The 10 phones that fueled the big-screen revolution

It's safe to say that Steve Jobs was off the mark when he declared that no one would buy big smartphones -- they've become popular enough that Apple itself is now making large iPhones. But how did these supersized devices escape their niche status to become the must-haves they are today? The transformation didn't happen overnight. It took a succession of ever-bigger phones to spark the public imagination and prove that huge screens were here to stay. We've rounded up 10 of the most important examples -- head on over to our gallery to see how enormous became the new normal.

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Dell Streak

The Dell Streak is arguably the granddaddy of supersized phones. When it was unveiled in 2010, its 5-inch screen was virtually unheard of on a device that could make calls -- many, including Dell, treated it more like a mini tablet than something you'd shove in your pocket. It was bulky, had a low-resolution display and didn't last long, but it hinted at a future of big smartphones focused more on internet access and videos than basic chatting.