How the first iPhone changed the lives of Apple employees

Last week, it’s been 15 years since Apple started selling the original iPhone. The Wall Street Journal interviewed former and current Apple executives about the launch of the iPhone, the early days of the App Store, and more.

Above all, the iPhone changed Apple’s corporate culture. Employees could no longer leave their smartphones during meetings. They were always in touch, exchanging messages and checking information.

As for the App Store, at launch, admins expected it to have 50 apps at launch, which would have been considered a great result. Not only did the number exceed Apple’s expectations, by April 2009, 25,000 applications per week had been submitted for approval.

Also, one of the managers told a funny story. His 5-year-old daughter was very fond of the game “Smurfs Village”. She played for weeks. A man once received a credit card bill showing he had paid more than $450 to his employer, Apple. It turns out that her daughter spent the money on the game. This, combined with customer complaints, prompted the team to create the Miley Rules for kids, which required additional scrutiny of apps.