Tuesday, April 3, 2012
iSkim: Analyzing Apple, Inc.’s “Innovative” Designs -- posted by Alexandra Patterson
With
120 million iOs devices shipped, 275 million iPods sold, 11.7 billion songs
downloaded, and over 160 million active accounts across 23 countries, it’s
undeniable that Apple, Inc. has set one of the highest bars not only for
user-friendly technology, but also for innovative and eco-friendly designs. In
a 2011 article entitled “Apple and The Environment,” the high-powered
corporation gave consumers an inside look in the manufacturing and production
of Apple products. With this constant expectation to design products that are
smaller, thinner, and even lighter than its predecessor, Apple has acknowledge
that as their products become more powerful, they also require less material to
produce. Implementing environmentally conscious materials in their products
including recycled plastics, recycled paper, biopolymers, and even
vegetable-based inks, Apple has found ways to reengineer secondary materials to
maintain their signature products while emphasizing an eco-friendly
manufacturing. Acknowledging that “today’s 21.5-inch iMac is more powerful than
the first-generation 15-inch iMac,” Apple emphasizes that the newest iMac was
designed with 50% less material. Even the iPad which became 33% thinner and up
to 15% lighter in just one generation has allowed Apple not only to reduce the
amount of money invested in their products, but also to reduce the amount of
overall material needed during manufacturing.
While our society
welcomes the “smaller, thinner, lighter” Apple products, do you believe that Apple’s design innovation will allow the company to
cut corners in the future by manufacturing their signature products with
cheaper, less-reliable materials?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Very interesting, Alexandra. I am definitely a PC, but I agree that all high-tech companies should be exploring the concepts associated with product sustainability and carbon footprint.
ReplyDeleteWe've been abusing our environment long enough. Just as our bodies expel splinters and other such contaminants, we may one day come to the point where the Earth, a living organic system, may expel us as the cause of its major illness!
I have never actually owned a Mac but i have used them every once in awhile. The company has created a new way of creating there processors lighter, smaller, and cheaper; but does that mean the materials are less reliable? No, i believe that with greater technology comes a greater understanding of materials. For example, look at the concept design of the new Iphone 5.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzsBwnv_dAg
Although there is no supporting conclusions that this new thinner and more innovative design has more reliable materials. Its just amazing what apple has done in the last decade.
I agree with Harrison. As devices get smaller and smaller, it does not necessarily mean that they get less and less reliable, but it rather means that the techology that goes into such devices is evolving. The next question to ask in regards to the sustainiblity of such technologies would be how much material goes into making the actual product, even though it is much smaller physically. With certain manufacturing processes, more raw material is sometimes actually needed in order to produce smaller and smaller components. For example, it may take more material being compressed at a high pressure to make the same product that was made with lesser pressures, and less material.
ReplyDeleteNice pick of topic though. It is definitely a technology that is involved in many people's lives, and alot of people can also relate to the subject, as we all have different opinions on it.