The Apple Event of September 2017 was in many ways just another iPhone launch day. It was marked by the typical, yearly frenzy in the media and the tech community. But in few other ways, it also lent the day a uniqueness of its own. Of course, it was the first one from the Apple Park at the Steve Jobs Theatre.

Dan Frommer from Recode has perfectly captured the launch of this stunning architecture in this great photo essay, also summarizing this well run event. I remember all the pictures that had started pouring into my Twitter timeline were full of excitement and amazement. And of course, so was Tim Cook.

I, personally, am always excited for every Apple event — their story behind and commitment to the design of their products always mesmerises me. They are proud of every product they make and that shows from their excitement while exhibiting each one of them. The unveiling event of any product is never about just showing what the product is or about a spec roundup to opine on how their’s is better than the competition. It is, rather, a well-choreographed and well-rehearsed stage show. And for them, it matters that they tell their side of the story — be it the detailing that went in while designing it, the breakthrough they achieved in a thing that people might perceive as almost irrelevant or their reasons and justifications behind the known compromises1.

So in that sense, this event at the Apple Park was indeed unique. Apple revealed this newest product, one that got unveiled the first - Steve Jobs Theatre, without they arranging any show, narrating any backstory for it. Apple just opened the doors and handed it to the curious media straight for hands-on. Steve was heard saying2 at the beginning of the event “One of the ways that I believe people express their appreciation to the rest of humanity is to make something wonderful and put it out there”. Apple did just that with the Steve Jobs Theatre.

Steve Jobs Theatre

John Gruber, as always, has the apt perspective on the significance of this latest product from Apple.

Five, ten years from now, the Apple Watch Series 3, the iPhone 8, and even the iPhone X are just going to be old products sitting around in drawers. But the public debut of Apple Park, the grand opening of the Steve Jobs Theater, and the company’s first public tribute to its founder — that’s what I’ll remember most about yesterday

  1. Apple gets often dinged for attempting to justify and advocate the compromises they had to introduce in the products. For looking at these compromises as an opportunity to sell other costlier products. Sometimes they succeed, at times they don’t. But at least they try when there is just no need given the sales that they eventually achieve.↩

  2. It was overwhelming to hear Steve’s voice and his crisp words. I feel no awkwardness in revealing that I had a throat choked with emotion just by the fifth words into his message. Very few people have had that effect on me.↩