Introduction:
Apple Inc. was founded on the 1st of April 1976. Since then it has created timeless pieces of technology that many of us use. Under the recently deceased Steve Jobs, Apple has been one of the biggest players in the consumer electronics industry, revolutionizing the world with its innovative creations that include the iMac, iPhone and iPad. Behind these inventions are their amazing designs, sleek and attractive outer bodies as well as their well designed interfaces which have made them a popular choice for consumers worldwide.
Furthermore, the Apple logo is an embodiment of good, innovative design in itself. Featuring an apple with a bite taken out of it, usually displayed in a glass themed color these days, this logo has become a globally recognized brand and one that is used on merchandise, in designs and places apart from the computer and electronics industry, due to its acceptability and attractive design.
So let’s take a look at the secrets behind Apple’s revolutionary designs and the reason for their unparalleled success.
Apple products are not like others:
Steve Jobs wanted his products to be aesthetically attractive to the last minute detail. While the costs of their products were relatively higher, the sensational designs and color schemes made Apple products unique and played a big hand in their success.
Looking closely at the Apple computers you will see that they have completely perpendicular sides, a result of using “zero draft molding” a process which is expensive but very good for enhancing the visual attractiveness of the computers. The computer cases were also rounded but in varying degrees which was a unique characteristic for computers at the time. Similarly, the screen corners were also rounded, something which the Mac, iPhone and iPad have retained to this day.
Famous American Industrial designer, Robert Brunner, revealed the fact behind Apple’s success by saying that it spends 15 to 20 percent of its design time on concept which is a lot more than that of other companies.
Similarity and connectivity between Apple products:
A big secret behind
Apple’s design
is making all their products distinguishable from products from other companies. Yet at the same time Apple designs their products to be similar to each other, characterized by their rounded side, thin and elegant casing as well as the bold Apple logo on top.
iCloud, the Apple software that connects different Apple devices and synchronizes their activities has served to aid this process by making Apple devices inter-related and easily accessible through other Apple devices. This has helped the company to become very successful.
The key is in simplicity:
Apple products have come to be adored all over the world by their unique yet simple designs. While a lot of thought goes into planning the product design, the end result is often a very clear cut, well refined object that does not delve into a mixture of color combinations and excessive designing.
That’s the secret behind Apple’s design. Clarity and simplicity and this has made Apple computers and phones so revered in the industrial world. A couple of years back when the Apple package design team decided to create different packaging for two different versions of the same product, Steve Jobs immediately rejected the idea and called for them to make a simple package, hence emphasizing the need for making simple decisions. This is exactly the kind of thinking that the Apple founder possessed and it is this mentality that drove the company forward.
Sir Jonathan Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of industrial design said,
“Simplicity is not the absence of clutter. Get it right, and you become closer and more focused on the object. For instance, the iPhoto app we created for the new iPad, it completely consumes you and you forget you are using an iPad”
