IBM Simon
A cellular phone and handheld assistant with a touchscreen, released in 1992 and called the first true smartphone.
IBM designed the Simon Personal Communicator, and Mitsubishi Electric manufactured it. It had a 4.5 inch resistive touchscreen and an x86 processor. It ran an MS-DOS-compatible operating system and could add software through a PCMCIA slot.
It also had a modem for faxing and email. It was the first handheld assistant to make phone calls over a cellular network.
Why it matters
Because of these features, people have since called it the first true smartphone. BellSouth Cellular sold 50,000 units in the United States between August 1994 and February 1995. A high price and a battery life of only an hour hurt sales.
Key facts
- Released in 1992.
- 4.5 inch resistive touchscreen.
- Manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric.
- BellSouth Cellular sold 50,000 units from August 1994 to February 1995.
- Battery lasted only an hour.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "IBM Simon", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Simon, accessed October 14, 2026.
- Wikipedia, "Smartphone", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone, background reading, accessed October 14, 2026.