It’s been 13 years since Steve Jobs died and five years since designer Jonathan Ive left Apple. However, part of his legacy is still present in the product boxes like the iPhone. Yes, these same boxes in which we find fewer and fewer items after goodbye to the power adapter in 2020 and goodbye to Apple stickers this year.
The fact is that, although it is increasingly smaller and with fewer accessories, absolutely everything in Apple boxes is measured. From the design to the layout and even the smell. Yes, a very characteristic smell and from which perfumes have even been made. And of course, it all depends on marketing.
Jonathan Ive’s Obsession
Jonathan ‘Jony’ Ive (left) and Steve Jobs (right)
It is well known that when Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, he noticed Jonathan Ive. A young, shy member of the British-born design team who exuded potential. Jobs saw this so well that it didn’t take long for him to become chief designer and his right-hand man. Until his retirement from Apple in 2019, Ive was a fundamental part of Apple’s products, taking care of what continues to be since the new Jobs era and to this day. a fundamental pillar at Apple: the design.
From the hand of Jony Ive were born all the popular designs that we know today, such as the iPhone, the iPad, the Apple Watch, the AirPods. Even the Vision Pro, despite the fact that it was launched years after the designer left. He also worked in the gigantic Apple Park inaugurated in 2017 as Apple’s new headquarters.
Jony Ive’s obsession with details extended to carefully designing the device cases. With the iPhone there was a turning point and until then Cell phone booths were… they were just boxes.. A photo of the device, the operator who released it, and lots of textual information about its capabilities appeared in print.
The iPhone shone from its first generation, completely changing these design patterns and focusing everything on a minimalist packaging in which before discovering the product, we already fall in love. Its life-size 3D printed design, a sign on the sides with the name of the product and that’s it. This design idea is so popular that there are even collectors of iPhone cases.
The four psychological pillars of iPhone packaging
Marketing and psychology go hand in hand, since creating a specific brand or product requires understanding the minds of consumers. This is not about misleading them, as this can often be misunderstood. Marketing tries to convince and to achieve this, lies have very short legs.
Therefore, in this specific case, Apple has tried to take care of even the smallest detail to stimulate the user before he even has the iPhone in hand. Some experts in the field have spoken about this on numerous occasions and it all ends up being summed up in four key points:
- Excitement and anticipation: From the moment a user has the box in hand, they already feel a strong anticipation of knowing what’s inside. In a way, you already know it and the box has already understood it, since its design is an excellent prelude to the product you are about to see.
- Minimalism and quality: The user never feels cheated or overwhelmed by receiving an indecent amount of information before opening the box. You are not looking at a complete summary of the device and you do not yet know all its aspects. It has just what it takes to know what it is and in addition to having the feeling of being in front of a product of the highest quality, since the simplest thing, which is its box, is already shown to you with very high quality materials and designs.
- Sensory stimuli: The user is confronted with a moment which, even if he has already experienced it, continues to intoxicate his senses. From the smell that the box transmits when opening to the characteristic sounds when removing the screen protectors.
- Ritualization: Yes, over the years, opening the box of an iPhone has become a ritual to share. So much so that the networks are flooded with classics unpacking with each generation. An experience lived with intensity even by those who simply watch it through a screen.
Ultimately, this is all about making develop the user’s emotional connection with Apple to the point that opening the product box becomes an indispensable part of the experience. No need to wait to turn on the device, navigate its menus or take your first photos with it.
It’s about removing the stickers that protect the box and starting to enjoy a unique experience. Just like Steve Jobs and Jony Ive wanted. So much so that years after its steps, Apple continues this lineage with its boxes. Other companies have also imitated this strategy and the box of practically all smartphones generates similar sensations.
Cover image | Zana Latif on Pexels
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