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Apple Forced to Reveal its Secrets in Ongoing Trial with Samsung

By Kenny Yeo - on 6 Aug 2012, 10:18am

Apple Forced to Reveal its Secrets in Ongoing Trial with Samsung

Source: Apple Gazette 

Apple is known for its secrecy, so imagine how nerve-wrecking it must be for them to reveal information regarding how the design for the iPhone came about and also details about how the company works.

In its ongoing legal tussle with Samsung, Apple is forced to defend its position that the iPhone was a completely original design. To that extent, Scott Forstall, a Senior VP who oversees software development used in the company's mobile device, revealed intimate details surrounding the conception of the iPhone.

Mr. Forstall also testified that Apple in 2004 placed unusual rules around how it would assemble a team to build the iPhone, or "Project Purple," as it was called then.

Mr. Forstall said co-founder Steve Jobs told him he couldn't hire anyone from outside the company to work on the user interface, or the buttons and images that appear on the screen. So, he said, he found "superstars" from within Apple and said he was starting a secret project and he wanted help.

He recalled telling them, "If you choose to accept this role, you will work harder than you ever have in your entire life."

Mr. Forstall described "locking down" one floor of the company's buildings at first with cameras and keycard readers to beef up security regarding the project. He also took to calling it the "purple dorm," after the project's code-name, purple. They also put a sign up on the front door with the words "Fight Club" written on it, referring to the hit book and movie in which characters are told not to talk about what they were doing.

He cited numerous challenges to developing the iPhone, because his teams had until then only worked with keyboards and mice. "Every single part of the device had to be rebuilt for touch," Mr. Forstall said.
 

In addition, Mr Forstall also revealed that Apple was receptive to the idea of a 7-inch tablet, despite its ex-CEO Steve Jobs famously declaring them to be hopeless for touch.

To find out more, hit up the source below.

Source: Wall Street Journal

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