Apple Computer Co. is 50 today.
The best customer-facing technology makes the complex simple. Then companies add complexity over time.
That describes much about Apple. Is the iPhone becoming too complex?
I was playing around with computing devices in the late 70s and early 80s. I set my dad’s little accounting business up on a Radio Shack TRS80 (affectionately called Trash-80).
I joined a small company in 1984 that designed and built automated assembly machines. My role was to lead sales, marketing, and application engineering. We used Apple IIs for quoting. My admin could save a quote, call it up, make changes, and send to a new prospect. Two GMI co-ops worked for me. I inherited project management. I sketched out a project management application using Multiplan (a spreadsheet) on the Apple II. Pretty cool.
I had an Apple IIc at home. I could carry floppy disks allowing me to work at home.
I missed the original Mac revolution. I’ve been exclusively on Apple since 2003. I’m typing this on an M2 Macbook Air (2022) that does everything I need. A new generation iPhone nestles on the table next to the computer. The only non-Apple device is a Remarkable paper tablet.
Apple is experiencing a subtle change as they prepare for the transition from the Tim Cook era. I hope they return to those early simplify roots.
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