 | |
 The Simon Personal Communicator shown in its charging base | |
| Brand | BellSouth (designed byIBM) |
|---|---|
| Developer | IBM |
| Manufacturer | Mitsubishi Electric Corp. |
| Type | Smartphone |
| First released | 1994; 32 years ago (1994)[1] |
| Availability by region | United States August 16, 1994; 31 years ago (1994-08-16) (BellSouth Cellular) |
| Discontinued | February 1995; 31 years ago (1995-02) |
| Units sold | 50,000 |
| Predecessor | Angler (code name) |
| Compatible networks | AMPS |
| Form factor | Brick |
| Dimensions |
|
| Weight | 18 oz (510 g) |
| Operating system | Datalight ROM-DOS |
| CPU | NEC V30HL, 16 MHz, 16-bit,8086-compatible CPU as part ofVadem VG230System on a chip |
| Memory | 1 MBPSRAM (2×Hitachi HM658512LTT) 32 KBSRAM (Sony CXK58257) |
| Storage | 1 MBNOR Flash (Intel/Hitachi) expanded to 2 MB byStacker compression + 32KBBIOS NOR Flash |
| Removable storage | OptionalPCMCIA Flash RAM cards |
| Battery | 7.5VNiCad |
| Display | 4.5 in × 1.4 in (114 mm × 36 mm), 160 × 293 pixelCGA monochrome backlitLCD |
| Connectivity |
|
| Data inputs |
|
| References | [2][1][3][4][5] |
TheIBM Simon Personal Communicator (simply known asIBM Simon) is acellular phone andpersonal digital assistant (PDA) designed byInternational Business Machines (IBM), released in 1994. Built on anx86 processor, the IBM Simon features a 4.5 inch resistivetouchscreen display and runs anMS-DOS-compatible operating system with the ability to install additional software using itsPCMCIA slot,[6] The Simon also has a modem for faxing and email[7] and was also the first PDA to includetelephony features (makephone calls) throughcellular; due to these features and capabilities, it has retrospectively been referred to as the first truesmartphone.[2][8][9][10]
The device was manufactured byMitsubishi Electric.[11]BellSouth Cellular Corp. distributed the IBM Simon in the United States between August 1994 and February 1995 for use on its analogAMPS network, selling 50,000 units.[2] Sales were hampered by its high price (over $2,100 in 2021 adjusted for inflation) and a short battery life lasting only an hour.[12][13] IBM worked on a smaller successor model, codenamedNeon, but it was abandoned during development and not released.[14]
With advances inMOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor, or MOS transistor) technology enabling smallerintegrated circuit chips be powered[15] and the proliferation of wirelessmobile networks,[16][17]IBM engineerFrank Canova realised that chip-and-wireless technology was becoming small enough to use inhandheld devices.[18] IBM debuted aprototype device, code named "Sweetspot",[19] on November 16, 1992,[20][21] at theCOMDEX[22] computer and technology trade show inLas Vegas, Nevada, United States. The Sweetspot prototype combined a mobile phone and PDA into one device, allowing a user to make and receive telephone calls, facsimiles, emails and cellular pages. Not only did the prototype have many PDA features including a calendar, address book and notepad, but also demonstrated other digital services such as maps, stocks and news before they were widely available. COMDEX show attendees and the press showed interest in the device. The day after Sweetspot's debut,USA Today featured a photo on the front page of the Money section showing Frank Canova, IBM's lead architect and inventor of the smartphone,[23][24] holding the Sweetspot prototype.[2][25][26]
After a very successful prototype demonstration at COMDEX, IBM began work on the commercial product, code named "Angler".[19] The IBM device was manufactured byMitsubishi Electric, which integrated features from its own wirelesspersonal digital assistant (PDA) andcellular radio technologies while building the IBM device. IBM initially approachedMotorola to manufacture the product, but Motorola rejected the offer, concerned that IBM could become a potential rival mobile manufacturer. IBM then approached Mitsubishi to build the device.[11]
BellSouth executives gave the finished product its final name, "Simon Personal Communicator", before its public debut at the Wireless World Conference in November 1993.[2] BellSouth Cellular had planned to begin selling Simon in May 1994, but due to problems with the device's software, the Simon did not become available to consumers[27] until August 16, 1994. BellSouth Cellular initially offered the Simon throughout its 15-state service area forUS$899 with a two-year service contract or US$1099 without a contract (approximately $1,945 or $2,378 respectively in 2025 adjusted for inflation). Later in the product's life, BellSouth Cellular reduced the price to US$599 with a two-year contract.[citation needed]
BellSouth Cellular sold approximately 50,000 units during the product's six months on the market.[2]
The IBM Simon was unofficially referred to "ThinkPhone" in early and mid 1990s.
