He says it feels magical because it does. Obviously if you think about it for half a second it's not "magical," but if every time you drop the apple pencil in place you're contemplating the 'unmagical' magnets then you're a way way way out there fringe outlier. For everyone else, we get a subconscious sense of 'magical.'
Apple has been doing this for years, even bragging about it, and *still* no one gets it, particularly their competitors.
This and a couple other comments here are the correct point of view. Lighten up, you other guys.
After a year of using the AirPods, I still get a charge over how they snap into the case, and how the case snaps shut. Magnetism still isn't completely understood unless you say that it's just the way things are on the quantum electrodynamics level (electrons and protons have charge and spin!), so after 70 years or so of confronting it, it still feels like magic to me.
It's a great interview, as usual with Jony, though it's too short. Check it out with the link in the story. The guy is all finesse, and he's smart as can be. And if you want to feel better about making asinine comments, see the ones after the Independent interview. The Brits are worse than you guys in thick-headed cynicism.
Oh yeah, and there are 102 magnets in the thing, along with the 4 billion or so transistors. Let them say what they want, they worked their asses off to make it seem more than just physics.
Ditto all the 'magical' comments above! it always seems like it's Phil Schiller using the word to try and convince us something's great. Just make a great product and it will speak for itself.
As far as the iPad goes, does anyone know if it change the speaker channels based on orientation? I kind of assume it does, simply because that's the kind of attention do detail that makes Apple products great.
Er, you do realize Schiller is Apple’s head of marketing, right? And convincing people a product is great is the job of marketing, right?
While you may be of the opinion that all you gotta do is “build it and they will come”, that isn’t the case. Speaking as an entrepreneur and product builder, it’s not enough to make a great thing. You absol have to learn how to market it. Nerding our won’t suffice, you need people who can sell the sizzle.
Apple's use of the term “magical” is all in good fun and with emotional connotations, nothing more. My only issue with Apple Pencil is its overly narrow product support profile. I really wish Apple would design a single Pencil that is supported by a much wider range of iOS products, including iPhone. It’s too product specific.
Personally I've always disliked when someone uses the term "magic" or "magical" for the product brilliant engineering. I seems to me to be discounting all of that very hard work by very talented people.
Yeah me too, it sounds like it's 'devaluing' the engineering behind it. But, I would give an exception this time for this year iPad. It's truly magical. Okay, I just said that.
Personally I've always disliked when someone uses the term "magic" or "magical" for the product brilliant engineering. I seems to me to be discounting all of that very hard work by very talented people.
Yeah me too, it sounds like it's 'devaluing' the engineering behind it. But, I would give an exception this time for this year iPad. It's truly magical. Okay, I just said that.
Devaluing the engineering IS the point of Apple, the user experience is what is important, how its done should just melt away.
That's why they went for FaceID instead of putting some touch ID in the screen.
FaceID is hard to do right (no one is doing it except them), probably billions in R&D, but from the user perspective, they don't care and nor should they. It should just work, needing to think about how its done means you did it wrong.
If the target for most of their tech were NASA maybe having the tech slightly more visible so someone could get a kudos would make a difference, but even them, in most of their lives, would prefer not having to think about how most of the things they interact with works, except the ones directly relevant to their expertise and their work output.
The edges of the new iPad is what I wished the iPhone had, since the 6 came out. If that happened, all of a sudden going without a case would be somewhat possible, since the grip is much better, doesn't slide out of pocket so easy, etc.
I agree. I love the look of the new iPads and I’d like to see iPhone come back to the form of the 4/4s/5/5s/SE, it was always my favorite. But I never use a case (I did use a bumper on my iPhone 4 for about 2 months before deciding I didn’t like it) and also don’t drop my phone (I just upgrade to a Xs from a X). And, why would you want to make it harder to take your phone out of your pocket?
I think the 5s was the pinnacle of iPhone design. Especially if they replicate the reduced radius corners in the Xi, flat sides and offer it in black.
IMHO, the use of term “magical” isn’t meant for us techies who know more about the inner workings rather it is for the regular customers whom I have actually heard call technical wonders, “magical.”
So many techies on this forum whom whine about terms Apple uses to describe the product that average consumers relate with just need to get over it! Again, IMHO.
Try explaining to someone how a vacuum bottle keeps hot things hot or cold things cold -- how does it know?... It's magical!
Ditto all the 'magical' comments above! it always seems like it's Phil Schiller using the word to try and convince us something's great. Just make a great product and it will speak for itself.
As far as the iPad goes, does anyone know if it change the speaker channels based on orientation? I kind of assume it does, simply because that's the kind of attention do detail that makes Apple products great.
