Numbers in the News: Cell Phones

Check out some facts and figures about the history of the cell phone.

The date of the first cell phone call. It was placed by Martin Cooper, an engineer at Motorola who helped invent the device.

The weight of the first cell phone. It held a charge for just 35 minutes.

The approximate weight of the latest smartphone models. Today’s phones can stay charged for a whole day.

The cost of the first cell phone available to the public, released in 1984.

The year the first text message was sent, which read “Merry Christmas.” In 1996, cell phones first accessed the internet.

The percentage of U.S. adults who reported owning a cell phone in 2021.

_{SOURCES: GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY, MOBILE PHONE MUSEUM, BBC NEWS, PEW RESEARCH CENTER, APPLE}