Photo: Reuters 
Special 
Photo: Reuters With a little over nine years since the first iPhone was launched in June 2009, Apple's CEO Tim Cook at an employee meeting in Cupertino announced that the company recently sold the billionth iPhone.
"iPhone has become one of the most important, world-changing and successful products in history. It's become more than a constant companion. iPhone is truly an essential part of our daily life and enables much of what we do throughout the day. Last week we passed another major milestone when we sold the billionth iPhone. We never set out to make the most, but we've always set out to make the best products that make a difference," said Tim Cook, CEO, Apple Inc.
The sale of iPhone has been falling for two quarters and in March this year, Apple has announced the launch of the iPhone SE, an iPhone with a 4inch display. At the earnings call on Tuesday, Cook stated that Apple has sold 40.4 million iPhones in the third quarter of 2016, down from 47.5 million iPhones for the same quarter year ago. Cook also stated, ""We had a very successful launch of iPhone SE and we're thrilled by customers' and developers' response to software and services we previewed at WWDC in June."
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Apple has even compiled and shared the data on how long some of the household names and consumer goods took to reach one billion milestone, which reports cars took 131 years, personal computer took 27 years, Disney Theme Parks took 49 years to welcome its billion guest worldwide and Coco Cola took 58 years to manufacture one billion gallons of Coca Cola Syrup.
Apple iPhone Timeline
2007
January 9, 2007: Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone to the world at the MacWorld. Claims combining three products-a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls and internet connection device with desktop like email, browsing.
June 29, 2007: The first iPhone went on sale on sale at 6:00 PM on the first come, first serve basis. The sale was restricted to two units per customer and the 164 Apple stores were open till mid-night.
September 10, 2007: Apple took the market by storm with the iPhone as the company announced selling 1 million iPhones in just 74 days.
2008
June 9, 2008: Apple announces the successor to the original iPhone, the iPhone 3G
July 11, 2008: Apple iPhone 3G goes on sale. It also introduces the world the concept of an App Store, a single store for downloading apps on the smartphones with a single touch. It already had 500 apps at the launch. I millionth iPhone 3G units sold over the first weekend, on July 14.
2009
June 8, 2009: Apple iPhone 3GS announced, designed on the lines of the iPhone 3, it featured improved battery life and better camera.
June 19, 2009: Apple iPhone 3GS goes on sale.
June 21, 2009: Crosses one million sale for the iPhone 3GS on Sunday, within three days of the launch.
2010
June 7, 2010: Apple iPhone 4 launched. Looks completely different from the iPhones launched in the past.
June 15, 2010: iPhone 4 pre-order begins
June 24, 2010: iPhone 4 goes on sale in US, France, Germany, Japan and the UK
2011
August 24, 2011: Steve Jobs resigns as the CEO of Apple. Tim Cook named as the new CEO.
October 4, 2011: Apple iPhone 4S announced. Pre-bookings start on October 7
October 5, 2011: Steve Job dies, diagnosed with a pancreas neuroendocrine tumor in 2003 and died of respiratory arrest related to the tumor
October 14: iPhone 4S goes on sale in US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the UK on Friday, October 14.
2012
September 9, 2012: Apple announces iPhone 5, thinnest and lightest iPhone till date with a 4inch Retina display.
September 14: Prebookings for the new iPhone 5 begins
September 21: Goes on sale in US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK on Friday, September 21
2013
September 10, 2013: Apple announces two new iPhones - iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. iPhone 5s Features 64-bit A7 chip, All-New 8 Megapixel iSight Camera with True Tone Flash & Introduces Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor. iPhone 5c has hard-coated polycarbonate body and comes in five different colours.
September 13: Prebookings for iPhone 5c begins
September 20: Sales of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c begins in US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK
2014
September 9: Apple announces iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Increases the display size to 4.7inch and 5.5 inch respectively
September 12: Pre-order for both the models begin
September 19: iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus go on sale in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK
September 22: Apple sold over 10 million new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models, in just three days after the launch on September 19.
2015
September 9: With incremental changes, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus announced. Both the smartphones feature a 3D force touch that can sense the difference between a tap and a press. Launches a new rose metallic colour too.
September 12: Pre-order for the new iPhones begin
September 25: Apple iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus goes on sale in 12 countries.
2016
March 21: Apple launches iPhone only once every year. But after the September launch of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, Apple announced yet another smaller variant of iPhone, the iPhone SE. The iPhone SE was available for pre-order on March 24 and went on sale on March 31
July 27: Apple sold the billionth iPhone.
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