Tag: apple

Apple’s iTime Patent Strongly Hints Their Entry into The Wearable Market

While iPhone 6 is making rounds on the internet with new renders and rumours everyday, Apple’s much-awaited smart watch seemed to have gotten lost in the crowd. But recent evidence of Apple’s interest in wearable devices surfaced on Tuesday with the publication of the company’s latest U.S. patent.

Apple has never publicly acknowledged that it’s working on a smartwatch, although it’s widely expected that an “iWatch” could be introduced as soon as this September. On Tuesday, the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted a patent to Apple for a smartwatch concept referred to as ‘iTime’. The documents was first spotted by AppleInsider, disrupting the secrecy code regarding company’s wrist-based ambitions at least a little bit.

Unlike the all-in-one smartwatch devices already revealed by Samsung and LG, the iTime will actually feature two main components: a smart strap, which can apparently be swapped out to change functionality, and a small touchscreen media player reminiscent of the sixth-generation iPod Nano, which is mentioned by name in the patent. Although, you can certainly expect the display technology used on the iTime to be vastly superior to the old Nano.

Based on the patent, Apple envisions a smartwatch with a range of functions, including notifying the user of incoming messages and allowing a user to remotely control other devices. “An incoming phone call, a text message, a social network post, or a news feed directed to a user’s electronic device (e.g., mobile phone) can cause a notification to be provided to a nearby electronic wristband of the user,” the document said. The electronic wristband can also “provide remote controls to a user.”

Apple is widely expected to introduce a wearable device with functionality very similar to that described in the patent. According to the most recent speculation, Apple’s first attempt into the wearables game may sport a “slightly curved” 2.5-inch OLED display and could come in three sizes. The device is also said to have a heavy focus on health and wellness, with possible fitness tracking functions built-in.

Based on what Apple told us at WWDC of company’s plans for health, fitness and home automation, a new wearable (or wearables) could fit perfectly into the its grand scheme of things. And if this patent is any indication, they’ve already been devising that scheme for years.

July 23, 2014
Apple Releases Its Q3 Results And It Looks Good

Apple released its third quarterly results and it looks good for the company. The Cupertino based tech giant saw quarterly revenue of $37.4 billion and quarterly net profit of $7.7 billion, or $1.28 per diluted share. This growth was mostly powered by iPads, Mac sales and services. The Earning Per Share (EPS) has increased grown by 20 percent. The company saw an increase of about $2 billion in revenue over last year’s $35.3 billion with net profit of $6.9 billion.

The Gross margin also increased to 39.4 percent compared to 36.9 percent from last year. International sales accounted for 59% of this quarter’s revenue.

These favorable figures lead the board of directors to declare a cash dividend of $0.47 per share of Apple’s common stock.

With Yosemite and iOS 8, the future looks good for Apple

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook sounded rather elated when he said “Our record June quarter revenue was fueled by strong sales of iPhone and Mac and the continued growth of revenue from the Apple ecosystem, driving our highest EPS growth rate in seven quarters. We are incredibly excited about the upcoming releases of iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, as well as other new products and services that we can’t wait to introduce.”

Apple’s target for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2014 are:

• revenue between $37 billion and $40 billion
• gross margin between 37 percent and 38 percent
• operating expenses between $4.75 billion and $4.85 billion
• other income/(expense) of $250 million
• tax rate of 26.1 percent

Considering the hype generated by Apple’s phenomenal show this year at the WWDC and the regular product leaks, these targets are definitely realizable. With the release of the new generation OSX and iOS 8 later this year and Apple’s enterprise tie-up with IBM, it seems like this will be the year of the Apple.

July 23, 2014
Fresh Renders Surface of The iPhone 6 And Retina iPad Mini

We have seen a plethora of dummies of the much-awaited iPhone 6 over the span of the past few months. However, it has been reported that the existing iPhone 6 dummy mockups have had major design flaws.

A graphic designer, Martin Hajek, popular for his various dummy mockups, has created beautiful renders of the two upcoming Apple products.

“Based on rumors and images of the purported iPhone 6 all over the internet, I decided to do a concept study of what an iPad mini would look like with this new, soft and round iPhone 6 design ‘language’ slapped all over it,” Hajek wrote on his blog while publishing his most recent work.

For example, a number of reports suggest that the tablet will indeed feature Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner beneath the home button. However, the iPad mini case is not expected to feature any major design changes, so we will most likely have to wait until next year before we see anything that might resemble Hajek’s design.

