Three decades of Apple's design history in 30 seconds

Apple's shares and market capitalization hit remarkable highs this week--its shares closing at $493.42 on Friday, Feb. 10 and its market cap now reaching $460 billion, valuing the company as more than Google and Microsoft combined. Intense trading on Thursday February 9 came after an AllThingsD report that the iPad 3 is likely to be introduced in March. While technology pundits and consumers eagerly await the latest in elegant Apple computing, now is as good a time as ever to take a look at the design history behind Apple's freshest--and forthcoming--products.

Handily, a new video (edited by Boing Boing's managing editor, Rob Beschizza), provides a super-fast cram session on how Apple products have evolved. Flashing before your eyes are a wooden prototype for a desktop computer; clunky Apple printers; early black-and-white on-screen interfaces; cuddly iPod cases that look like ribbed socks; the ubiquitous iPhone and iPad. Given that Apple's design achievements have distinguished its products and services in the marketplace over the years, the video is worth watching to get a sense of how the company's designers, engineers, and marketers alike have so carefully built upon their aesthetic legacy to create a consistent brand experience. It's one thing to keep discussing Apple's achievements, and another to see the fruits of 36 years of Apple's design strategies unfold before your eyes--in half a minute.

Here's the video:

(via Boing Boing)

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com