Word: ipod
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...least that's the thinking at Apple, who released an update to their iPod Shuffle line on March 11 that's completely devoid of buttons. It shouldn't be surprising - if the offensive against buttons has a four-star general, it's Steve Jobs. He and his Apple army have stripped buttons from iPhones, iPods and MacBooks all in the name of their clean, sleek aesthetic. Apple - trendsetter extraordinaire - has put the button on notice. If this trend continues, the button stands to go the way of the crank or dial: uncouth, uncool, unloved, unremembered. (See pictures of 30 years...
...that's just Hollywood whimsy - the button wouldn't be in serious trouble today without the pernicious crusade of Steve Jobs. The new iPod Shuffle is just the latest salvo in an ongoing battle, dating back to Apple's early days. For nearly a decade, Apple's mouse famously included just a single button (right-clicking be damned!). After years of complaints from users, Apple released a new "Mighty Mouse" in 2005 that still featured just a single button, although the design incorporated technology that allowed the mouse to detect clicks in different directions. This was deemed more acceptable...
...Cube desktop computer was released with a touch-sensitive area to turn on the computer, eschewing the power button. The latest MacBook laptops remove buttons from the trackpad entirely; users click either with a tap of the finger or by pressing the entire trackpad down. The first iPod had five buttons; the current iPod Touch and iPhone have just two. Apple's even expanding the battlefield to its stores - the elevator in the Tokyo Apple Store has no buttons; it simply stops on every floor...
...Critics argue that Apple's war against buttons is an example of their value of form over function. The new iPod Shuffle design certainly hasn't won universal praise, with some calling the design changes "needless." But astute observers notice that the Shuffle isn't entirely buttonless. They've simply been moved to a new set of Apple proprietary headphones, required to use the device. (Notice how well Apple's PR photo hides that fact?) Users wanting to use their own existing headphones will have to purchase a special adapter cable. If Apple didn't have such a vindictive history...
...iPod shuffle • continued absurd shrinking...