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Top 3 patents by Steve Jobs

By: Soh Hao Siong

Name all the products in the picture!

Image credits to: http://bit.ly/fyD6a8

Steven Paul Jobs, or Steve Jobs as we commonly know him as, was hailed as a great visionary for the various Apple products that he had introduced to the world. While he is the man who conceived ideas for an extensive range of Apple products, he was also obsessed about incorporating intuitive and innovative designs into the Apple products. 


Having passed away at the age of 56, many people around the world (including myself), agreed that it was a great loss to the world of technology.

As the co-founder of Apple Inc., he contributed to the design of many Apple products that ran the gamut from iMac to the iconic glass staircase at the Apple stores. In order to stay ahead of their competitors in such a fast-paced industry, Jobs had filed for numerous patents and holds 323 of them under this name.

While we are thankful to Jobs for the changes he made in our lives, here is the list of top 3 patents that makes him a legend worth remembering.

1. The Click Wheel on iPod

With the click wheel, song browsing has never been easier. 
Image credits to: http://bit.ly/AtkLGv

First up is the classic iPod with its iconic click wheel which first came out in October 23, 2001. Back then, Jobs saw the need in producing smaller and more portable music device for the market. Hence the first generation of iPod was developed, with 5GB of storage space, the slogan for the product back then was, “put 1,000 songs in your pocket”. 


In order to keep the future generations of iPod unique, Jobs filed for various patents ranging from the design to functions of the iPod, such as the click wheel.

When I first tried the click wheel, “iPod” and “easy-of-use” was etched in my mind. By moving your thumb in a circular motion, the user would be able to scroll through the menu and select your favorite track. Patenting this has certainly allowed iPod to dominate the market.

2. iMac G3

Image credits to: http://bit.ly/yHQI6e

The iMac G3 was patented with its sleek design and came in many vibrant colors. This shows Apple’s attention to design was apparent even in its early days. G3 replaces the old floppy disk drive with CD-ROMs and USB port which soon became the industry standard for computers. The “All-in-one” design concept integrating the CPU, disk drive and monitor thus saving desk space.

With its distinctive design, it has a high profile in pop cultures and was even featured in The Simpsons, Lizzie McGuire and Zoolanders.

Check out the video of its first introduction by Steve Jobs:

3. The Glass Staircase

Glass staircase found in Apple store at
 San Francisco

Anybody interested in climbing the iStaircase? Note: does not include insurance coverage.

Image credits to: http://bit.ly/8Sv5 and http://bit.ly/f58EJy

For the die-hard Apple fans, this picture would not come across as a surprise to you. For the rest, yes, what you have just seen is a flight of stairs constructed out of glass. Located at the Apple store in San Francisco, this glass staircase can also be found in other notable stores around the world with different variants.

As mentioned earlier, Jobs championed designs into many of its products and with his love for glass; it is no wonder that its notable stores are all designed using glass. With the patent on the design of the glass staircases, Apple retail stores stands out from competing retailers.

There we have it, the top 3 patents by Steve Jobs unveiled. Any other notable patents you have in mind? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!