life and a hugely revamped camera.

Like the 7, the 7 Plus is waterproof (yay) and has no headphone jack (boo). But while it looks pretty similar to the 6 Plus, there’s a few big jumps in quality, especially when it comes to the rear camera. With its dual-lens setup, the 7 Plus is capable of snapping wide-angle shots just as easily as telephoto, with no impact on image quality.

Battery life is also much improved, with Apple claiming up to 21 hours of talk time – and it’ll easily carry you through a day’s normal use before it needs a charge-up. Additionally, with 3GB of RAM, it’ll handle multi-tasking considerably better than the 2GB iPhone 7.

The new dual speakers are also a particularly great addition to a big-screen phone, making this a perfectly good mini-TV for streaming video.

While it comes with a premium price tag, if you’re looking to enjoy the very best of iPhone in a phablet format, the iPhone 7 Plus is certainly the one to beat.

Released: September 16, 2016

The iPhone 7 burst onto the scene in September 2016, and while it isn’t a total reinvention of the iPhone we know and love, it packs enough cool, new features to make the upgrade very tempting indeed.

The fully waterproof design is a first for the iPhone range, bringing the series into line with the likes of the Galaxy S7 and LG G6. Compared to the iPhone 6, the display is noticeably brighter, although it has the same screen size and pixels-per-inch ratio of 326.

Another noticeable upgrade is the dual speakers – great if you like to blast your music while you travel or watch shows without headphones. Speaking of headphones, though, one of the stranger decisions is the removal of the headphone jack. Apple thinks the future is in wireless earbuds, although you can still plug its own branded headphones in to the Lightning port.

The camera has also had a boost, with hugely improved low-light performance, while the battery lasts a good few hours longer than the iPhone 6’s too.

The iPhone 7’s more evolution than revolution, but if you’re looking for a great (non-Plus) iPhone on the market it could be the one to get. Will you be making the switch?

Released: March 31, 2016

Year after year, Apple’s handsets have grown in size, but 2016’s iPhone SE has challenged the trend towards phablet-isation, showing that Apple is finally listening to the growing group of customers who crave a pocket-sized iPhone that has modern, show-stopping specs.

The SE’s 4 inch screen is indeed the same as 2013’s 5s, but with double the CPU performance, triple the GPU power and the all-new iOS 9.3, the SE is an altogether more potent beast, matching the capabilities of the September 2015’s 6s.

This naturally means speedy usage, but thanks to the same rear camera, a similar battery, and the same front camera as the iPhone 6, the experience is flagship by nature, yet unashamedly low price.

Encased in a slick metal cover that comes in four colours, the SE is certainly aimed at the budget end of the market – important given that Apple’s future growth lies in countries such as India and China. It’s cheaper than the 5C was on launch, which clearly shows Apple is deliberately trying to undercut the small selection of high-end, small-screen Android devices on the market.

Set for release on March 31st, if you love your phones neat and tidy, the SE could be the handset for you.

Released: September 25, 2015

The update to the iPhone 6 Plus is finally here. As before, the 6S Plus packs much the same hardware as its little brother’s, but offers a phablet-sized screen for those who find the standard iPhone a little too little for their tastes.

Functionally, it offers the same list of upgrades as the 6S: the most exciting feature, 3D Touch, is present and accounted for; the main camera’s had an upgrade to 12MP, and the new A9 chipset keeps everything running nice and smoothly. (And yes, the unfortunately-named “Reachability” feature for smaller hands is still there.)

One notable improvement is battery life. The original 6 Plus had a pretty decent battery, but the 6S Plus might actually be something to shout about. It’ll take time and testing to determine how long it really needs to go between charges in daily use, but Apple claims a whopping 16 days of standby and 24 hours of talktime.

Together with the 6S, the 6S Plus hits stores on September 25th. Will you be among the first to get one?

Released: September 25, 2015

Although from the outside it looks like little has changed from 2014’s iPhone 6, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. That’s not to say there’s no differences at all: the 6S is ever-so-slightly thicker than the older model, and more importantly the casing is made from improved 7000 series aluminium, resulting in a sturdier build.

