Apple at 50: Three products that changed how we live – and three that really didn’t
Apple at 50: Three Products That Transformed Everyday Life and Three That Largely Faded
Apple, now in its 50th year, has long shaped how people interact with technology. Founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in a San Francisco garage, the company has experienced both monumental triumphs and notable missteps. Today, roughly one-third of the global population owns an Apple device, a feat attributed by Emma Wall, Hargreaves Lansdown’s chief investment strategist, to the company’s marketing prowess. “They sold a dream,” she noted, highlighting how Apple pioneered the idea that branding could rival product innovation.
Icons That Redefined Technology
The iPod, launched in 2001, stands as a landmark in Apple’s legacy. Craig Pickerell of The Apple Geek called it one of the company’s most iconic products, not just for its functionality but for its transformative impact. “MP3 players were cumbersome, storage was limited, and organizing music felt tedious,” he explained. “The iPod revolutionized all of that almost overnight.” Its intuitive click-wheel design and iTunes ecosystem made digital music accessible to the masses, paving the way for widespread adoption.
“MP3 players were clunky, storage was limited, and managing your music library felt like a chore,” said Craig Pickerell. “The iPod changed all of that almost overnight.”
Released in 2007, the iPhone became a cultural phenomenon. While not the first smartphone, it was the first to seamlessly merge a phone, music player, and internet device into one. Steve Jobs, demonstrating its potential, declared at launch: “These are not three separate devices, this is one device.” Francisco Jeronimo of IDC noted that without the iPod, Apple might not have had the financial or operational readiness to dominate the smartphone market. The iPhone now sells over 200 million units annually, with seven devices purchased each second worldwide.
“An iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator. These are not three separate devices, this is one device,” said Steve Jobs at the iPhone’s debut.
The Apple Watch, introduced in 2015, has since become a key player in wearable tech. Despite its relatively simple first iteration, it generated over $15 billion in revenue and outpaces the entire Swiss watch industry in annual sales. Ben Wood of CCS Insight emphasized its role as a standalone business, stating it could rival “the top 250 to 300 largest companies in America.” Future models have also advanced health tech, integrating features like ECG monitoring and fall detection, solidifying its place in innovation.
Products That Missed the Mark
While Apple’s success is undeniable, not all ventures have resonated. The Apple Lisa, launched in 1983, was groundbreaking as the first personal computer with a graphical user interface and mouse. However, Paolo Pescatore of CCS Insight argued it was “far too costly” for mainstream appeal. Its $10,000 price tag, equivalent to £6,600, limited its commercial viability, proving that being ahead of the curve isn’t enough.
“The failure demonstrated that being ahead of the curve isn’t always enough,” said Paolo Pescatore.
Another underperforming product was the Apple Newton, an early personal digital assistant. Though it introduced concepts like handwriting recognition, its high cost and limited functionality made it a niche device. Similarly, the Apple TV, initially a set-top box, struggled to gain traction against competing platforms. Even the iPad, while successful, faced early skepticism about its necessity, with critics questioning whether it was a “me too” device.
Ken Segall, Jobs’s former creative director, praised Tim Cook’s leadership, stating he had “done an amazing job” adapting to new trends. Yet, some longtime Apple fans still miss the visionary edge of the late co-founder, as noted by Segall: “Many purists no longer feel the same excitement because they remember that older Apple was Steve Jobs.”