June 29, 2007 is widely cited as the day the original iPhone first went on sale in the United States. Apple had introduced the device earlier in 2007, but the article notes that its real market impact began when consumers could actually buy it. By that point, the phone industry and observers had information about the iPhone for several months, but the launch date is presented as the moment when expectations for what a phone could do started to shift more broadly. The iPhone at the time is described as limited and comparatively slow versus later models, including current-generation references used by the outlet. Despite those early constraints, the device is characterized as influential in reshaping how people thought about mobile phones. The source frames the sales date as a turning point in the smartphone industry, highlighting that the effects were felt not only by users and competitors, but also within Apple as the company adjusted to consumer demand.