Utopian Design

Design often strives to create something that will improve society. Though this is not always the case, every week I analyze movie posters and I don't believe those designs are really striving for a better tomorrow. I think a good example of a company who strives (though may not succeed) to make for a better society is Apple. Apple is constantly putting out products with taglines that promise to change our world and change the way we look at computers, or tablets, or music...etc. All of Apples products come with that promis to revolutionize something, but today I'd like to focus on the iPhone. The iPhone set out to change the way people thing of smart phones. It changed the way text messaging worked, it created an easy to use interface that was incredibly user-friendly, and it created the "app". Apple encourages companies and developers to design new apps that will increase the functionality of the phone. The tagline "there's an app for that" suggests that with this phone life will be easier and this phone can accomplish things that no other device has been able to do. It's an all-one-device that has phone, SMS, email, internet, and fun games all in one device. The goal of the iPhone is to create something with limitless functionality that allows users to be creative with the way they use it. But the iPhone also sets out to be something incredibly easy to use. The design of the interface is really where the iPhone shines. A single touch screen that controls everything and is easy enough for anyone to use. It is aesthetically pleasing but also has incredibly functionality. It's a beautifully designed machine that is very clearly aiming (though probably not actually creating) to create a better society.