FIFTY years ago, Arthur C. Clarke wrote: 鈥淭he only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.鈥� Easier said than done, and history is filled with naysayers quick to pronounce that a bold idea will never work (see 鈥�They said it couldn鈥檛 be done: 7 impossible inventions鈥�).
Given this resistance, it takes imagination to peer beyond what is possible. That impressive foresight was possessed by Steve Jobs.
Take his iPhone. The smartphone pushed back the boundaries of the possible for everyone 鈥� but it wasn鈥檛 just the touchscreen or apps. Before Apple came along, phone signal carriers would dictate the cost, design and features of phones. As a result, smartphones were unimpressive. Instead, Jobs wanted a beautifully designed object with seamless internet and powerful computing.
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His clever (and ruthless) negotiations persuaded the carriers to loosen their grip, ushering in a new era of personal gadgets. With the iPhone, one was reminded of Clarke鈥檚 suggestion that 鈥渁ny sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic鈥�. The world has lost a great wizard.