iPhone and iPad advertisements have always shown the time as 9:42 and 9:41. Why? Steve Jobs has certain idiosyncrasies and much of the reasoning behind his and Apple's choices are kept tightly under tight wrap so we never knew -- until now.
Scott Forstall, SVP of iPhone software at Apple Inc, has finally given the answer. Scott stated that the big reveal of a keynote usually happens at around 40 minutes in, give or take. In order to have the pictures on the iPhone/iPad sync with the audiences' watches the time of 9:42 was chosen for the iPhone and 9:41 for the iPad.
So there you have it, one less secret in the Apple multiverse and as with many secrets, the answer is simple and reasonable. A part of me had hopped that the reasoning behind the magic time 9:42 was something more eccentric, such as it was the time Steve Jobs first child's was born or the secret code to unlocking Flash on the iPhone. Another part of me is amazed by the thought Apple places into every detail of their advertising.
Either way, mystery solved.
[Secret Lab via NetworkWorld
Reader comments
Why do all Apple iPhone ads show 9:42?
I still like to think its illuminati.
It's a Masonic number in 13 math
It's -obviously- Steve Jobs' answer to The Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe and Everything...
9:42 is the time, before 9:43. Steve realized this quickly. Good job steve, now enough joking....
...time for flash on the iphone steve. I expect next week a 3.2 with implemented flash.
Apple's weird..
Seriously? who cares? some people are why too far up Steve Job's a**! I mean I love apple products, but there is a limit people!
@Dwalls TiPb works as a gateway to all info 'iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad' and sometimes the editors do get some of their information from other sites, but they are always credited for their pieces, but in most cases it is at the very most a simple quote used from the article, all the rest is original and very much creative.
Does this site repeat everything from other blogs, please write an article (copy and paste) about the jailbreak for the ipad! Thanks that is all.
The original iPhone announcement in 2007 started at 9am. 9:42am is when Steve Jobs announced the iPhone. Up until 9:42 Jobs did his usual updates and talked about Apple TV, and then iPhone.
What the heck is everyone talking about?! The keynotes begin at 10AM Pacific. Not 9 AM. Right?
this company is brilllianttt
Good question. Actually i want to know this answer.
Thx.
[On Georgia's link, Scroll to almost halfway down the page to see the photo]
UH OH! I was re-reading the live feed from engadget and found that the first photo of the iphone up on the big screen was in fact....
9:41! LOL so close APPLE!
@ Armen Apple released the iPhone at 9:43 not at 10.
Here is proof via Engadgethttp://www.engadget.com/2007/01/09/live-from-macworld-2007-steve-jobs-ke...
Apple is so particular, I have (for the past few years) scoured their site on every new release looking for even ONE time difference and have yet to find one.
Macs: All say Mon. 10:50AM
iPod Nano: 9:42AM
iPod Touch: 9:42AM (and obviously)
iPhone: 9:42
iPad 9:41AM
Couldn't ever find a time on the iPod Classic
@Ali Fazel: Are you joking? The biggest thing at 4.0 reveal was multitasking, wallpapers behind icons in th launcher, folders to organize apps, and other things. 4.0 is a big update.
So at the iPhone OS 4.0 reveal, the big thing was iBooks on iPhone?
40 minutes in to this keynote came announcements related to Enterprise enhancements. Does this mean they will be pushing for more widespread acceptance of the iPhone as a viable corporate device?
This doesn't make sense. Since when does Apple start a keynote at 9AM?
All the big keynotes have a kick off time at 10am, which makes the significance of the 9:42 time irrelevant.
@Tmancan: 4:20 is the time you roll a joint and get high.
@John Hayes: Lol I don't think he meant 4:20 as being related to hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. Lol. 4:20 is weed time baby! Marajuana time!
The time on analog watches often is 10:10 because it makes a happy face and sends a more positive signal and we pick that up subconsciously :) Just as a smile
The 42 is from the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy....it's "the meaning of life"!!!
What does 4:20 mean?
Tightly tight eh Rene? Lmao redundance is fun.
Ooooo! I know, I know!
Who gives a flying cow patty!?! :|
they think of everything
4 8 15 16 23 42
9:42 is the exact time that Steve Jobs' parents were killed behind the theater when he was a boy. If you set the clock on the giant iPad on the wall in his study to that time, a panel swings open to reveal the secret entrance to the MacCave.
@hungwell
you're a genius
4:20!! :lol:
The common time displayed is 10:10 in TV commercials. Steve is pretty far from that.
I think they should all say 4:20
Next keynote i'll skip the first 40 minutes then ;) hehe