The iPhone roared into the marketplace 10 years ago today, and overwhelmed the wireless world. The smartphone’s iconic social significance has been duly noted. What has escaped attention is that the device burst into a sector long insulated from the slightest threat of disruptive innovation. The iPhone’s victorious attack followed — and required — a long arc of liberalization in airwaves, itself a stunning regulatory and marketplace triumph.
A Short History of Radio Explains the iPhone’s Success
The battle to control the airwaves, from Herbert Hoover to Steve Jobs.
June 29, 2017
Summary.
The iPhone roared into the marketplace ten years ago this month and overwhelmed the wireless world. The smartphone’s iconic social significance has been duly noted. What has escaped attention is that the device burst into a sector long insulated from the slightest threat of disruptive innovation. The iPhone’s victorious attack followed – and required – a long arc of liberalization in airwaves, itself a stunning regulatory and marketplace triumph. These changes, applied to key segments of the “political spectrum,” toppled Secretary Hoover’s regimentation and opened the floodgates for entrepreneurs. When Jobs sought airwave access for his dream, the Spectrum Store was open for business.