On Steve Jobs as a Designer

Bill Gates is my Hero but as a Designer, you can’t help but be in awe of Steve Job’s ability to create a perfect marriage between Technology and Design. Aesthetics in Technology, before Steve Jobs, was nothing to speak of. He showed us how whole industries can be reinvented by rethinking design alone. Apple is not always on the edge of technology, but its revolutionary user interfaces have time & time again, placed them in the forefront of industries he touched (the mouse in PC, the click-wheel in music players, the touchscreen in mobile). Special Props for discovering Jonathan Ive. 

His influence goes further, he completely transformed interactive design movements. In early 2000s, everyone wants Aqua, led by Aqua GUI of Mac OS X - Key elements are glossy, reflection, translucency, water droplets. Windows users tried to skin their OS to look like Mac’s, well I did. In fact, the whole Web 2.0 design revolution was centred around those same elements. 

Later into the decade, Apple started incorporating subtle gradients, textures, designs that melt into content. And sure enough, the whole web design industry follow suit. 

Apple products and UI has been a constant inspiration for designers everywhere. While the Geeks and Corporate Leaders mourn at the loss of his technology influences and business acumen. The designers mourn at the loss of his vision.