"Let's Talk iPhone": Apple's Influence on Digital Media

This morning, Apple Inc. announced that it will hold a press event at its headquarters on October 4th at 10AM Pacific Time regarding its iconic iPhone device. Speculated to be the launch date of the next-generation iPhone model, an invitation was released to the media with the tagline, "Let's talk iPhone," as seen below. And that's exactly what I want to do.

Arguably more than any electronic device in recent history, the iPhone has revolutionized the cellular phone market in ways unimaginable just a few short years ago. Even in the mid-2000s, it would have been unheard of for portable gaming, a GPS system, an mp3 player, an internet browser, and more to all be standard equipment on a cellular phone-- but here we are. As the iPhone has forced the evolution of modern technology, so the device itself has evolved; greater hard drive capacity, higher pixel density for a sharper screen resolution, improvements to its camera & video recording with each model, and better app organization are only some of the ways in which the iPhone has improved since its 2007 debut. Apple has single-handedly made such features the industry standard, and with the iPhone 5 seemingly around the corner, it appears the company plans on dramatically changing the face of the smartphone landscape once again.

But what does all this have to do with digital media? Marshall McLuhan famously envisioned a "global village", wherein the whole planet would be connected instantly through media. McLuhan was certainly ahead of his time with this vision, but the iPhone has made the concept of the global village a very, very real thing; in fact, it has taken the idea of a global village to the next level. Sure, mp3 players, cell phones, e-mail, and GPS systems have existed for quite some time, but the iPhone puts all of these features together on one incredibly easy-to-use device. In fact, the iPhone's touchscreen interface has been heralded for its simple and effective design which truly enforces ease of use. It literally puts the entire world at its user's fingertips, bringing to reality McLuhan's vision in a way I'm not even sure he could have imagined. It has made digital media an integral part of 21st century life. 

Critics may lambast the iPhone as nothing but a fashion statement, a toy, even a false idol. While there is absolutely some truth to these claims, and I'm not trying to paint the iPhone as the Jesus Christ of technology, its influence on modern culture should not be denied or belittled. What would 2011 be like without the iPhone? How would the smartphone industry, or the cell phone industry in general, be like if the iPhone never came to be? What would the digital media landscape look like? These questions are incredibly difficult to answer, which proves at least one thing: the iPhone has changed the world as we know it. And on October 4th, it seems Apple wants to do it again.