Er, you do realize Schiller is Apple’s head of marketing, right? And convincing people a product is great is the job of marketing, right?
While you may be of the opinion that all you gotta do is “build it and they will come”, that isn’t the case. Speaking as an entrepreneur and product builder, it’s not enough to make a great thing. You absol have to learn how to market it. Nerding our won’t suffice, you need people who can sell the sizzle.
Interesting on the new iPad designs; I bought an SE the day I heard they were being discontinued; here’s hoping they resurrect this design on the phones. It is so much easier to hold, and I am a total early adopter on the products
IMHO, the use of term “magical” isn’t meant for us techies who know more about the inner workings rather it is for the regular customers whom I have actually heard call technical wonders, “magical.”
So many techies on this forum whom whine about terms Apple uses to describe the product that average consumers relate with just need to get over it! Again, IMHO.
This ^ There's so many 'techies' think that Apple is designing a product for them, when it's actually designed mainly for the 90+% of the people who want to use tech and not care what happens under the hood.
For most people tech not understood yet is magic. I understand a lot of tech; a lot I don't. I understand how my Apple Watch unlocks my MacBook. Yet for an instant, when I see the blurb on the display about my Watch unlocking my MacBook, it is magical.
berndog said: Sir Jonathan Paul Ive KBE I would venture to say is using magic in a manner foreign to US readers.....more in keeping with it’s use in Cambridge/Oxford English as an adjective relating to superior quality of craftsmanship not seen much any more.
as in: “That is pure magic” or “magic, that!” Or “bloody magic!” Relating to a product, play, misical event being so well done, so sublime.
Not at all. I dare say the average US reader would understand exactly what Sir Ive is talking about.
It's a few people who feel the need to demonstrate some perceived superiority by declaring 'the emperor has no clothes!' that don't get it.
The edges of the new iPad is what I wished the iPhone had, since the 6 came out. If that happened, all of a sudden going without a case would be somewhat possible, since the grip is much better, doesn't slide out of pocket so easy, etc. Hopefully it'll be replicated to the iPhones. I don't understand the logic Ive is explaining for finally being able to do it, because it is "thin enough" for it, in my opinion it would work for the iPhones also, with their current thinness.
Yes, I've been a fan of the 4-5s/SE form factor, and am really happy to see it on the new iPad Pros.
I think Ive was saying that putting that flat edge around the older, much thicker iPads would have looked wrong, or looked much thicker, not in line with his design ethic. And by having the edge flat, there was a place to hold the Pencil, which also has one flat side. This wouldn't have worked as well with previous iPads. I'd really like to see the flat edge come back to iPhones, starting with an SE2.
Comments
After a year of using the AirPods, I still get a charge over how they snap into the case, and how the case snaps shut. Magnetism still isn't completely understood unless you say that it's just the way things are on the quantum electrodynamics level (electrons and protons have charge and spin!), so after 70 years or so of confronting it, it still feels like magic to me.
It's a great interview, as usual with Jony, though it's too short. Check it out with the link in the story. The guy is all finesse, and he's smart as can be. And if you want to feel better about making asinine comments, see the ones after the Independent interview. The Brits are worse than you guys in thick-headed cynicism.
Oh yeah, and there are 102 magnets in the thing, along with the 4 billion or so transistors. Let them say what they want, they worked their asses off to make it seem more than just physics.
While you may be of the opinion that all you gotta do is “build it and they will come”, that isn’t the case. Speaking as an entrepreneur and product builder, it’s not enough to make a great thing. You absol have to learn how to market it. Nerding our won’t suffice, you need people who can sell the sizzle.
Nope. First off, Apple doesn’t marker the word snappy. But being the best iterations, and being thin and light, are real things. They’re true.
For most people tech not understood yet is magic. I understand a lot of tech; a lot I don't. I understand how my Apple Watch unlocks my MacBook. Yet for an instant, when I see the blurb on the display about my Watch unlocking my MacBook, it is magical.
Not at all. I dare say the average US reader would understand exactly what Sir Ive is talking about.
It's a few people who feel the need to demonstrate some perceived superiority by declaring 'the emperor has no clothes!' that don't get it.
Yes, I've been a fan of the 4-5s/SE form factor, and am really happy to see it on the new iPad Pros.
I think Ive was saying that putting that flat edge around the older, much thicker iPads would have looked wrong, or looked much thicker, not in line with his design ethic. And by having the edge flat, there was a place to hold the Pencil, which also has one flat side. This wouldn't have worked as well with previous iPads. I'd really like to see the flat edge come back to iPhones, starting with an SE2.
I love that Apple sweats the smallest details.