GoKawiilCNET's 2007 iPhone Review Foreshadows Reaction to Apple's iPhone Duo
CNET is revisiting its original 2007 review of the first iPhone, written by Kent German and Donald Bell, as Apple prepares to launch the foldable iPhone Duo starting at $2,000. The original review praised the iPhone's design but criticized its missing features, slow EDGE network, and $499 price tag, which required a two-year AT&T contract.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The comparison highlights a recurring pattern in Apple's product launches: high hype paired with premium pricing that initially draws skepticism. Understanding how the market and critics reacted to the first iPhone's price and limitations offers a lens for evaluating whether the Duo's $2,000 cost is justified by its innovation.
- The original iPhone launched in 2007 at $499, equivalent to about $800 today.
- CNET's original review criticized missing features and slow network speeds despite praising the design.
- The iPhone Duo's $2,000 price is roughly 2.5 times the inflation-adjusted cost of the first iPhone.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro — If reminiscing about the original iPhone's hype has you itching for an upgrade, the latest iPhone 17 Pro delivers the modern equivalent of that 2007 wow-factor with far more capability. It's the current flagship successor to the phone this article revisits, making it a natural pick for anyone inspired by Apple's smartphone legacy.
See Apple iPhone 17 Pro on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: cnet.com — Patrick Holland, 2026-09-16
Published there as: “Forget the iPhone Duo — the First iPhone Had More Hype and a More Shocking Price”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.