What you need to know
- TIME has shared a list of the best 10 gadgets of the decade.
- Apple has three products in the top 10.
- It's probably the three you're expecting.
TIME has shared a list of its best t10 gadgets of the last decade, with Apple filling three of the spots. And yes, they're probably the ones you're already expecting.
The last decade has been a big one for technology and we've seen some considerable changes in the way we go about getting work done, transport ourselves, or just have plain old fun. And the TIME list draws from quite the pool of products.
Technology exists to augment the human condition, to make people smarter, better, and ultimately, more human. From smartphones and drones to consoles and cars, the past decade has more than enough life-changing devices to choose from.
If I asked you to pick your own top three Apple products of the last decade, would you say iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods? Probably, and that's the three that TIME came up with as well. The full top 10 reads:
- Apple iPad (2010)
- Tesla Model S (2012)
- Raspberry Pi (2012)
- Google Chromecast (2013)
- DJI Phantom (2013)
- Amazon Echo (2014)
- Apple Watch (2015)
- Apple AirPods (2016)
- Nintendo Switch (2017)
- Xbox Adaptive Controller (2018)
I'm finding it difficult to argue with most of that, although there's a case to be made that Tesla's Model 3 deserves a spot thanks to its ability to offer the Tesla magic at a more reasonable price point. But I digress.
On iPad, TIME noted that the tablet changed the way people use personal computers, just as iPhone changed phones.
Apple's iPad — like the iPhone before it — resulted in a cultural shift for personal computing, and set the tone for the next decade of portable devices. Its impressive multitouch display, complete abandonment of physical keys, and gargantuan selection of software and media created a perfect storm of entertainment that everyone could get on board with.
In a move that will surely please Apple, TIME also pointed to Apple Watch's prowess as a health monitor as a reason why no competitor has been able to compete with it. At least, not yet.
While many have tried, no one has been able to match the polish and performance of the Apple Watch, which set the standard for what a smartwatch could do. Since its introduction in 2015, it's gone from a device for early adopters and fashion-deficient nerds to a mainstream accessory, thanks to its smart software and ever-improving hardware. And as the Apple Watch expands its health-oriented features, it could become the easiest way to keep your health on track and your day on schedule.
And finally, AirPods. TIME notes that AirPods have a cult following similar to the iPod that came before them.
Like the iconic iPod before it, Apple's AirPods have captured the hearts, minds and ears of music lovers looking to jam to some tunes. First released in 2016, AirPods quickly became an icon in their own right, both for their aesthetic appeal as well as their larger cultural impact.
So now I'm curious. What would your top three Apple products of the last decade be?
Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.
Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.
