Bantam, a subsidiary of US Random House publisher, has released ‘The One Device: The Secret History of the iPhone.’ Authored by Brian Merchant, American journalist and editor of Vice Media’s technology blog, the new title hits the shelves in time for the 10th anniversary celebrations of the launch of the first iPhone – a device that changed the way we communicate and in the process became the most profitable product in the world.
In his book, Merchant argues that iPhone is not really a new innovation but a model that combines previous developments in one small easy-to-use device. He highlights how it was the result of a long collaboration between designers, engineers and product developers at Apple and workers from around the world who specialised in scientific research and industrial design.
Merchant’s examples include the Exxon scientists who invented the lithium batteries that power the iPhone, engineer Wayne Westermann who innovated its multi-touch system and the engineers at Corning Incorporated, the American glass manufacturer, who created the unbreakable Gorilla glass used in the iPhone’s screens.
Merchant’s book portrays Steve Jobs, former Chief Executive of Apple who died of pancreatic cancer in 2011, as being impatient, cruel, arrogant and narcissistic. It highlights that he was at fault with his judgment about his groundbreaking product in numerous instances.
