Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
IN 1996, GOOGLE was still a research project at Stanford, the state-of-the-art PC operating system was Windows 95, and Amazon was a small startup selling books.
And Steve Jobs was not yet back at Apple when he gave a remarkably prescient interview to Wired’s website the same year. Although the iMac, iPod, and iPhone were still years away, and Jobs was working at NeXT, he clearly saw where the computing industry was headed.
And although his later work at Apple clearly influenced the way things turned out, he still offers a slew of predictions that are shockingly accurate today.
Here’s what Jobs got right:
“There will be Web dial tone everywhere. And anything that’s ubiquitous gets interesting.”
When asked about the main beneficiaries of the web, Jobs said that it would be people who have something to sell: “It’s commerce. People are going to stop going to a lot of stores. And they’re going to buy stuff over the Web!”
“The third thing is commerce, which is even harder than complex publishing because you have to tie the Web into your order-management system, your collection system, things like that. I think we’re still two years away. But that’s also going to be huge,” Jobs said.
There were missteps on the way, like Pets.com, which had very little revenue and went out of business in 2000.
“The best way to think of the Web is as a direct-to-customer distribution channel, whether it’s for information or commerce. It bypasses all middlemen. And, it turns out, there are a lot of middlepersons in this society. And they generally tend to slow things down, muck things up, and make things more expensive. The elimination of them is going to be profound,” Jobs said.
Today, startups like Casper sell mattresses directly to consumers, Warby Parker sells frames to people who need eyewear, and Kickstarter lets people support ideas they like.
“The Web is just going to be one more of those major change factors that businesses face every decade. This decade, in the next 10 years, it’s going to be the Web. It’s going to be one of them,” Jobs said.
Seems like taxi companies, bookstores, and record companies would agree.
“It’s the next big phase of the Web,” Jobs said. “Have you seen the Federal Express Web site where you can track a package?”
“Take auto dealerships. So much money is spent on inventory – billions and billions of dollars. Inventory is not a good thing. Inventory ties up a ton of cash, it’s open to vandalism, it becomes obsolete. It takes a tremendous amount of time to manage. And, usually, the car you want, in the colour you want, isn’t there anyway, so they’ve got to horse-trade around. Wouldn’t it be nice to get rid of all that inventory? Just have one white car to drive and maybe a laserdisc so you can look at the other colours. Then you order your car and you get it in a week,” Jobs explained.
Of course, Tesla’s dealerships could have been influenced by Apple Stores, which were one of Jobs’ projects. So obviously there’s a debate as to whether Jobs predicted this or influenced it himself.
“Eventually, Microsoft will crumble because of complacency, and maybe some new things will grow. But until that happens, until there’s some fundamental technology shift, it’s just over.”
“I don’t store anything anymore, really. I use a lot of email and the Web, and with both of those I don’t have to ever manage storage. As a matter of fact, my favourite way of reminding myself to do something is to send myself email. That’s my storage,” Jobs said.
“It’s much like the old mainframe computing environment, where a Web browser is like a dumb terminal and the Web server is like the mainframe where all the processing’s done,” Jobs said.
He argued for a more drastic overhaul. Today, his widow, Lauren Powell Jobs, is one of the biggest backers of charter schools.
“The Web is going to be very important. Is it going to be a life-changing event for millions of people? No. I mean, maybe. But it’s not an assured Yes at this point. And it’ll probably creep up on people.”
It’s certainly not going to be like the first time somebody saw a television. It’s certainly not going to be as profound as when someone in Nebraska first heard a radio broadcast. It’s not going to be that profound,” Jobs said.
11 years later, Jobs introduced the iPhone.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
And not one fuuuuuuck was given by me and all the intelligent people in the world
@nelly: Bold claims.
@nelly: so you and intelligent people don’t care, tell me how did the intelligent people let you into their group?
@Let free speech live: obviously they are not that intelligent, if you have been allowed in too.
Idiot ,go play with Snapchat
@nelly: Why did you click into the article then? Just so you could moan and write this inane comment
@Dani: because I can .
