a16z Podcast Inside Apple Software Design
20 snips
Apr 28, 2022 Ken Kocienda, a former Apple software engineer and designer, shares his journey from photographer to tech innovator. He discusses the challenges and successes of creating core products like Safari and the iPhone. Kocienda reveals behind-the-scenes insights into the pressure of product demos for Steve Jobs, the culture of secrecy at Apple, and the innovative design choices, including the revolutionary keyboard features. With anecdotes about teamwork and experimentation, he sheds light on the creative processes that shaped Apple's user-centric philosophy.
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Unconventional Path to Apple
- Ken Kocienda's career path was unconventional, going from history major to motorcycle mechanic to photographer.
- After discovering the web, he transitioned to programming and landed at Apple in 2001.
Apple's Control of Critical Technology
- Steve Jobs' vision was for Apple to control critical technologies, like web browsers, for optimal user experience.
- This led to the development of Safari, initially considering open source options like Mozilla and Conqueror.
Prioritizing Speed in Safari Development
- The Safari team prioritized speed after Jobs demanded a fast browser, leading to the creation of the Page Load Test (PLT).
- This resulted in Safari being three times faster than Internet Explorer upon release.
