iTunes Sync

In many ways, the original iPhone showed its iPod roots. From a media management point of view, in fact, it was almost exactly like an iPod. You needed to sync it with iTunes to get any content onto it, and even the media playback app was called “iPod” back then.

Of course, there were no music streaming services in those days. Your music had to come from tracks that you already owned, and iTunes was the app for that. However, even syncing contacts and calendars required a wired USB connection to your Mac or PC to transfer that data via iTunes. For all intents and purposes, the original iPhone was a much more tethered device.