Just as an example, windows mobile was really terrible. But it did provide a web browser, data connection, installable apps, email, calendar, etc.. in your pocket.. on your phone.
It was expensive and Apple certainly did it better... but this articles metrics are disingenuous as hell.
The source article is claiming 2002 as first availability, when Palm's and their ilk gained the ability to make phone calls.
Then it claims it took ~8 years to reach 10% saturation, and then another ~2 1/2 to reach 40% saturation.
I don't think you can call the first cell capable palm pilots the first smartphone, but that's where the article starts.
The 2002 date was when I was saying smart phones reached general consumer availability, not when the very first one was invented. As I mention in the article, it was 2002 when Blackberry phones and Microsoft Pocket PC phones came out, as well as the aforementioned Palm-based Treos.
FWIW, here's the source article: http://www.technologyreview.com/business/40321/ And the HN discussion thread (empty, just submitted it) for it: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3951352
The first commercial smartphone was introduced in 1996: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_9000_Communicator
The Ericsson R380 from the year 2000 was the first to look more like a modern smartphone with a full-front touchscreen: http://www.gsmarena.com/ericsson_r380-195.php
We also worked on the Seiko Epson locatio, phone with PDA browser and GPS all in 1998, http://www.knorbury.co.uk/locatio.gif