IF YOU think you know what the ‘i’ in iPhone stands for, then you may be in for a big surprise.
Nearly every single Apple product features a mysterious lowercase “i” in its name, from the iPhone to the iMac, but what exactly does it mean?
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The lowercase letter has been used across 23 Apple products since the company was founded in 1976.
The letter has become so intertwined with the tech giant, that any time a word follows a lowercase “i,” people can safely assume it’s associated with Apple.
Many seem to think the “i” stands for “internet,” and they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong.
In 1998, when Apple dropped its first iMac, the computer was known for its enhanced internet capabilities as it allowed users to surf the net in a way previously unobserved.
Similarly, when the iPhone was first released in 2007, it was one of the few smartphone devices to offer a seamless internet browsing experience.
However, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has actually discussed the topic in the past, dispelling the rumor that the “i” simply stands for internet.
At least, it doesn’t just stand for the internet.
According to Jobs, the “i” can also stand for four other words: “Individual,” “instruct,” “inform,” and “inspire.”
“We are targeting [the iMac] for the number-one use that consumers tell us they want a computer for, which is to get on the internet,” Jobs said while introducing the first iMac.
“We’re targeting it also for education. They [educators] want to buy these, and it’s perfect for most of the things they do in instruction. It’s perfect for finding tremendous source[s] of information over the internet, and we hope, as you see the product, it will inspire us all to make even better products in the future,” Jobs added.
Indeed, Job’s vision has aligned with subsequent Apple products that have mostly adopted the lowercase “i” in their names.
In another instance, Jobs has also said that the “i” “didn’t have an official meaning,” according to Paul Bischoff, a privacy advocate at Comparitech, per Reader’s Digest.
“He also alluded to it referencing ‘I’ as a personal pronoun,” Bischoff added.
All in all, it appears the lowercase “i” can take on any meaning a user wishes it to.
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In other news, the naughtiest emoji combinations have been revealed.
Tinder has revived the classic ‘blind date’ experience with a virtual twist.
And TikTok has announced new rules, banning users who deadname or misgender others.
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