The Tin Can/'Lover's Telephone'(01 of15)
Open Image ModalThe tin can phone has been around for centuries, made by connecting the bottoms of two tin cans with taut string - the sound is transmitted by mechanical vibrations from one can to the other along the wire. A childhood favourite, anyone can make one - it's good for bringing about feelings of nostalgia and is a lot cheaper than an iPhone... (credit:AndreaAstes via Getty Images)
The Brick(02 of15)
Open Image ModalWhen Motorola's Martin Cooper made the first mobile phone call back in 1973, he was using the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, which would become commercially available a decade later. All of your favourite pop culture characters had one, like Saved By the Bell's Zach Morris and Wall Street's Gordon Gekko - the monster phone even made a cameo in the 2010 sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. It weighed a ton and was massive, but the almost-$4,000 price tag made it a status symbol in its own right, with Motorola fielding a waiting list in the thousands by 1985. (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Car Phone(03 of15)
Open Image ModalOriginally fitted into a car in 1946, car phones saw a surge in popularity in the 1980s, when mobile phones were seen as the more expensive and less convenient alternative. Still used in cars today, the technology has evolved to include voice activation and control, with the phone working through the car's audio system and an internally mounted microphone. (credit:Dennis Hallinan via Getty Images)
The Flip Phone(04 of15)
Open Image ModalFirst introduced in 1989 as an analog phone, the MicroTAC 9800X was the first flip phone that fit into a banker's shirt pocket. In black plastic with a red 8-character LED display, it was over 9 inches long when opened and retailed for $2,500. (credit:Science & Society Picture Library via Getty Images)
The Clamshell(05 of15)
Open Image ModalUnveiled in 1996, Motorola's compact StarTAC was the first clamshell phone and the first mobile device to gain popularity among the masses: roughly 60 million were sold. It introduced SMS text messages, a vibrating alert instead of a ringtone and weighed a mere 3.1 ounces. If you're in your 30s now, you probably had one... (credit:Science & Society Picture Library via Getty Images)
The Candy Bar(06 of15)
Open Image ModalLaunched in 1998, teenagers born in the early 1980s will remember the Nokia 5110 fondly - the rugged design could go from blah to blazin' thanks to replaceable face plates which allowed for customisation opportunities and kick-started the trend for phones as fashion accessories. It also let users play Snake. Which was awesome. (credit:General/Topham Picturepoint)
The Camera Phone(07 of15)
Open Image ModalThe selfie revolution could have started a decade ago with the advent of the first camera phone in the early noughties. This Sony Ericsson design from 2003 had a graphical interface, hi-res colour screen and the potential to store up to 2 megabytes of images. Innovative at the time, but we fear those poor-quality images wouldn't pass muster with today's selfie aficionados. (credit:Science & Society Picture Library via Getty Images)
The Personal Digital Assistant(08 of15)
Open Image ModalUpping the ante for business-folk, the Palm Treo was the first smartphone, with multiple integrated features like the ability to dial contacts directly, send emails and check your calendar while on the phone. Originally launched as a Personal Digital Assistant in 2002, it underwent multiple incarnations in the noughties and joined forces with Microsoft in 2005. By 2010, Palm had been acquired by HP due to declining sales. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The RAZR(09 of15)
Open Image ModalReleased in 2004, Motorola's RAZR phone was the sleekest, slimmest model to date, combining form with function. The popular design went on to sell over 130 million units. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The Blackberry(10 of15)
Open Image ModalAfter the launch of successful two-way pagers, RIM debuted the Blackberry 857 in 2000, which supported email and limited HTML browsing with a monochrome screen and physical keyboard. Future incarnations of the device saw phoning capabilities and moved from a trackwheel to trackball to trackpad to full touchscreen, with colour screen, camera, Wifi and more. The Blackberry quickly became a signifier of corporate status and success, with mainstream appeal thanks to the brand's free Blackberry messenger service (launched long before What's App). The term "crackberry" was commonly used to refer to Blackberry addicts tapping away on their devices - President Obama is among them. Although the company's share price was $144 in 2008, by 2014, they were reporting losses of $423 million. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The Luxury Mobile(11 of15)
Open Image ModalOnce the mobile phone became the hottest accessory around, there were no shortage of designer collaborations and a new breed of mobile was launched: the luxury phone. Embracing the mantra that if you can spend $20K on a watch, why not spend the same on a mobile phone, British brand Vertu (in partnership with Nokia), debuted its first phone in 2002, a handmade device using sapphire crystal, Swiss watch screws, a laser-drilled keypad and exotic materials. Average price? It's in the six figures, dahling. (credit:Dominic Lipinski/PA Archive)
The T-Mobile Sidekick(12 of15)
Open Image ModalOriginally released in 2002, the T-Mobile Sidekick (originally named the Danger Hiptop), became the staple of the MTV generation. The crystal-studded version was Paris Hilton's go-to accessory, and we all, like, wanted one, too. With its instant messaging, web surfing, email capabilities, swivel screen and funky keyboard, it was the perfect toy for keeping in touch with our BFFAEs. (credit:John Sciulli via Getty Images)
The Apple iPhone(13 of15)
Open Image ModalWith the launch of Apple's revolutionary iPhone in 2007, Steve Jobs predicted the death of the stylus - "'God gave us ten styluses,’ he would say, waving his fingers. ‘Let’s not invent another.'" Enter the first-generation iPhone, a multi-touch touchscreen device that reinvented the mobile as we knew it, combining phone with iPod and internet mobile communication in one. In 2008, when Apple introduced the 3G and slashed the device's price tag, 10 million units were sold worldwide in less than six months. The launch of the 3G coincided with the debut of the Apple App Store, changing software distribution in the industry by allowing for third-party applications. To date, Apple has sold over 500 million smartphones in seven years. And if you don't have one, the person sitting next to you does. (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Android Phone(14 of15)
Open Image ModalGoogle acquired the open-sourced Android platform in 2005, enabling brands like LG, HTG, Samsung and others to launch their own alternatives to the Apple iPhone.The Samsung Galaxy S series is considered one of the most popular and successful designs, with well over 200 million sold since the first version launched in 2010. (credit:A3576 Maurizio Gambarini/DPA)
The Future Of Mobile...(15 of15)
Open Image ModalThe newest mobile designs are built to withstand the elements: Samsung's S5 Galaxy Active and upcoming S6 releases are waterproof and dustproof, while the imminent Samsung S6 Edge has beautifully curved sides - not just an aesthetic choice, but one that allows you to discreetly check your phone without seeming impolite. The future for mobile phones seems infinite - cell phone devices may become a part of us (as in, implanted), or there may be more exploration into how they can have meaningful relationships with us (see Spike Jonze's Her for reference). Watch this space... (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)