As far the much anticipated iPhone 6 is concerned, this mockup seems like the closest we got to the real device. It shows a thick black plastic line on the top and bottom at the rear-side of the phone. However, many reports point out that those lines are from the leaked iPhone 6 schematics and they actually designate areas on the back of the phone that contain glass panels, similar to the ones on the back of iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s.

Well, again, we can’t help but point out that these render simply based on rumors and are subject to change.

July 22, 2014
Launch of MacBook Air With Retina Display Might Be Pushed to 2015

Recent report by Taiwan’s Economic Daily News said that Apple is going to launch two new Macbook Air variants; 11-inch and 13-inch in coming months. The report also added that the upcoming redesigned 12-inch MacBook with a Retina display is expected to ship later than expected, as late as early 2015.

The publication reports that the updates to both current MacBook Air sizes have entered production with Apple partner Quanta Computer and the new computers will boost Quanta’s 2014 notebook shipment numbers by 15%. The new devices are said to sport new chassis, screens, and chipsets. It is also said that the shipments are due in late-August.

Apple’s 12-inch MacBook with Retina display was initially reported to hit the marketplace sometime in the earlier part of the third quarter. This device will mark the first expansion of Apple’s Mac line since the MacBook Pro with Retina Display product line was introduced in mid-2012. According to the report, the new MacBook’s launch is glued to Intel’s power and performance-efficient 14-nanometer Broadwell part.

Any more specific hardware details for the new 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air laptops have not been revealed.

Apple has already refreshed its MacBook Air line a few months ago, updating its two models with slightly faster and more efficient processors, and dropped the prices across the line by $100. Apple will launch its OS X Yosemite update at some point in fall, likely alongside new hardware. In addition to the rumored new MacBook Air models, it is said that Apple might update its MacBook Pro family later this year, too.

July 21, 2014
Google Play Store Beats iOS App Store in Number of Downloads, Lags In Revenue

An app analyst at App Annie have compiled their data for Q2 2014 and have come out with the results. For the months of April, May and June, the Android Play Store has again surpassed the iOS App Store in terms of app downloads. In raw numbers, the Android Play Store registered about 150 million app downloads as opposed to 100 million app downloads against its iOS counterpart. This means a 60% increase from the previous quarter for Android, and a 45% increase for iOS.

App revenue, however, is a completely different story. iOS has a huge lead in this department with $100 million in app revenue as compared to $60 million for Android. Again, that is an increase of 45% for iOS from the previous quarter as against a 30% increase for Android. Now there can be a number of reasons for this, but the primary reasons being ‘free-medium’ apps on Android, which actually cost a few dollars on Apple’s iOS platform.

However, it is predicted by analysts that the Android Play Store will actually surpass the iOS App Store even in revenue by 2018. Android already dominates about 80% of the smartphone market, and app revenues are expected to reflect that soon.

In terms of app downloads by categories, both platforms are dominated by Games, Tools, Communication, Entertainment and Social applications. This is not news as these categories were dominant in the previous quarter as well.

The role of low-priced Android phones in emerging markets also makes a mark on these rankings. India jumped up two spots to claim the third overall spot in total app downloads on Android, behind the United States and Brazil. On the iOS platform, Japan, United States, South Korea, Germany and Taiwan continue to dominate the top five nations in terms of downloads.

Apple is presently preparing for the launch iPhone 6 which is said to be more expensive than the iPhone 5s, while on the other hand Google has recently announced the Android One, a cheap mobile platform for budget phone in India . It will be interesting to see how both companies with different marketing strategy compete with each other in this volatile technology market.

By Pranav Arora

July 21, 2014
What the iPhone 6 Needs to Take on The HTC One M8

Ever since its release, the HTC One M8 has been one of the most admired flagships. With its aluminum unibody metallic design, the phone announces its distinguished class. Now HTC has decided that it will be giving LTE support to the One M8, making the phone future proof and a serious contender for a good while.

Now we see what the next version of the Apple iPhone needs to have to take on the HTC One M8.

Display:

The HTC One comes with a spectacular 441 ppi display

The HTC One M8 comes with a 441 ppi dense 1080p HD screen, with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. In comparison, the iPhone, with its bigger sized display is speculated to come with a Sapphire Glass, which is one of the toughest glass out there. The glass is literally capable of surviving not just key chain scratches, but a full on knife assault.

