Qualcomm tried to get Apple to put a radio in the Newton

Steve Jobs will be forever known for his moving introduction of Apple's first phone in 2007, but history may have been different had Apple worked more closely with Qualcomm in the '90s. According to a report in Venture Beat, Qualcomm courted Apple and tried to get the company to put a cellular radio in the Newton. The Newton could have become Apple's first smartphone, but the company rejected Qualcomm's proposal.

Qualcomm, though, knew the future was in cellular technology and foresaw the coming age of mobile devices. Rebuffed by Apple, the chip company approached Palm, which happily accepted the offer. The pair produced the Qualcomm PDQ, an early model smartphone and the first of many PalmOS devices to sport a cellular radio.