“We want to reinvent the phone. What’s the killer app? The killer app is making calls! It’s amazing how hard it is to make calls on most phones. We want to let you use contacts like never before – sync your iPhone with your PC or mac.”
- February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011
- American
- Entrepreneur, businessman, industrial designer
- He brought to the world revolutionary products that combined technology and design at a high level, such as the personal computer Macintosh, iPhone, and iPad, and also revolutionized the music industry with the iPod, iTunes, and iTunes Store.
Quote
“We want to reinvent the phone. What’s the killer app? The killer app is making calls! It’s amazing how hard it is to make calls on most phones. We want to let you use contacts like never before – sync your iPhone with your PC or mac.”
Explanation
In this quote, Steve Jobs explains Apple’s vision for the iPhone, positioning it as a revolutionary device that would reinvent the phone by addressing the frustrations people faced with making calls on traditional mobile phones. Jobs humorously points out that, despite being designed as a communication device, many phones made something as basic as making a call difficult. By emphasizing the simplicity of calling, he highlights Apple’s goal to simplify and enhance the user experience. The reference to syncing contacts with a PC or Mac reflects Apple’s commitment to making the iPhone a seamless part of the broader Apple ecosystem, enabling users to manage and access their contacts in a way that was never before possible.
Jobs’ focus on making calls the “killer app” for the iPhone emphasizes his belief in the importance of usability and intuitive design. While many mobile phones at the time had advanced features, Apple’s innovation was in making the basic functions—like calling and managing contacts—simple, intuitive, and seamless. This laid the foundation for the iPhone’s broader success, as it evolved from a communication tool to a multi-functional device.
Today, the iPhone remains a cornerstone of modern communication, and its design continues to set the standard for smartphone usability. Jobs’ quote serves as a reminder that true innovation often starts with improving core functions and creating solutions to everyday problems, even for something as simple as making a phone call.