Design:

Now here’s an impressive update for you. Apple has won a patent to make a casing of the Sapphire Glass. This might just be for the next iPhone outing. Unlike the glass design on the iPhone 4S, this one will be an unbreakable version and will prevent your precious iPhone and your emotional stability from shattering. According to the abstract on the patent document, the design might have multiple glass pieces fused together for overall protection of internal components.

The next Iphone might be entirely made of Sapphire glass casing.

In comparison, HTC’s Aluminum casing is one of its most appreciated features. Apple will own the flagship casing fight if they integrate Sapphire Glass casing, but that will raise the price of the device significantly.

HTC has also evolved their dual speaker Boomsound feature quite efficiently on the HTC One M8. Also special mention should go the Dot Cover as its visually appealing.

Camera:

With its dual camera feature, HTC has pioneered selective focus ability in the smartphone space. The phone also gives a brilliant software support to its camera system. Though some of the features are a bit gimmicky, but the average user will be able to add some incredible effects on their photos.

With the iOS 8 update the iPhone will get new composition tools, easy adjustment features, new filters and editing tools, and the best of all is a Time-lapse feature. After the slow-motion update in the previous generation, time lapse seems like the next logical step for the iPhone to take.

Software:

Inter connectivity with OSX is the cornerstone of iOS 8

HTC has announced that the HTC One M8 will be one of the first devices, along with some more from the HTC family, to get the Android L update. The L comes with significant visual overhaul along with many functional changes making the system a lot more user friendly.

Apple, on the other hand, has packed the iOS 8 with some visionary features. The revamped notification center would make your life easier as you can access to all your important updates at one place. The interconnectivity features between the iOS and OSX devices are pioneering, and we saw Google showcasing something similar between the Android phones and Chromebooks.

Battery:

As the HTC One M8 will be one of the first devices don the Android L apparel, it will be the beneficiary of project Volta. With this new feature developers will be able to extend the life of the battery considerably. The 2600 mAh battery on the One M8, gives a day’s worth of charge but the web browsing coupled with the giant screen drains out the battery real fast.

iPhones batteries have always faced criticism for their dispiriting performance. Recently Samsung took a shot at iPhone users and called them “wall huggers.” Apple conceded and agreed that some of its phones faced reduced battery life. Now it’s to see if Apple makes the correction in the latest version, or the wall huggers will again be on their quest to find the charging sockets.

Conclusion:

Overall, with increased screen size and hopefully better battery backup, the iPhone 6 will be capable of taking on the HTC One M8. HTC might hit back with a better user interface using the new Android L. On the software front though both OS are competitive with Apple getting the advantage for its better interconnectivity feature with the OSX. Even if you don’t have a Mac OSX device, the iOS would be suitable as a standalone device too. HTC should definitely gear up for the upcoming war.

July 16, 2014
The 5 Things You Should Expect From The Upcoming iPhone 6

Everyone is certain we’re going to see the new iPhone in 2014. It’s also looking pretty certain that Apple might follow its own footsteps by releasing two iPhone handset, instead of just one. Rumours suggest there will be two versions available with two different sized screens: 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch. And the rumors are, it’s likely to be called the iPhone Air. Though we have to wait till it releases to see what Apple planning to do with next instalment of iPhone. Until then, we are listing 5 things about iPhone 6 that you should expect from the next iPhone:

1. Improved Camera

Its the feature everyone looks for the most, and Apple’s always put huge resources behind improving its cameras. More importantly, Apple’s filed a patent for a particular kind of image stabilization in a smart phone; it will reportedly increase the size of the pixels in its 8-megapixel sensor; and apparently there’s a “Super Resolution Mode” in the next version of the camera app. We have something something remarkable heading our way.

2. Online Payments Using TouchID

Apple has almost 800 million iTunes accounts and hundreds of millions of credit cards on file, and all working towards larger option for users to buy things on their phone. It would take on PayPal and Google Wallet, and could launch alongside the new iPhone. TouchID would be Apple’s ultimate weapon, paying for everything online with your fingerprint is both secure and simple, and a “Pay with iTunes” of sorts could be a huge revenue magnet for Apple.

3. Lightning Port Headphone Jack

There is a possibility of Apple killing classic 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of the company’s propriety Lightning Port. The company has introduced a new design for manufacturers in its made-for-iPhone (MFi) program that will let them to produce headphones with Lightning connectors. The new type of headphones will be able to make the change between analogue to digital audio with an elevated lossless stereo 48 kHz digital output, it would in addition convert the traditional headphones into a smart device.

