The Legacy of the First Generation iPod and the Influence of Dieter Rams on Apple’s Design Philosophy

Remember the first generation iPod?

It has gained great popularity due to its modern design.

The tune is said to have been revived 70 years ago, in the 1950s.

This iPod is a product of Apple’s chief designer, Jonathan Ive, who was praised by Steve Jobs as “a man I wouldn’t change if I paid him ten million dollars” for its minimalist layout that allows you to see the structure at glance and the stable grip created by the soft curves around the edges. .

This iPod, which discarded all flashy colors and unnecessary decorations, was designed to be much smaller, cleaner, and more user-friendly than contemporary MP3 players from competing companies.

It can truly be said to be a monumental product of Apple’s sensibility.

But did you know that this modern Apple sensibility is actually inspired by the 1950s?

This product is similar to the iPod in that it has a simple format so that the structure can be seen separately depending on the use of the speaker or the display and control buttons. This is the T3, a small pocket radio receiver in Braun plastic, launched in 1958.

It is also said that the iOS podcast application also copied Braun’s recorder, released in 2012. Of course, this is just a story.

Additionally, you can easily find images on the Internet showing design similarities between Apple and Braun.

As a result, when Apple first released the first-generation iPod in 2001, there were rumors from many quarters wondering whether it was plagiarism.

Is the “Apple sensibility” that has left its mark on the 21st century electronics market really the product of plagiarism?

Obviously not.

The owner of this model, which boasts elegance despite being created more than 70 years ago, is industrial designer Dieter Rams, who was Braun’s chief designer.

Comparing the works of Rams and Ive, you can see that they share more essential things than just aesthetics, such as simple designs, materials and colors.

This is the philosophy of functionalist design.

It refers to a design that excludes decorative elements as much as possible and focuses on the function of the product itself, while at the same time being beautiful.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that all types of minimalist designs today are largely influenced by Rams.

For this reason, many people believe that I inherited the Rams design in a modern way instead of plagiarizing it.

But what I’m curious about is: wouldn’t Rams mind if a product that looked exactly like his design was released on the market?

Luckily, there were no mud fights or legal disputes between the two.

I left Apple Park Design for the last time in 2019, leaving behind a long relationship with Apple.

After leaving the company, I signed a consulting contract with Apple for about three years and collaborated on design, but this ended in July last year and I separated from Apple completely.

Additionally, on February 8, one of the key executives responsible for the design of the iPhone and Apple Watch decided to step down, making us even more curious as to what changes will happen in Apple’s design strategy in the future.

Will Apple once again invent a design that will change the world?

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