<P> In 1999 , the Japanese firm NTT DoCoMo released the first smartphones to achieve mass adoption within a country . Smartphones became widespread in the late 2000s , following the release of the iPhone . Most of those produced from 2012 onward have high - speed mobile broadband 4G LTE , motion sensors , and mobile payment features . In the third quarter of 2012 , one billion smartphones were in use worldwide . Global smartphone sales surpassed the sales figures for feature phones in early 2013 . </P>
<P> In 1999 , the Japanese firm NTT DoCoMo released the first smartphones to achieve mass adoption within a country . Smartphones became widespread in the late 2000s , following the release of the iPhone . Most of those produced from 2012 onward have high - speed mobile broadband 4G LTE , motion sensors , and mobile payment features . In the third quarter of 2012 , one billion smartphones were in use worldwide . Global smartphone sales surpassed the sales figures for feature phones in early 2013 . </P>
when did the first smart phone come out
when did the first smart phone come out
1999
1999