Steve Jobs, the late CEO and visionary behind the Apple Corporation, introduced the iPhone on January 9, 2007. In this widely watched presentation, he opened with what is and pivoted to what could be.
Jobs reminded his audience how rudimentary cellphones were. With most devices, one could only call or receive text messages. The most expensive units had tiny screens, spotty internet access, and cumbersome keyboards.
After identifying where things were in the world of technology, Jobs pulled out the state-of-the-art iPhone—wowing the audience with a large screen, intuitive interface, and built-in camera. Suddenly, the future broke into the present.
Jobs’ innovative device was strategically framed up against the shortcomings of contemporary technology. No matter how forward-leaning a product is, it only makes sense from a present-day context. By understanding what is, one will be able to explain what could be. J.D. King J.D. King is a blogger, speaker, and an emerging thought leader. He is the author of Shift: Leading in Transition, Why You’ve Been Duped into Believing that the World is Getting Worse, and other nonfiction works. Link to new book project: https://theresurgencestore.com/products/shift-leading-in-transition-pre-order-book-j-d-king