4. Placement of Buttons

With the flood of iPhone 6 mockups there is a good idea of what the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 might look like. Expect a thinner iPhone between 6-7mm and more metal with curved edges that make it look more like an iPad Air or mini. The new volume buttons are slimmer to fit on this new edge and the power button is now on the right side. This new power button placement is crucial as it allows users to reach the button more easily.

5. Hiked Price

There’s one thing we can be sure about when it comes to the iPhone 6 – it won’t be cheap. Apple’s legacy is a long line of premium devices sporting premium price tags and you can expect that trend to continue with the iPhone 6. One analyst even goes as far as predicting that Apple will hike up the price of the iPhone 6, possibly by as much as $100. With a larger screen, new glass covering the front and possibly even a new, more impressive, material used in construction, we can already foresee the price being hiked.

July 14, 2014
Apple is Gearing Up For The iWatch Launch

Apple’s iWatch is one of the most anticipated wearable of the year. Apple seems to be gearing up to release its new iWatch which will undoubtedly be the first of many wearable devices Apple will launch in the coming years.

Recently, Nike discontinued FuelBand product line to concentrate on the software letting go more than 80 employees of Fuelband. While the product is still being sold, the company had decided to working on wearables. Now reports have surfaced that are some of the important members of the FuelBand team have been poached by Apple. According to rumors, former FuelBand team members Ryan Bailey and Jon Gale were both hired by Apple in June.

Nike Discontinues the Nike + FuelBand Production

Bailey was formerly Nike’s Senior Test and Validation Engineer for the FuelBand, and his LinkedIn profile now lists him as Mechanical Design Engineer at Apple. Gale had been Nike’s Senior Firmware Engineer focusing on the FuelBand line of wrist-worn fitness trackers, and he is now Apple’s Sensing Systems Engineer.

The fact that Apple is hiring former Nike FuelBand employees heavily indicates that the mysterious iWatch may finally grant us its presence. Apple is rumored to launch it this year sometime around October. It is also been said that the iWatch may be announced with iPhone 6.

July 11, 2014
Super Confident Apple Doubles Up its iPhone 6 Order

Seems like Apple is absolutely sure about its newest upgrade since reports claim that the company has decided to double up the number of iPhone 6 units for this fall. From the sound of it, the Apple flagship device is just about ready to rock the tech world later this year.

The report from Taiwan’s Business Weekly claims that number of iPhone 6 orders placed is about twice the number that Apple placed for the iPhone 5. However, it is possible that this huge number could be because Apple is making two different iPhone 6 models: One with a display of 4.7 inches and another with a display of 5.5 inches.

Earlier this month we had spoken about the rumours regarding Apple launching a new skinnier and lighter version named ‘iPhone Air‘.

iPhone renders

The report also says that one of the iPhone 6 models will enter into mass production this month. Hence, confirming the previous rumors that Apple will unveil the 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6 in early September and then releasing it around two weeks later.

iPhone renders 2

We have seen so many mock-ups and leaks of of iPhone 6 and we are quite familiar with what the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will look like. The iPhone 6 is said to be the thinnest iPhone ever which is just 6 millimeters thick and also more rounded on the edges than the iPhone 5s, with the power button moved from the top to the side of the device.

July 11, 2014
Apple Releases iOS 8 Beta 3 for Developers

Apple yesterday released the third beta version of iOS 8 for developers. The iOS 8 beta 3 update with a build number 12A4318c is available over the air and can also be downloaded from the iOS Dev Centre.

The company has released updates for a beta version Find My iPhone. There is also a new version of Find My Friends, a new Apple TV beta, and updates to Swift, the programming language the company introduced at WWDC.

As showcased at WWDC this year, iOS 8 has some major upgrades over the last offerings. The one that is appreciated the most about the OS is its seamless interconnectivity with the OSX devices.

iOS 8 introduces an assortment of features such as improved integration with OS X through Continuity, interactive notifications, a new QuickType Keyboard and improvements to several apps like Safari, Mail, and Messages. Apart from it there is a Health app and some Family Sharing features.

This beta version has new options for iCloud Drive, a new Settings toggle for Handoff, and a new option to enable or disable QuickType.

iOS 8 beta 3 is currently accessible to the developers, and is expected to release for the public sometime around this fall. Considering previous releases, it can be said that the new iOS will release with the new iPhone and most probably the iWatch might show up too.