In addition to its ability to make and receive cellular phone calls, Simon was also able to send and receive and also givefaxes,e-mails andcellular pages. Simon featured many applications, including an address book, calendar, appointment scheduler, calculator, world time clock, electronic notepad, handwritten annotations, and standard and predictive stylus input screen keyboards.[28]
It features aliquid-crystal display (LCD) and hasPC Card support.[29] Its internal hardware includes theVadem VG230 (CMOS)system-on-a-chip (SoC) fromNEC,MOSrandom-access memory (RAM) chips fromSony andHitachi,flash memory (floating-gate MOS) chips fromIntel and Hitachi, andCirrus Logicmodem chips.[5]
Each Simon was shipped with a charging base station, anickel-cadmium battery,[1] and a protective leather cover. Optional accessories included a PCMCIA pager card designed by Motorola, anRS-232 adapter cable for use with PC-Link to access files from a personal computer,[citation needed] and anRJ11 adapter cable to allow voice and data calls to be made overPOTS landlines. The RJ11 adapter helped users reduce expensive cellular phone bills or make calls where cellular coverage didn't exist in 1994.[1]
The Simon used the file system from DatalightROM-DOS along with file compression fromStacker. IBM created a unique touch-screen user interface for Simon; no DOS prompt existed.[1] This user interface software layer for Simon was known as the Navigator.[30]
The Simon could be upgraded to run third party applications either by inserting aPCMCIA card or by downloading an application to the phone's internal memory.[citation needed]
PDA Dimensions developed "DispatchIt", the onlyaftermarket, third-party application developed for Simon. It was an early predecessor to "Remote Desktop" software.[31] The DispatchIt application costs were US$2,999 for the host PC software and US$299 for each Simon software client.[32]
The CPU is a 16-bit x86-compatible processor running at 16 MHz, a single-chip design manufactured by Vadem. Simon runs a version of DOS called ROM-DOS, from Datalight...
Simon was the first smartphone. Twenty years ago, it envisioned our app-happy mobile lives, squeezing the features of a cell phone, pager, fax machine, and computer into an 18-ounce black brick.
The phone currently is based on an AMPS standard...
Graphic display: 160 x 293
...It is at this point that early usability test participants met impasse. The switch connected to our "smart phone" is expecting the typical "dumb end-point"... AT&T's PhoneWriter was demonstrated at the 1993 Comdex Computer Show...
Technical issues, resulting from the integration of Simon's cellular faxing capability, were discovered early in the manufacturing and development cycle as IBM's quality assurance testing was being conducted. IBM will hold up shipments of the device until the bugs are worked out.
BellSouth Cellular Corp. (BSCC) and PDA Dimensions...announced the commercial availability of DispatchIt, a work order field service application using Simon, BSCC's personal communicator.
Simon is the first smartphone. It paved the way for the ones of today by introducing touch screens to phones.
IBM / Bell South Simon Smartphone: First shown in 1993, this was the world's first so-called 'smart phone'.
Long before the smartphone revolution, IBM and BellSouth teamed up to build and sell the Simon Personal Communicator, a 1-pound, $899 mobile phone that ran apps and featured the first touch screen. It lasted just six months after being put on the market in the summer of 1994.
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