IBM Simon

The IBM Simon Personal Communicator, often shortened to IBM Simon, was a handheld, touchscreen-operated device that combined the features of a mobile phone and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). Developed by IBM and manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric, it was released in 1994 and is considered by many to be the first smartphone.

The Simon allowed users to make and receive phone calls, send and receive faxes, email, and pages. It also offered a suite of built-in applications including an address book, calendar, appointment scheduler, calculator, world clock, notepad, and handwriting recognition. Applications could be added by inserting PCMCIA cards.

The device's touchscreen interface was navigated using a stylus. The Simon operated on a custom operating system, Datalight ROM-DOS, and was powered by an Intel x86-based processor. Its relatively short battery life and significant weight were drawbacks, but its pioneering feature set established a foundation for the modern smartphone. Although only around 50,000 units were sold, the IBM Simon is a landmark device in the history of mobile technology.