July 8, 2014
Is iPhone 6’s Buddy Going To Be The ‘iPhone Air’?

Less than an year ago, we were introduced to iPhone 5s and now rumors are gathering about its replacement, which should, if previous versions are taken in consideration, be called the iPhone 6.

Will it be bigger, or stay the same size? Will it have standout features? Will it be joined by an iPhone 6C, or the iWatch? Everyone is anxious to know what Apple is planning to do with the new Flagship phone. Sadly we need to wait till September for an official word.

A new report from China details an astonishing new launch date for another iPhone variant from Apple. The report is accompanied with alleged pricing details, as well as the name of the anticipated larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 variant: The iPhone Air. The company first used the “Air” appellation to tag its smaller MacBook model, and has later used it for the full-size iPad’s. Both times the end result was a sleek and sexy looker with good performance.

When the next-gen iPhone lineup does launch sometime this fall, many expect the handset to feature a complete redesign with a relocated sleep/wake button, slimmed-down profile and advanced innards like an “A8” processor. It is also believed that Apple plans to differentiate the denoted 5.5-inch version from its smaller variant by adding on features like optical image stabilization and higher storage capacities.

The report are pointing out to a September 25th release of the new iPhones. However, it is unlikely if the Apple’s history of Friday releases of previous iPhones are taken into consideration.

Apple has ‘Air’ variants for its Mac as well as iPad’s. Only the iPhones weren’t touched by Apple’s “Air”. This would be a momentous year if they do decide to launch an ‘iPhone Air’. It will be great to see Apple bring its slim on as its the pioneer of slim technology. We have already heard the rumour that Apple is planning to go for flatter headphones jack with the lightening port. Apple has no problems throwing out technology that they find redundant and soon the world follows. So it would be fun to see how the next avatar of this legendary device turns out in reality.

[poll id=”13″]

July 4, 2014
Apple Plans to Announce The iPhone 6 on 15th September

The blurred lines surrounding the release date of the iPhone 6 are finally sharpening up. Industry sources have reported that various media outlets in the region that Apple is planning to launch the device on 15th September and it plans to start sales September 25th onwards. China is expected to be in the first group of countries to get the device.

Mass shipments of the iPhone 6 from China to the United States are said to be starting during the last two weeks of August, and it is likely that Apple will announce the iPhone 6 during the first or second week of September. The first deliveries of the device will come later in the month on a corresponding Friday. Apple historically starts sales of new iPhone models on Fridays, roughly a week and a half after the event.

Regarding the pricing, Apple typically releases its new models at the same price as the old ones. If that stays the case for this new phone as well then we’d expect the 16GB model to cost Rs 53,500, 32GB model to cost Rs 62,500, the 64GB model Rs 72,500. Though with a larger screen we might see prices go up.

Also, a new render of Apple’s much talked about iPhone 6 created by graphic designer Mark Pelin is also making rounds on the internet. It is marked the first leaked iPhone 6 designs imagined, in a way, that might accurately represent an actual Apple device. Pelin’s work shows a completely redesigned handset that looks like it sticks to the leaked schematics quite closely. It also shows a device that is on par with the refinement and quality that Apple hardware always manages to achieve.

Apple’s iPhone 6 is expected to include a larger display size along with a thinner iPod-touch style design, A8 processor, and camera improvements. The 5.5-inch iPhone has, thus far, been positioned as a premium version and may include upgrades like optical image stabilization and a larger storage capacity.

July 4, 2014
Apple Launches an Updated 16GB iPod Touch With a Low Price Tag in India

It’s been two years, Apple has’t come up with any notable updates about its iPod Touch products. Without any formal announcement Apple decided to launch its 16GB iPod touch in India. The new device comes with a 5MP iSight camera as well as a lower price tag.

Earlier, the 16GB variant was the only member of the iPod family that came without a rear camera and was available only in Silver color. Now, like the 32GB and 64GB variants, it will come with a 5-megapixel iSight rear camera capable of recording full-HD video and will be available in Pink, Yellow, Blue, Silver, Space Grey, and Red color.

The iSight camera is the same which was found on the aged iPhone 4. The updated and cheaper 16GB iPod touch now comes with pricetag of Rs 16,900. The other sizes are getting a price drop, too. The 32GB is priced at Rs 20,900, and the 64GB is for Rs 24,900. This is probably because of the continued slide in iPod sales as more people shift to smartphones as their preferred mobile entertainment device.

