Unexpected Media

Apple and innovation

An article in this week’s Economist is good on Apple’s approach to innovation.

One of its key insights is that Apple’s success isn’t based on inventing new technology in its own internal R&D labs. Rather it keeps a close eye on ideas and innovations developed in other companies or university labs, and packages them in products which are designed to be very user-friendly. This has been Jobs’ way from the very earliest days when he licensed Doug Engelbart’s ‘wimp’ technology from SRI to design the Lisa. Despite the fact it didn’t sell, Apple used the learning from the experience to create the Macintosh: ‘failing wisely’ is another important element in the company’s approach