At present, it is undeniable that the Apple company is deeply rooted to all of us, regardless of whether we consume their products or not. Over the last few decades, Apple has revolutionized the technology arena with great novelties and original products. However, there are few who really know about their origin, history and evolution.
About 19 years ago, Apple first added the lowercase “i” as a prefix of each product’s name. We are so familiar with the devices of the company that we do not stop to question or reflect the true meaning that comes with it.
Talking about an iPhone, an iPad, an iTouch or an iPod is everyday bread; It’s like talking about a saucer, favorite color or favorite song; Is something that is already in our cultural breviary. No one stops to question how the enchiladas originated, or the tacos, because they are so routine subjects that apparently are normal and exempt of questioning.
However, there are things and curious facts that we could learn, so it is not wrong to question even the simplest and insignificant things, or those things we live daily, because behind everything there will always be a meaning.
For these reasons, I thought it pertinent to share the meaning of the i in Apple products, which is actually very simple. It all goes back to the announcement of the first iMac, where Steve Jobs explained the why of that name.
In the first instance, Jobs mentioned that the new computer was oriented to the main use that the consumers wanted to give him: Internet. It should be remembered that during 1998, when the announcement of the new iMac took place, the network was beginning to take firm and decisive steps.
Although it seems simple, Steve Jobs intended to make the Internet association with its products, but not only that … the announcement of the founder of Apple also consisted of four other concepts that began with the letter “i”:
Individuality
Instruct
Inform
Inspire
From that announcement, everything that has to do with Apple starts with “i” like iTunes, iPad, etc, except for the smart watch whose name is Apple Watch and not iWatch, but that happened already without Steve Jobs. Perhaps the founder would have disliked the idea of the name for the smartwatch, as for the Apple TV.
Actually the explanation is simple, but surely many of the users who owned an Apple product, did not know the meaning of the “i”.