Which Was Invented First, Car Or Phone? And, Which One Had Gained More Popularity Than The Other?

The early automobiles were not gasoline-powered, but steam powered. The first such automobile was invented by the Frenchman Nicolas Joseph Cugnot, and was named the Fardier. It was a three-wheeled vehicle that was invented in 1771, and had a top speed of 2.3 miles per hour. However, since it was expensive, heavy, and cumbersome, it was never mass produced. The early steam automobiles made way to the electric cars, which also ran out of fashion since they were difficult to use. The first gasoline-powered vehicle was built as late as 1889 in Germany by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. This vehicle had a 2-cylinder 1.5 bhp gasoline engine, with four-speed transmission and a highly improved speed as compared to the Fardier, of 10 miles per hour. Another such vehicle was constructed the same year by another German, Karl Benz. The cars were not all that popular in the initial years of production, and mass popularity came only much later.

Though the invention of the telephone is credited to Alexander Graham Bell, another inventor, Elisha Gray, also invented a similar machine at the same time. They both applied for the patent, and were engaged in a legal battle for the title of inventor. Graham Bell won both the patent and the legal battle. He invented the telephone in the year 1876. The day he sent the first voice message was 10 March 1876. Ever since it was discovered, the popularity of the telephone grew in leaps and bounds, as it was a much faster means of communication than the then-standard telegraph. In that sense, the telephone was more popular than the car in the immediate years after its invention.

Since we are talking about two distinct inventions, you should use the article 'the' in your question, i.e., 'Which was invented first, the car or the phone? Coming to the answer, the car was invented first if you consider the first steam-powered, three-wheeled car, invented by the Frenchman, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot in 1771. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876.

With regards to your second question, if the criteria for assessment is on quantity, I would definitely say that the telephone is more popular because there are more people who own a telephone than there are people who own a car.