Happy Birthday, Apple! For 40 years, Apple has been launching products that have not only revolutionized the tech industry, but literally changed the way we live our lives and interact with technology on a daily basis. From home computing to wearable technology, from communicating via social media to having answers to all our questions constantly available at our fingertips, Apple technology has been at the forefront of how we have evolved from a dialed-in society to a wired-in and now a wireless society.
As recently as January, Apple announced record Q1 2016 revenue of $75.9 billion USD equivalent to 74.8 m iPhones, 16.1 m iPads and 5.3 m Macs. No small feat for a company that famously began operations in a garage in the late 70s. Unfortunately for Apple, the magic touch has not transferred to the Apple Watch.
According to a recent survey published by advertising agency powerhouse Fluent, “34% of Apple Watch owners cited high prices as a reason for not buying a next generation watch, while 31% said the device just wasn’t useful enough to justify buying, and another 16% simply said the device is “ugly.” A shocking setback for a brand accustomed to basking in the glory of great product design (Whether the Apple Watch would have fared better under Steve Jobs´ direction than it has under Tim Cook´s is a topic of great debate and consternation amongst Apple die-hards.)
The slack sales of the Apple Watch aside, the designers at Mijo! cannot help but be fans of the incredible influence Apple has had on the world of design including everything from websites, product, packaging and interior design (check out your friendly neighborhood Apple store to see minimalism incarnate). Their mantra for making design simple and intuitive has revolutionized the way we see the world, but perhaps most importantly how we communicate and interact with one another.
The question now focuses on whether Apple has the creative and innovative ability to continue to outdo itself in the next 10 years in the run up to its 50th anniversary without the influence of its charismatic/enigmatic Steve Jobs.
What do you think? How has Apple influenced you? Leave your opinion below!
Daniel Gómez is Director & CSO and Sylvia McNamee is Senior Strategist at Mijo! Brands, a leading digital agency with offices in Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta. For additional information please contact info@mijobrands.com.
