"The iPhone might actually be the pinnacle highpoint of capitalism to this point." "The iPhone isn't just a tool; it's the foundational instrument of modern life." This is the story of how the iPhone was developed to became a crucial accessory currently owned by over a billion people. Steve Jobs inventing the iPhone is as mythical as Thomas Edison inventing the light bulb. It was teams deep in the organization that did the essential skunk work. In Cupertino, a group focusing on human/computer interactions (UI - user interface) began exploring touchscreens and did so with outside help. Touchscreen technology had been developing as early as thirty-years before when it was researched at CERN in Europe, but it was the UI team at Apple that perfected it. No one could quite envision a usage beyond a possible large email reader until Jobs reversed himself and announced in late 2004 that he wanted a phone. It would take years, and there would be endless issues addressed at Apple before the creation of the iPhone. The initial work was an attempt to evolve the iPod into a phone, and along the way, the marketing team insisted on a keyboard like the Blackberry. Jobs kiboshed the key board and went all in on the touchscreen. The original iPod steel case proved to inhibit phone reception and the switch to aluminum was made. The concept of combining a phone with internet access, music and unlimited apps was something that no one in particular ever envisioned. Manufacturing was done in Asia and Samsung saved the day at a late hour with a new chip to power the phone. Google contributed their maps app on a handshake deal. Corning adapted a glass it had made fifty years earlier, for which it had never found an application, for the screen. The iPhone launched in June 2007 and, as they say, the rest is history.
There are sections of this book, mostly about the mining and manufacturing that goes into the phone that I skipped. The development process was intense and took a heavy toll on the health and personal relationships of all involved. Virtually none of the senior project managers stayed at Apple. I certainly hope they all are rich. There were two facts that I found fascinating. The iPhone has the equivalent of 3.3 billion transistors in its chips. The 1969 Apollo Guidance System had 12,300. Jobs insisted that outside developers not be allowed access to app development. Almost everyone disagreed with him and, after a slow start for iPhone sales, he relented. The app store propelled sales through the roof. Apple collects 30% of whatever the apps monetize. That is now a $40B per year business.
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