Steve Jobs Law
The belief that companies, especially technology companies, know what the customer wants before the customer does. This was pioneered by Steve Jobs when he was CEO of Apple. His famous quote was, “Some people say, Give the customers what they want." But that's not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they're going to want before they do. I think Henry Ford once said, "If I'd asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, 'A faster horse!'" People don't know what they want until you show it to them. That's why I never rely on market research. Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page.“
This law was used to launch products that consumers had never thought of such as iTunes and iPhone and they worked spectacularly because consumers actually enjoyed the products and it simplified their media and daily life for a time.
Today, Steve Jobs Law is a smokescreen by big tech to ram new products and services down our throats without any input by customers and they expect us to immediately adapt the new products/upgrades/services without complaint, use it in our daily lives, and expect us to pay for the privilege. The Steve Jobs Law has now morphed into a totalitarian force within technology where forced adaptation is not only expected, it should be celebrated, and any attempt at customization by consumers that was celebrated previously must be stamped out immediately.
This law was used to launch products that consumers had never thought of such as iTunes and iPhone and they worked spectacularly because consumers actually enjoyed the products and it simplified their media and daily life for a time.
Today, Steve Jobs Law is a smokescreen by big tech to ram new products and services down our throats without any input by customers and they expect us to immediately adapt the new products/upgrades/services without complaint, use it in our daily lives, and expect us to pay for the privilege. The Steve Jobs Law has now morphed into a totalitarian force within technology where forced adaptation is not only expected, it should be celebrated, and any attempt at customization by consumers that was celebrated previously must be stamped out immediately.
Did I ever ask for this A.I. upgrade on my Microsoft Office? I don’t need this on my spreadsheet or my PowerPoint! I know how to build it to my specifications. But due to the Steve Jobs Law, I, the customer, don’t know anything about technology and how I can use it to my benefit. I am told what is good for me, I am expected to upgrade to it, and I am expected to pay for it!
Steve Jobs Law by Lumburgh Survivor July 5, 2025
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