In a truly interesting move for technology enthusiasts and Apple history buffs, Jony Ive, former chief design officer of the company, has unveiled unseen footage of Steve Jobs. In this material, recorded during the International Design Conference in 1983, Jobs makes predictions that, at the time, seemed absurd but are now considered visionary.
A revolutionary vision: more computers than cars in just three years
At the conference, Steve Jobs predicted that personal computer sales would surpass car sales before 1986. He also predicted that in the following decade, people would spend more time using computers than inside their cars. These statements, made in the early 80s, were hard to believe for many. At that time, the concept of a personal computer was still emerging and its widespread adoption was uncertain.
Jony Ive, who accompanied the video launch with a small text, highlighted Jobs’ deep understanding of the transformations that computing would bring to society. “It’s amazing how he could foresee the drastic changes that were coming with the widespread accessibility of computers. Beyond being a prophet, he was instrumental in defining products that would change our culture and our lives forever,” says Ive.
A request to designers: whether they are well or poorly designed, they will reach the market
During his talk, Steve Jobs appealed to the designers present to think about how to design these new products. Regardless of whether they were well or poorly designed, these products would reach the market. With that, the importance of design quality was already paramount, not only in terms of functionality but also in terms of aesthetics and usability. Jobs firmly believed that good design could transform the user experience and, ultimately, society.
As we heard in the video, Jobs not only saw technology as a tool, but as an extension of art and human expression. His commitment went beyond creating useful devices; he sought to produce objects that were also beautiful and expressed love for humanity. For the founder of Apple, “designing something useful and beautiful was a way to express that love and respect for people”.
A touch of humor: Why do I wear a bowtie?
In the video, Jobs’ charisma and sense of humor also shine through. At the beginning of his talk, he explained why he was wearing a bowtie, something unusual for his style. “I’ve been paid sixty dollars, so I put on a bowtie”, he said, pointing to the striped bowtie he was wearing with a sports jacket and jeans.
The new talk by Steve Jobs is available on the Steve Jobs Archive. Remembering that Steve Jobs did not want Apple to resemble Disney in this important detail, luckily, or when he predicted Apple Intelligence in 1985, this conference offers us a unique look into the mind of one of the most influential visionaries of the 20th century. A video that is not only a testament to Steve Jobs’ genius, but also proof of how his ideas and his focus on design and functionality have shaped the world of computing as we know it today.