However, the innards are where the magic really happens. First off, the upgraded A9 processor brings longer battery life and snappier navigation than ever, especially when gaming. With 2GB of RAM, it has twice as much memory available to apps as the 6 and 6 Plus – and the same amount as the iPad Air 2.

Naturally, one of the most exciting changes is the long-awaited camera upgrade. Apple has long lagged behind when it comes to megapixels, but the 12MP sensor means that – while not quite on a par with the Galaxy S6’s 16MP option – there’s finally an iPhone dedicated shutterbugs can be proud of.

But the most game-changing new feature is 3D Touch. The 6S’s screen can now be controlled in a variety of ways thanks to a pressure-sensitive screen: a more advanced version of the Apple Watch’s Force Touch. It remains to be seen how app and game developers will put this feature to use, but needless to say it’s exciting stuff.

The 6S will be in UK stores on September 25th – are you ready for an upgrade?

Released: September 19, 2014

A bigger brother to the iPhone 6 has long been rumoured, and that’s just what we got in the latest announcement from Cupertino. With a 5.5-inch screen and 1920×1080 resolution at 401 ppi, the iPhone 6 Plus is certainly in phablet territory, and that’s just what Apple’s offering needs right now.

A few smart changes have clearly been designed to help users get the most out of the embiggened iPhone, such as a home screen that rotates to landscape (an iPhone first) and an expanded keyboard to match. The new “Reachability” home button feature helps move the screen down even if your little thumbs can’t quite stretch.

Much of the hardware is the same as the iPhone 6, but the Plus packs a considerably beefier battery promising more than two weeks on standby, 12 hours of browsing or a whopping 80 hours of audio playback. Due in the shops on September 19th, the iPhone 6 Plus looks set to be a game-changer for Apple.

Released: September 19, 2014

The big announcement on September 9th finally gave us all our first look at the super-slim iPhone 6 – and what a handsome beast it is. Mirroring the most recent iPad designs, the iPhone 6 has curved edges, although the star of the show is surely the screen – nearly an inch bigger than its predecessor.

The resolution is less than the 416 ppi that had been widely predicted, sticking with the same 326 ppi rating enjoyed by the iPhone 5S – so while it’s a bigger screen, it won’t be any sharper. The camera is still 8.0 MP too, although autofocus, noise reduction and image stabilisation have all undergone dramatic improvements. Meanwhile, the battery’s had a bit of a boost, though it still lags behind comparable Android phones.

One of the more interesting additions is a number of new sensors to monitor users’ health, fitness and sleep patterns, no doubt designed to partner up with iOS 8’s new Health app. The iPhone 6 goes on sale on September 19th – will you be upgrading?

Released: September 20, 2013

The iPhone 5S – responding to competition from Nokia, Samsung, HTC, Sony and LG – stuck to its guns with design build, yet continued to cram in as much technology as possible. The all-new A7 chip ensured the 5s was the world’s first smartphone with 64-bit “desktop-class architecture”; it was supported by a M7 motion coprocessor that gathers data from the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass to improve battery life and efficiency.

Meanwhile, the new 8MP iSight camera was touted as the best way to get low-light shots on the move, boosted by a faster Camera app that offered slow-motion video for the first time. Finally, while hardly promoted by Apple itself, the most obvious visible change was the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, which gave users another means of securing their phone aside from the long-standing passcode system.

Released: September 20, 2013

The 5c marked the first time that Apple would present phone users with two options – one targeting affordability, another pursuing performance. The 5c was the former: a colourful, heavier variant of iPhone 5 with a polycarbonate shell in five bright shades, all ready to be customised further with an additional six microfibre-lined cases.

It was nothing groundbreaking when compared to its predecessor – after all, it had the same chipset, camera, RAM and processing power – but its lower price point made it the cheapest handset in four years, particularly on long-term contracts. What’s more, iOS 7 brought with it countless operational improvements, including iTunes Radio and audio-only FaceTime.

