iPhone was ‘invented’ by the government, not Steve Jobs says US representative

Pelosi was referring to the GPS technology, alloys -- used in the phone’s construction -- and other government-funded research projects that contributed to the technologies used in building the iPhone.

Pelosi was referring to the GPS technology, alloys -- used in the phone’s construction -- and other government-funded research projects that contributed to the technologies used in building the iPhone. (Wikimedia)

Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives on Thursday told an audience in Washington, D.C. that the Apple iPhone was "invented" by the federal government and not entrepreneur Steve Jobs.

Pelosi was referring to the GPS technology, alloys -- used in the phone's construction -- and other government-funded research projects that contributed to the technologies used in building the iPhone.

Pelosi claimed that, "In this smartphone, almost everything came from federal investments in research." She added that, "Steve Jobs did a good idea designing it and putting it together. Federal research invented it."

Jobs launched the first iPhone in 2007. The Apple co-founder was the visionary not just behind the creation of the iPhone, but also the iPod and iMac among other devices that helped propel Apple to the spot of the most valued company. And while Apple may not have invented the individual components their most successful product, the iPhone comprises of, the company did design, develop and assemble the hardware and most importantly, the software that makes it usable. Also, the App Store which is largely responsible for the smartphone being so versatile and successful.