All members of the iPod touch family now feature the same 4-inch Retina display, 5-megapixel iSight camera, Apple A5 SoC, and FaceTime (front-facing) camera. The A5 processor is also used in the iPhone 4S. The iPod touch runs iOS 7 with support for Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant. The company claims 40 hours of battery life with audio playback, and 8 hours of video playback.

Apple had launched its ‘iPod’ range of portable media players in 2001 and its various versions include iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Touch and iPod Classic. According to the company’s annual report, Apple globally sold over 26.3 million units of iPods in the year ending September 28, 2013.

June 28, 2014
Rumor Roundup: All That We Know About The Upcoming iPhone 6

Apple’s products are always the most anticipated ones in the market and iPhone 6 is not an exception to that rule. While people eagerly wait for the launch of the device, rumors and leaks fuel their excitement.

There has been a round of alleged iPhone 6 dummy images making the rounds. Earlier this month VentureBeat reported; the iPhone 6 will contain several highly-anticipated features, including near field communication (NFC), wireless charging, better 4G antenna, and a much bigger screen. Earlier this month, we had also reported that after the major 3.2 billion dollar acquisition of Beats by Apple, the company might include their earphones with the next iPhone.

Recently, an eBay user posted 6 high-resolution pictures, of a black and silver handset on which more details can be seen than ever before. These images show some significant design changes, including the fact that the power button has been moved to the side of the device.

It is also said to feature a significantly larger screen that will take up relatively more area on the front of the phone. The hardware border around the screen will be smaller than on previous iPhones. The size of the iPhone’s display grew from 3.5 inches to 4 inches with the iPhone 5, and with the iPhone 6, the screen is said to be even larger.

Apple has been juggling with many varieties of screen sizes, with the majority of rumors solidifying around a range of 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, bringing the next iPhone in line to compete with Android and Windows phones that have already adopted larger displays.

Since April, various different alleged iPhone 6 parts have surfaced. What could be the front panel from the larger iPhone 6 recently appeared on Chinese microblogging site Weibo, displaying a notably thinner bezel along with familiar cutouts for a front-facing camera, ambient light sensor, ear speaker, and home button.

The supposed iPhone 6 batteries have also surfaced, as have manufacturing molds that are said to be for the iPhone 6. Apple is currently using Corning Gorilla Glass for its iPhones, but rumors suggests that the company could switch to sapphire crystal for future displays.

The talks are pointing towards the September release of the 4.7-inches variant of the new iPhone 6 followed by 5.5-inches variant a month later. While leaks of the iPhone are becoming commonplace, they are not always accurate.

In the last six months, several different designs have been leaked. Well, we are eagerly waiting to hold the new iPhone in our hand. It will be launching with new iOS 8 that was introduced at this year’s WWDC. While, the new Apple’s Smartwatch named iWatch is tentatively targeted for an October unveiling.

June 25, 2014
The Evolution of Apple’s Command Key

Meet the extremely fascinating Susan Kare. She is an artist and designer and has spent most of her life pioneering pixel art. The extremely talented Iconographer has created thousands of icons for hundreds of companies.

As a key member of the Mac software design team, she has created many of the graphical interface elements for the original Apple Macintosh in the 1980’s.

This symbol is formally known as the Command key. Informally, it has had several names. It is known to be been referred as the Apple key, pretzel key, squiggly button, Saint John’s Arms and the Bowen Knot. Without a doubt, it is the most useful key on the board.

The symbol became a part of the Macintosh project when Steve Jobs found that the former Apple symbol overcrowded the menu. It was then, while doing a bit of research, Susan Kare found this symbol while browsing through the symbol dictionary. She’s glad to have chanced upon this cloverleaf-like design, commonly used in Nordic countries as an indicator of cultural locations and places of interest.

In the video,Kare goes on to talk about her journey from Apple to Windows and the evolution of digital Iconography. While talking about the yesteryears, she walks us through the early 80’s when Apple launched its first Macintosh 128K in 1984.

Susan also points out the importance of simplicity in iconography. While explaining the idea, she mentioned a book the called ‘Understanding Comics: An invisible Art’ by Scott McCloud. In which McCloud tells how details make the graphic personal while a sketch with minimilistic details is relatable to most beings.

She ended with a quote of her hero of Graphic Designing:

[quote text_size=”medium” author=”Paul Rand ” author_title=”Graphic Designer”]

Create solutions to design problems that are meaningful and memorable

[/quote]

June 25, 2014