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Whilst the recent $1bn ruling in Apple’s favour in its dispute with Samsung has given Apple a huge commercial victory over one of its closest rivals, has it also inadvertently lead to the end of innovation in the mobile market?

I’ve always been a secret admirer of Apple products (the MacBook is genuinely a thing of beauty), however in recent years I have eschewed both iPhones and iPads and have firmly been in the android camp (as a proud owner of an Xperia S and a Galaxy Tab). Yet, regardless of my personal preferences, it is plain to see that Apple’s arrival into the mobile phone market and tablet market (yes, there were tablets before the iPad, just not very good ones!) has genuinely revolutionised markets that had become stale and devoid of genuine innovation, with manufacturers content to pass off an extra megapixel and new handset colours as something for us to get excited about.

The arrival of the iPhone and iPad forced traditional phone manufacturers to innovate, to develop new products and debunk their tired and dated operating systems in order for them not to become irrelevant (see Nokia and Motorola) in an age where smartphones really are becoming ‘smart’! This has been great for consumers and technophiles as all the manufacturers have strived to grab market share through creating must have products by implementing the latest technologies, from Siri and NFC through to 3D displays and 4G into their products. Although some of these technologies are genuinely new, a large proportion have been created by refining what has gone before. Whilst not innovation in is truest sense, if no one were able to build on what had gone before, I would still be using my Nokia 3210 (and creating amazing monophonic ringtones) and typing this on a 386 PC!

The recent win by Apple in its long running dispute with Samsung over the infringement of patents for some of its smartphone technology, whist undoubtedly great for Apple (who wouldn’t want an extra $1bn dollars added to their balance sheet!) is however less of a positive outcome for consumers.

Why? Not because of the fine, but because Apple is also seeking to ban the sale of several of Samsung’s products including the Galaxy SII, which was last year’s biggest selling handset! This means not only a significant reduction in choice for consumers in the short-term, but long-term could signal a return to a lack of innovation in the mobile and tablet markets as manufacturers fear releasing products or technologies that are deemed too similar to their rivals; and could also lead to less product innovativation from Apple themselves as they have less incentive to continually improve their own products for fear of being left behind by their competitors.

Steve Jobs, Apple’s charismatic founder and former CEO, died on Wednesday 5th October aged 56 after a seven year battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer.

World and business leaders have offered their condolences including  Apple, who released a statement paying tribute to Jobs.

“Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being,” the statement began. “Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

Jobs leaves behind him a lasting legacy. Whether it’s as a technological trailblazer or as a business and marketing visionary, no one can dispute that Steve Jobs was a true innovator and thought leader.

Design Led Technology
Lets face it, in Jobs capable hands Apple made computing hardware sexy. Previous to Apple’s revolutionary iMac design way in 1998, computers had been dull affairs. These grey, bland boxy set-ups had very little aesthetic value to get the consumer’s pulse racing.

Enter the iMac; an all-in-one personal computer which stored its CPU behind its monitor. That aspect alone was ground-breaking in itself, but then Apple pushed it one step further. The translucent shell encasing its CPU came in a bold and bright array of colours – a world first.

Since the iMac’s launch Apple has manufactured a whole host of shiny new pioneering products, including the iPod, iPhone and most recently the iPad – much to the delight of its high-end consumer base.

Simple, Intuitive Interfacing – No Geek Speak Allowed
One of Jobs’ most admired legacies will be his ethos that you didn’t need to speak geek in order to get the most out of your computer. Jobs understood that having a pretty interface wasn’t enough – it was how people felt at the end of a task which determined how user friendly a system was.

Under his guidance, Apple created a raft of user friendly and intuitive computer systems which didn’t leave the consumer feeling like a technological luddite.  Even in the very early days of Apple, its key differentiation was its user friendly programmes. When the general public began buying into personal computers, Apple knew it had to create systems its users felt comfortable using.

And that ethos still stands today. You can connect your iPod device to any computer and link to your iTunes without any prior thought to the digital rights or trademarks involved. All fantastically simple.

The Changing Face of Animation
Most will know Jobs best for his connection to Apple, but he was also the visionary behind Pixar Animation Studios. After leaving Apple in 1985, Jobs acquired part of Lucasfilm’s Computer Division, which he later renamed as Pixar. 

In typical Jobs style, he turned a struggling graphics outlet in to a Hollywood power house. In 2006 The Walt Disney Company brought Pixar for an eye watering $7.4 billion – making Jobs the largest shareholder in Disney.

Under Jobs leadership, Pixar delivered some of its most beloved and ground breaking films, including Toy Story, Monsters Inc and The Incredibles.  And for that alone, Steve Jobs, we salute you.