Time's Invention of the Year: The iPhone
November 01, 2007 | by Geoff Duncan
Seems like 2007 is still ticking along, but Time Magazine has already crowned its 2007 Invention of the Year: the Apple iPhone.
A quick glance at the calendar revealed 2007 isn't quite ready for the record books yet, but media stalwart Time magazine has already crowned its 2007 Invention of the Year: the Apple iPhone.
Although anyone in the technology industry—or even the general public—is probably sick of hearing about the iPhone at this point, Time cites the iPhone's design and innovative touchscreen interface as key elements of the device's success, along with the decision to roll a full version of Mac OS X into the phone so the device is a technology platform rather than a special-purpose black box. (Although developers are still chafing over Apple's delays in opening that platform to native applications: an iPhone SDK isn't due until next year.)
Perhaps more important, Time nots that the entire mobile communications industry has had no choice but to respond to the iPhone; that pressure, Time's Lev Grossman argues, will improve the entire mobile industry.
And for the interminably curious, what was Time's Invention of the Year for 2006? YouTube. For 2005? SpaceShipOne.
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Ian Bell on Nov 1st, 2007 at 11:06 AM:
There is no doubt that the iPhone is an amazing product. But invention of the year? There are a lot more innovative products out there.
I can't help but think that Time names the iPhone their favorite simply because they knew it would sell their magazine. Anything Apple touches seems to turn to gold.