Comment by viraptor

They didn't, that's why I explicitly wrote "or ignored the existence of competing features/products for ages".

But they sure write releases like that's implied.

> iPhone introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting users control iPhone with just their fingers.

Large display existed before, "just fingers" control was... always the case, the interface was quite polished, but it existed elsewhere, etc. But if you didn't know that, reading the announcement sure sounds like it's never been done before. It's the multi touch that makes the combination novel.