@nelly: learn to read you idiot I never said I was in the intelligent people’s group, your original comment pointed out that intelligent people plus yourself don’t use snapchat. The way that you worded the comment says you are not in the intelligent group. But ya I’m the idiot.
@Let free speech live: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz get a grip and learn to read
@nelly: look don’t take your anger out on me because you can’t construct a sentence, accept you made a mistake n some dick on the internet pointed it out to you. So to clarify you are the idiot and I’m a bit of a dick
@Let free speech live: I understand now . You are a bit Sloooow. Can you count to 3
@Let free speech live: vomit
What is she famous for?
@Red hurley: Who is she? Is she the fella who used to have a lad?
@Caoimhghín Ó Faoleán: Who did she give it too
@Red hurley: using Snapchat apparently
@Red hurley: She’s the sister of yer one what made that sex tape with yer man
@Red hurley: Being related to someone famous for a sex tape.. The bar for celebrity status has been lowered to unlimboable levels.
I wonder how much she was paid to send the follow up Tweet?
@⚡ Seánie ⚡: what would happen if she followed it up on Instagram that she doesn’t use Twitter, and says on Snapchat that she doesn’t use Instagram? Do all the “followers” have to get bebo or myspace to be told what to wear? Or maybe it’s just a coincidence.
I don’t use Snap chat any more so that’s €0.0001 knocked off the value
And she does what?
@niall: I dont really know. Of course its not her fault she is a megastar. But its scary to think the influence she has. Lets hope she doesnt start taking heroin or we’ll all have to copy her..
Who?
Who ever listens to Kylie Jenner or uses Snapchat is someone who lives a very sad life and they have my pity
@Gavin Gray: I use Snapchat. It’s convenient and I love it. Why hate it? How did you find yourself to be so much better than people who use a picture message app?? I know f&@k all about Jenner though
First time I heard about her
literally who is she and why is she famous? why are all the Kardashians famous??
@James O Carroll: If you don’t know who she is how do you know there is more than one of them? I think you are pretending you don’t know who she is so you appear hip and cool.
@Let free speech live: I’ve heard of the Kardashians but I couldn’t tell you how many of them there are or what their names are or why they’re “famous “ so I believe him when he says he’s wondering who your one is. .
@Dean Anderson: But that is the point, everyone has heard of them, we might not know how many there are or which one is which but we have heard of them
@James O Carroll: because you and another blllion parot’s keeping repeating yourselves!!! Seriously. WGAF?
@James O Carroll: because you and another billion parot’s keep repeating yourselves!!!!
I’m really starting to panic that someone like Kylie Jenner has this kind of economic & social power….get me off this rock now!!! Please god someone!!!
Is she the one that all her family expose themselves on a daily basis and her sister is a pornstar,classy
I could never navigate through Snapchat. It’s hard to believe they could make it worse!
This is important
Snapchat?
To hell with it….please allow me to go back to the Early 19th century…I’ll take my chances at life and at least I will be among the great thinkers of that time.
American royalty speaks.
If only she had known she could have asked Snapchat for half a billion “or else”…
Well, the idea’s out there for other celebs now.
And …….so what?
Who is this one
Dumb ass snapchat users unable to figure out some changes to the app. The idiocracy has arrived.
Well that is not something most of the old crusty on here will understand. This is strictly a young persons issue. All those young people are going to be running the planet soon. Considering what the educated old men did to the planet I’m not too worried.
Breaking news : Kylie Jenner tells all her followers to jump of a cliff!!’ Thousands plunge to their death!!! #daddyissuesorisitmammyissues
What the fu(k is going on with this world!!! I hate you all millennial fu(kwits!!!
Good
What’s a Kylie Jenner?
The value drop’s nothing to do with her, it happened after it was discovered that I’d never used it.
what a sad,sad planet Earth has become.no wonder any other life form in the universe does not come any where near us,id say they either 1. feel sorry for us 2.are laughing their ass** off at us.
I told her I wouldn’t be using it any more and then she tweeted this!!! She stole my thunder!!!!
have your say