Released: September 21, 2012

Thinner, lighter and longer – and the biggest shake-up of the iPhone to date – the iPhone 5 was the first to abandon its 3.5 inch screen in favour of a 4 inch display, which allowed for an extra row of icons and better support for widescreen video. As rivals HTC and Samsung went for even larger displays, Apple was quick to highlight the ergonomics and comfort in the hand of your average Joe – why make it bigger if your thumb can’t reach parts of the touchscreen?

Selfies were finally brought up to 720p HD with the now-centred front camera, the A6 chip clocked in at a steady 1GHz, RAM was doubled to 1GB, and everything was charged faster by the all-new Apple Lightning cable. It was all held together by an anodised aluminium body, reducing weight by 20 per cent – notably by using metal for most of the back cover, making it less liable to accidental damage. It also ushered in the new era of data: 4G.

Released: October 14, 2011

Comfortable with its design, Apple’s 4s didn’t look any different, but the internal tweaking certainly packed a punch. It featured the brand new dual-core A5 chip to boost its processing speeds, as well as an 8.0MP camera with advanced optics that offered full 1080p HD video recording, which would go on to feature in all models to date.

However, it was the software updates that stole the show, notably Siri, an “intelligent assistant” that could answer spoken questions with unrivalled efficiency – even though many users saw it as more of a party trick than a dedicated PA. Additionally, Notification Center finally delivered an information overview for multitasking users, and iMessage promised fans of BBM and WhatsApp a free way to stay in touch with fellow iPhone users.

Released: June 24, 2010

After being leaked months ahead of its sale in June 2010, the iPhone 4’s hype was matched by the huge changes it delivered; hardware and software alike enjoyed major renovations and innovations.

Labelled the thinnest smartphone in the world on launch, the iPhone 4 was flat, with aluminosilicate glass forming the front and back while a stainless steel frame doubled up as its antenna. It was a bold move in order to make the phone more attractive and simple, though left-handers around the world found themselves with signal problems linked to their dexterity.

The iPhone 4’s obvious immediate change was its new high-resolution Retina display, making things look prettier than ever. This was powered by the Apple A4 chip and iOS4, which allowed users to multitask for the first time. Users were also given HD video recording with an all-new 5MP camera, as well as a second camera on the front to complement the new FaceTime app – which soon helped put the word “selfie” in the dictionary.

Released: June 19, 2009

The last outing of the iPhone’s rounded style certainly didn’t lack substance. Promoted as being up to twice as fast as its predecessor, the 3GS offered longer battery life, a higher-quality 3MP auto-focus camera, and video recording capabilities.

The all-new digital compass not only gave users the chance to truly take advantage of mapping programs, but went on to lay the foundations for Apple’s new fitness partnership with Nike – a workout tracker system now used by millions of runners worldwide.

The App Store also boasted over 50,000 apps that were ready to download. One of these was Angry Birds, released just a few months after the 3GS hit the shelves, which would change the face of casual mobile gaming forever.

Released: July 11, 2008

The iPhone 3G heralded the new era of downloadable programs through the release of the App Store, which would go on to give people access to Instagram, Shazam and other mobile-defining applications. Back then, though, there were only around 500 things in the store – including then-popular novelties that allowed you to drink virtual beer or toss paper into a bin.

The hardware was upgraded, too; the second-generation iPhone offered 3G and assisted GPS, making it much more suited to the explosion of internet use on the move. However, users would have to wait for the iPhone 3GS to enjoy a faster, more powerful chipset.

Released: June 29, 2007

Apple proudly claimed upon the release of its first ever mobile that it had reinvented the phone – and it was right. Combining three major assets – telephony, an iPod, and internet communications via Wi-Fi and EDGE – the product was the most exciting thing to happen to the market in years, and set the bar high for competitors who had never gone up against it before.

From the then-advanced sensors that allowed the phone to rotate images and webpages to landscape – now a mobile phone staple – to the integration of Google Maps and a class-leading camera, the iPhone was unsurprisingly named Time Magazine’s Invention of the Year.

It is but the ghost of iPhones yet to come.

Time Magazine’s Lev Grossman forecasted that the first generation of iPhone would look "primitive" in a few years – and he was right.