japanese communications company NTT docomo celebrates its 20th anniversary with an exhibition showcasing the evolution of mobile phone culture starting from 1987 to the present day. the extensive chronological display of cell phones on view at tokyo designers' week, offered a visual documentation of the progress made in terms of size, shape, form, color and materials used in the design of today's mobile devices.

 
from 1987 through to 1997
timeline of cell phones from the exhibition edited by designboom

from 1997 through to 2000
timeline of cell phones from the exhibition edited by designboom

from 2000 through to 2003
timeline of cell phones from the exhibition edited by designboom

from 2003 through to 2005
timeline of cell phones from the exhibition edited by designboom

from 2005 through to 2007
timeline of cell phones from the exhibition edited by designboom

from 2007 through to 2009
timeline of cell phones from the exhibition edited by designboom

from 2009 through to 2010
timeline of cell phones from the exhibition edited by designboom

from 2010 through to 2012
timeline of cell phones from the exhibition edited by designboom

continuing on from 2012
timeline of cell phones from the exhibition edited by designboom

an animation of all the cellphones made to date
video © designboom

image © designboom

mobile phone (TZ803B)
released in february 1989
image © designboom

dora picture book (316S)
released in april 1998
image © designboom

WRISTOMO
launched in may 2003
image © designboom

P253i
released in november, 2004
image © designboom

kids' phone F801i
released in december, 2007
image © designboom

SH-04B
launched in december 2009
image © designboom

touch wood SH-08C
released in march 2011

image © designboom