logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2025
7m 9s

šŸ“± iPhone: The Device Steve Jobs Didn’t ...

Nick & Jack Studios
About this episode

Subscribe to The Best Idea Yet here: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/


Before 2007, mobile phones had tiny keyboards, crappy screens with internet so slow - you could finish a super burrito while waiting for your MySpace profile to load. Then Apple wowed the world with the iPhone: a digital Swiss Army knife that replaced cameras, maps, music players, AND created an entire new app economy. But the wildest part? Steve Jobs didn’t even want to build it…at first. Once Steve finally said ""yes,"" the real work began: a top-secret team (codename: Project Purple), some engineering dead-ends (a click wheel), and a near-impossible engineering challenge. Even then, Apple barely pulled it off — the first iPhone prototype was so flakey, one wrong tap could have sunk Steve's big reveal. Find out the (many) ways the iPhone almost failed before it even launched, what drove Steve Jobs to order 4,000 lattes, how a single device reshaped society (and your screen time), and why the iPhone is the best idea yet.


Subscribe to The Best Idea Yet for the untold origin stories of the products you’re obsessed with — and the bold risk takers who made them go viral.


Episodes drop every Tuesday, listen here: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/

—-----------------------------------------------------


GET ON THE POD:Ā 

Submit a shoutout or fact: https://tboypod.com/shoutoutsĀ 


FOR MORE NICK & JACK:Ā 

Newsletter: https://tboypod.com/newsletterĀ 

Connect with Nick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-martell/Ā 

Connect with Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crivici-kramer/Ā 


SOCIALS:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tboypodĀ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tboypod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tboypodĀ 


Anything else: https://tboypod.com/Ā 



See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Yesterday
šŸ’„ ā€œThe Carrie Bradshaw Indexā€ — Where to Live Solo. Amazon’s Prime Day retirement. Pizza by the Slice. +Jack’s Nvidia Poem.
Amazon was sued for fake deals on Prime Day… it’s time to retire Prime Day.Where can Americans afford to live solo in 2025?... Introducing The Carrie Bradshaw Index.Restaurants are opening pizza shop side hustles… because pizza by the slice is a profit puppy.Plus, since it’s Q4, ...Ā Show More
22m 5s
Oct 9
🐊 ā€œ4th-and-Pickleā€ — Gatorade’s picklejuice plan. ChatGPT’s chief-of-app. Spunge’s sneaker disruption. +150 Friend Rule.
It’s the LAST DAY to Vote for The Best Idea Yet to win ā€œBest Business Podcastā€: ​​https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2025/shows/genre/businessNFL players are pounding pickle juice to kill cramps… It’s an opportunity for GatoradeYou can now order DoorDash or search Zillow ...Ā Show More
21m 5s
Oct 8
šŸ„‡ ā€œ$4Kā€ — Gold’s ā€œdebasementā€ trade. Rowan’s $150M Ear Piercing. Sharpies’ Made in America. +Netflix’s Loud Ad Law.
Gold reached a record $4,000/ounce… but this gold run is different than any in history.How is Rowan doing $150M in sales of ear piercings for girls?... The Window of Loyalty.Sharpie Markers figured out the formula for Made in America… Now it’s a Pen Profit Puppy.Plus, notice thos ...Ā Show More
22m 44s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
The ups and downs of the iPhone 16E
Lots of gadget news this week! David, Jake Kastrenakes, and Allison Johnson start by talking about the iPhone 16E, which is both the cheapest compelling iPhone in a long time and a deeply odd addition to Apple's phone lineup. They also discuss the end of the Humane AI Pin, the la ...Ā Show More
1h 52m
Aug 2024
iPhone 16 and Apple rumors with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman
Apple is gearing up to launch the iPhone 16 on September 9th, so we've brought on Bloomberg's Mark Gurman to chat about his scoops around Apple's upcoming hardware. We should expect some notable additions, like a dedicated camera button, as well as slightly larger screens on the ...Ā Show More
59m 30s
Sep 9
The iPhone Air
All the headlines from the iPhone event earlier today, including the new iPhone Air. The judge isn’t happy with Anthropic’s $1.5 B payday to authors. OpenAI isn’t happy with California and might leave. And despite what it’s said publicly, Google recently argued in court that the ...Ā Show More
22m 37s
Sep 9
Apple Debuts iPhone 17 Lineup, Including Skinnier Air Mode
Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. Apple Inc. introduced its iPhone 17 lineup, adding an all-new skinnier Air design and improving the devices’ durability and camera technology. The company unveiled the new smartphones at an event with the tagli ...Ā Show More
39m 33s
Jun 2018
Apple's Plans to Bring Artificial Intelligence to Your Phone
Apple describes its mobile devices as designed in California and assembled in China. You could also say they were made by the App Store, launched a decade ago next month, a year after the first iPhone. Inviting outsiders to craft useful, entertaining, or even peurile extensions t ...Ā Show More
7m 18s
Jun 2024
Apple and OpenAI make a deal
The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss takeaways from WWDC, this week's gadget news, and Elon Musk dropping his lawsuit against OpenAI. Further reading: Apple and OpenAI aren’t paying each other yet, says Bloomberg MKBHD interviewed Tim Cook. Tim Cook is ā€˜n ...Ā Show More
1h 37m
Dec 2024
First look at iPhone 17 Pro + the best and worst of 2024! (CultCast #678)
Send us a textThis week, we’re looking at the RADICAL new design of the iPhone 17 Pro! Love it or hate it? Also, when to expect the first folding iPhone, Apple’s bad AI summaries ruin headlines, and more picks for the best (and worst) of 2024! This episode supported by: Listeners ...Ā Show More
51m 15s
Oct 2023
The next Macs and the next Twitter
The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the next Apple event, a Twitter successor, and Windows Phone regrets. Further reading: Apple plans ā€˜Scary Fast’ product event just before Halloween Apple’s future AirPods roadmap just leaked, and big changes are coming ...Ā Show More
1h 26m
Jul 2024
What Caused the Largest IT Outage Ever?
This week, Marques, Andrew, and David talk about the Tesla Roadster finally (maybe) possibly being ready to begin shipping in 2025. Then they discuss the CrowdStrike IT disaster before switching to Samsung devices at the Olympics. After that, they go over some rumors that Apple m ...Ā Show More
1h 18m
May 2017
189: ā€˜Long Press on the French Fries’ With Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie returns to the show. Topics include Apple’s Q2 2017 financial results, the iPhone’s decline in China over the past two years, Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop and Windows 10 S, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick getting called to Tim Cook’s office regarding Uber’s surreptitious ...Ā Show More
2h 14m