Great Innovations from the GREATEST Innovator of Our TIME

Continuing my series on people who influenced the world, I want to discuss Steve Jobs. We all know who he is, and we all know what he did. How he impacted the world made a dent in the universe, as he was fond of saying.

Most of the time, when I write about someone who impacted the world, I quote some of their ideas, sayings, strategies, and philosophies; in the case of Steve Jobs, I thought it might be enough to list the ways that he impacted the world with not only just his ideas but his products. Remember, one of his mantras was, “Great artist ship,” and yes, he shipped many products.

Those who worked with Jobs will admit he was not easy to deal with. At times, he was not a very nice guy to work for. But maybe that’s how it must be if you set out to make that dent in the universe. Maybe he did not have time to dawdle. Maybe he even had a premonition that his life would be cut short at only fifty-seven. Whatever the reason, he crammed as much life and produced as many life-changing products in the mere thirty-nine years of his career.

Sure, Steve had a lot of good ideas, but then again, many of us have a lot of good ideas. The difference with Jobs, what made him great, and how he changed the world was that he delivered on those ideas. He produced, and he shipped.

Here are twenty-five of the innovative products that we owe to Steve Jobs:

Apple I Computer: Co-founded by Steve Jobs, the Apple I was one of the first personal computers, marking the beginning of Apple's journey.

Macintosh: The Macintosh line of computers introduced the graphical user interface (GUI) to the mainstream market, revolutionizing personal computing.

iTunes: iTunes transformed how people buy and consume music, making purchasing and organizing digital music files easy.

iPod: The iPod revolutionized portable music players, providing a sleek and user-friendly device for storing and playing music on the go.

iTunes Store: The iTunes Store pioneered selling digital music online, paving the way for the digital music industry.

iPhone: The iPhone redefined the smartphone industry with its innovative touchscreen interface, App Store ecosystem, and sleek design.

App Store: The App Store created a platform for developers to distribute mobile applications, leading to the proliferation of smartphone apps and creating a new industry.

iPad: The iPad introduced the concept of a tablet computer to the mass market, creating a new category of devices for consuming media and productivity.

Apple Retail Stores: Apple's retail stores revolutionized the retail experience by offering a unique and immersive environment for customers to interact with Apple products.

Apple Watch: The Apple Watch popularized the smartwatch concept, integrating health and fitness tracking features with smartphone capabilities.

Apple Pay: Apple Pay introduced a convenient and secure payment method using iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac devices.

Touch ID: Touch ID revolutionized mobile device security by introducing fingerprint recognition technology for unlocking devices and authorizing transactions.

Face ID: Face ID advanced biometric authentication by using facial recognition technology for unlocking devices and authorizing transactions.

iCloud: iCloud provides seamless data synchronization across Apple devices, making it easy for users to access their files, photos, and documents from anywhere.

Retina Display: Apple's Retina Display technology revolutionized screen resolution, offering incredibly sharp and vibrant displays on devices like the iPhone, iPad, and MacBooks.

Siri: Siri introduced the concept of a virtual assistant on mobile devices, enabling users to perform tasks and get information using natural voice commands.

AirPods: AirPods popularized wireless earbuds, offering seamless connectivity with Apple devices and high-quality audio.

Apple Music: Apple Music provides a subscription-based streaming service, competing with established players like Spotify and offering exclusive content and features.

Touch Bar: The Touch Bar introduced a dynamic touchscreen interface to the MacBook Pro, offering contextual controls and shortcuts for various applications.

Swift Programming Language: Swift became Apple's official programming language for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS development, offering a modern and efficient alternative to Objective-C.

Retina MacBook: The Retina MacBook line set new standards for thinness, portability, and display quality in laptop computers.

Thunderbolt Interface: Thunderbolt technology provides high-speed connectivity for peripherals, enabling faster data transfer and more versatile expansion options for Mac devices.

Apple Silicon: Apple's transition from Intel processors to custom-designed Apple Silicon chips marked a significant shift in performance and efficiency for Mac computers.

Augmented Reality (AR)Kit: ARKit brought augmented reality capabilities to iOS devices, enabling developers to create immersive AR experiences for apps and games.

Environmental Initiatives: Under Jobs' leadership, Apple implemented various environmental initiatives, including renewable energy projects and recycling programs, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

Frankly, when I started researching these products, I had no idea how many there were. When I accumulated this list, I was shocked by how many there were!

These ideas not only shaped Apple's success but also profoundly impacted the technology industry as a whole. Many of us would consider our life a success if we had produced just one of these products. From my personal experience of doing the research for this column, I can say that it was a truly awe-inspiring experience. I hope you will feel that too.

It’s only common sense