While many people now rely on their mobile phones, landlines are still widely used in homes. Landline phones often have convenient features such as caller ID, blocking robocalls, and voicemail.
Telephones have evolved a lot since Alexander Graham Bell invented them in 1876. They have gone from a strange new technology to an essential part of our daily lives.
Alexander Graham Bell invented the first phone in 1876
It can be difficult to recall that the humble home phone was where it all began in the era of smartphones, which combine the Internet, productivity tools, and basic live calls in one convenient device. Who created it, and what is a home phone and its usage? Alexander Graham Bell created the first phone in 1876.
He was raised by elocution (the art of articulating words) professionals in his family. He was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, which influenced his decision to become a teacher of the deaf or hard of hearing.
While he is often credited with inventing the telephone, many other innovators came before him. He was the first to receive a patent for his phone invention on March 7, 1876.
The first rotary phone was invented in 1905
Before rotary phones, you needed a landline in your home to get a call connected. Initial pay phones differed from the ones we know and love today; they were large, heavy, and hung on a wall or perched on a desk.
Invented by Almon Strowger, the first rotary phone eliminated the need for switchboards and operators. This design was popular until the 1920s when Western Electric created a molded plastic base that encased the bell and induction coil.
This design allowed the rotary phone to function without needing a separate ringer box. It also helped improve privacy since people could use a rotary telephone without being open to eavesdroppers. Initially, most homes were not wired together; calls between households often traveled through public telephones, where eavesdroppers could hear private conversations.
The first touchtone phone was invented in the 1970s
In the 1970s, AT&T began to offer push-button phones that eliminated the need for rotary dialing. These phones featured a ten-button keyboard and a keypad that generates frequencies for the numbers you press.
Each button on the phone produces two frequencies (lower and upper) when pressed. When you press the number button, these frequencies are combined and sent to the telephone network.
This new signaling system opened the door for various ancillary services. It also allowed people to use their home phones as business phones without paying for a separate cellular service.
The first cordless phone was invented in the 1980s
A cordless phone is a home telephone that is free of its cord and enables users to move around the house while still talking. This invention was a big step in the evolution of home phones, allowing people greater freedom of movement.
Many modern landline phones also have cordless handsets, allowing people to stay connected even when moving around the house. However, they could be better cordless phones still use radio waves to connect with the base station, and snoopers can listen to conversations. It is why more recent phones use digital signals and a technology called Digital Spread Spectrum (DSS), which shifts frequencies quickly, making it difficult for others to intercept.
The first smartphone was invented in the 1990s
A smartphone is a cell phone that allows you to access the Internet and run software programs. It includes games, personal-use applications, and even business-use programs. It also lets you send text messages and emails.
While cellular phones had been around for years, it was in the 1990s that the smartphone started to take off. In 1973, engineer Martin Cooper invented the first mobile phone.
In 1994, IBM released the Simon Personal Communicator, often considered the first smartphone. It combined telephone and PDA features and included a calendar, clock, calculator, address book, notepad, and fax functions. It was also the first device to have a touchscreen display.
