Cover Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, delivered the keynote address at the Worldwide Developers Conference in 2003 (Photo: Getty Images)
Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, delivered the keynote address at the Worldwide Developers Conference in 2003 (Photo: Getty Images)
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On his 13th death anniversary today, we share five lessons on innovation from American inventor Steve Jobs, the mastermind behind many products that have shaped our lives
Thirteen years ago, the former CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, passed away at the age of 56 due to complications from pancreatic cancer. Apple fans worldwide mourned the loss of this visionary, leaving signs and flowers outside his home as well as the company’s headquarters and retail stores.
Jobs left a significant mark on innovation and technology. In the mid-1970s, he and Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple and pioneered the personal computer revolution. Later, he oversaw the development and launch of the iPad and iPhone, now used by more than a billion people worldwide. He also acquired Lucasfilm’s Computer Division, establishing it as the independent company Pixar. This animation studio, now owned by Disney, revolutionised the creation of traditional animated films.
“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me… Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful—that’s what matters to me,” Jobs said in an interview with CNNMoney’s Fortune in 1993.
In tribute to his legacy, here are five lessons in product innovation distilled from quotes shared by Steve Jobs, the entrepreneur who built tech giant Apple and created many products that continue to impact our lives today.
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Above This photo of Jobs and Steve Wozniak served as the backdrop while Jobs spoke at a conference in San Francisco (Photo: Getty Images)
This photo of Jobs and Steve Wozniak served as the backdrop while Jobs spoke at a conference in San Francisco (Photo: Getty Images)
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1. “You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new”
While Jobs cared deeply about fulfilling customer desires during product development, he didn’t rely on market research. Instead, according to Walter Isaacson, the author of Jobs’s biography released two weeks after his death, he believed in his intuition to understand his customers’ needs.
Isaacson wrote that Jobs created products that he and his friends wanted. One example was the iPod, which Jobs invented because he thought portable music players were “lame” in the 2000s and wanted a simple device that could allow people to carry thousands of songs in their pockets.
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2. “I’m as proud of many of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things”
After poor sales performance, Jobs was ousted from Apple in 1985 due to his disagreement with Apple’s then-CEO, John Sculley and the board. He rejoined the company in 1997 when it was on the edge of bankruptcy.
Isaacson wrote in an article published in the Harvard Business Review that Jobs asked his team to focus on just four computers instead of a wide range of products.
His strategy worked.
Isaacson also noted that Jobs would take 100 staff on a retreat every year and ask them to suggest ten things the company should work on next. After shooting down one suggestion after another, only three would make it to the final list.
Above Jobs introducing the first version of the iPhone in 2007 (Video: Protectstar Inc)
3. “Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations”
Isaacson also wrote that Jobs was known for his pursuit of perfection. During the development of his products, he often went back to the drawing board to make improvements until they met his high standards.
In a revealing anecdote, he explained how Jobs scrapped the iPhone’s initial design after nine months. He felt the aluminium case, which housed the glass screen, detracted from the display and conveyed the wrong message to users.
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4. “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something”
In an interview with Wired magazine, Jobs explained that product design should focus on how the product works rather than just how it is used. “The design of the Mac wasn’t what it looked like, although that was part of it,” he said.
He emphasised the need for designers to invest time and effort in understanding the essence of the product. Then, they could connect their experiences and synthesise new ideas. However, he thought that many designers lack diverse experiences, hindering their ability to develop solutions that address a broad perspective on the problem.
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5. “My passion has been to build an enduring company where people were motivated to make great products. Everything else was secondary”
In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Jobs was asked to share what he learned from Apple’s struggle to innovate after being fired in 1985. He said that a company needs a product-oriented culture. Otherwise, even if it manages to design multiple pieces of technology, they won’t “add up to much”.
Sculley, who ran Apple when Jobs was ousted, was a marketing and sales executive from Pepsi. Jobs told Isaacson that Sculley prioritised profit maximisation over product, which led to the company’s decline. “It’s a subtle difference, but it ends up meaning everything—the people you hire, who gets promoted, what you discuss in meetings,” he said.
Upon his return to Apple, Jobs steered the company back towards its product-focused roots. His team wasn’t solely driven by profit; they were passionate about creating products that would leave a lasting impact on the world.
This dedication culminated in an unprecedented achievement that Jobs may not have seen with his own eyes, but may have foreseen: in 2023, Apple became the first company globally to reach a market value of US$3 trillion.
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Based in Hong Kong, editor Yoyo Chow covers the people and ideas redefining Asia’s future—from cutting-edge innovation and AI to bold moves in sustainability and diversity. She also drives content for Tatler Gen.T in Hong Kong, a platform and community spotlighting the region’s next generation of startup founders, creatives and changemakers.
Before that, she was a video journalist producing content for international TV and digital platforms, including Reuters and South China Morning Post. If you have a powerful story to share, she’s all ears. Send press materials, event invites and any inquiries to yoyo.chow@tatlerasia.com.
