Not even one of those features or products actually was revolutionary, magical, or innovative. The only thing revolutionary about Apple is their marketing department.
Note that I don't mean to imply that Apple products can't be good. My iPhone is great, as is my MBP but neither is revolutionary or innovative. Both are nothing more than evolutionary products.
Apple launched its App Store for the Mac today. The press release announcing that the store was open for business includes this bit of puffery: “The Mac App Store brings the revolutionary App Store experience to the Mac…”
Revolutionary. Hmmm, where have I heard that word before? Oh yeah, in just about every Apple press release since 1999. Apple has declared a revolution for software, for Macs and mice, for its CD and DVD drives, for iPods and iPhones and iPads, for syncing music to a portable player, and even for its Internet strategy. Several of those “revolutionary” products no longer exist, and others were simply refined implementations of technologies that had already been done by others. No matter. If it comes from Cupertino, it must be revolutionary.
Here, from the Apple PR archives, is a little trip down memory lane. A word to the wise: If you plan a drinking game around an Apple press event, you might want to think twice before you include this word.
1999
Apple Ships Final Cut Pro Video Authoring Software: Revolutionary Editing, Compositing and Special Effects Package (April 20, 1999) “a revolutionary new software application that combines professional-quality video editing, compositing, and special effects in one package…”
2000
Apple Unveils Internet Strategy (January 5, 2000) “iTools is a revolutionary new category of Internet services that takes advantage of Apple’s unique technology on both ends of the Internet… ‘Our new iReviews, iCards and the revolutionary iTools offer amazing new ways for Mac users to take full advantage of the Internet,’ said Steve Jobs, Apple’s iCEO. ‘Mac users can now do things on the Internet that Wintel users can only dream of.’”
Apple Introduces Revolutionary Power Mac G4 Cube with “a revolutionary cooling design that does not require a fan” (July 19, 2000)
2001
Apple Brings DVD Authoring to the Desktop with iDVD and DVD Studio Pro (January 9, 2001) “Apple today introduced iDVD, a revolutionary new application [that] comes preinstalled on the Power Mac G4 with the revolutionary new SuperDrive.”
Apple Presents iPod: Ultra-Portable MP3 Music Player Puts 1,000 Songs in Your Pocket (October 23, 2001) “iPod’s revolutionary Auto-Sync feature makes it easy to get your entire music collection into iPod and update it whenever you connect iPod to your Mac. Simply plug your new iPod into your Mac with the supplied FireWire cable, and all of your iTunes songs and playlists are automatically downloaded into iPod at blazing FireWire speed.”
2002
Apple Announces iTunes 3: Now With Revolutionary Smart Playlists… (July 17, 2002) “a major upgrade to its award-winning digital music software for the Mac featuring Smart Playlists, a revolutionary new way to listen to your music.”
Developers Rapidly Adopt Apple’s Rendezvous Networking Technology (September 10, 2002) “‘Canon is adding our support to the growing adoption of Apple’s revolutionary Rendezvous networking technology,’ said Amit Bagchi, Marketing director for Canon’s printer products.”
2003
iTunes Music Store Tops Two Million Song Downloads (May 14, 2003) “Apple today announced that over two million songs have been purchased and downloaded from its revolutionary iTunes Music Store since its debut 16 days ago…”
2004
Apple Announces iLife ‘04 (January 6, 2004) “introduces GarageBand, a revolutionary new music application that turns a Mac into a professional-quality musical instrument and recording studio…”
Apple Announces DVD Studio Pro 3, which “features revolutionary new Alpha Transitions [and] also includes Compressor 1.2, the latest version of Apple’s revolutionary digital media encoding and compression tool” (April 18, 2004)
Apple Introduces Motion: Revolutionary New Application Redefines Motion Graphics (April 18, 2004) ““With its revolutionary technology, breakthrough ease-of-use and low $299 price tag, Motion may do for motion graphics what Final Cut Pro did for non-linear editing”
2005
Final Cut Studio … “features state-of-the-art tools … including Soundtrack Pro, a revolutionary new audio editing and sound design application” (April 17, 2005)
Apple’s New iMac G5 Line Delivers Faster Performance, Built-in Wireless & Mac OS X “Tiger” (May 3, 2005) “Tiger delivers more than 200 new features and innovations including Spotlight, a revolutionary desktop search technology…”
2006
Apple Announces iLife ‘06 (January 10, 2006) “iMovie HD 6 introduces revolutionary new Apple-designed motion themes …”
2007
Apple Chooses Cingular as Exclusive US Carrier for Its Revolutionary iPhone (January 9, 2007) “‘Apple chose Cingular because they are the best and most popular carrier in the US,’ said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. ‘We are thrilled to be offering our revolutionary new iPhone exclusively with Cingular.’”
2008
Apple Adds New iPhone & iPod touch Models (February 5, 2008) “The revolutionary iPhone now comes in a new 16GB model … Both iPhone and iPod touch feature Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch user interface…”
2009
Apple Introduces 17-inch MacBook Pro With Revolutionary New Built-in Battery (January 6, 2009) “Apple uses advanced chemistry, intelligent monitoring of the system and battery, and Adaptive Charging technology to create a revolutionary new notebook battery that delivers up to eight hours of wireless productivity on a single charge.”
Apple Introduces iLife ’09 (January 6, 2009) “iMovie ’09 [offers] revolutionary super fast movie creation [and] the revolutionary Precision Editor…” plus: “the revolutionary new Faces feature in iPhoto.”
Apple’s Revolutionary App Store Downloads Top One Billion in Just Nine Months (April 24, 2009)
Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard (August 24, 2009) “Grand Central Dispatch (GCD) provides a revolutionary new way for software developers to write applications that take advantage of multicore processors”
Apple Unveils New iMac (October 20, 2009) “With brilliant LED displays and the revolutionary Magic Mouse, the new iMac delivers an amazing desktop experience…”
2010
Xcode 4 Developer Preview (2010) “Download the revolutionary new development environment.”
Apple Launches iPad (January 27, 2010) “‘iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price,’ said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO.”
Apple’s iAd Coming to Europe in December “Apple today announced it will expand its revolutionary iAd mobile advertising network to the UK and France this December, with Germany to follow in January…” (November 18, 2010)
2011
Apple’s Mac App Store Opens for Business (January 6, 2011) “The Mac App Store brings the revolutionary App Store experience to the Mac…”
