IBM Simon

IBM Simon

The IBM Simon Personal Communicator was a handheld, touchscreen cellular phone and PDA designed and engineered by International Business Machines Inc. (IBM) and assembled under contract by Mitsubishi Electric Corp. BellSouth Cellular Corp. distributed the Simon Personal Communicator in the United States between August, 1994 and February, 1995, selling 50,000 units. The Simon Personal Communicator was the first cellular phone to include telephone and PDA features in one device. Although the term "smartphone" had not been coined at the time of the Simon's release, because of its features and capabilities, the Simon can be referred to as the first smartphone.