The car was first. Then came TV. Now we can’t imagine life without mobile phones. Twenty years after the first call, John Arlidge examines how they have changed everything from work to sex
read the full article in The Observer December 26
January 1985
Following Nokia’s creation of the first car phone in 1982, which weighed in at a chassis-wrecking 9.8kg, the mobile phone proper is produced and Ernie Wise makes the first call in Britain with Vodafone on 1 January.
1987
In the Hollywood movie Wall Street , Gordon Gekko uses a mobile the size of a house brick thus making the object a desirable fashion item for all high fliers.
1991
GSM technology, the digital standard network allowing phones to roam throughout the world, is introduced.
1994
SMS (Short Message Service) text messaging is launched changing the way we spell 4eva.
2002
The number of mobiles worldwide passes a billion.
2003
Third generation (3G) mobile phones go on sale in the UK promising fast video messaging and internet access. In the same year, ‘ring tone’, ’smartphone’ and ‘text message’ enter the Oxford English Dictionary. On New Year’s Eve, the number of text messages sent in one day tops 100 million for the first time.
2004
The BlackBerry becomes the must-have mobile with ‘always on’ email and internet access. In November of the same year, Tony Blair takes part in a 35-minute text forum, organised by mobile phone firm O2, during which he answers questions that he’s been sent in via text message.
January 2005
Communic8 launch the MyMo a simple, mini mobile aimed at 4-8 year olds.
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