If this was deliberate it would fit perfectly, which it doesn't - the radii on the corners are very different. Apple aren't that sloppy.
Apple hardware design coincidence?
11–20 of 37 posts
Re: Apple hardware design coincidence?
#12That's true. Apple is one of a few companies who care about design too. The Mac OS X, iMac, MacBook/Pro and all devices are designed to fit us the best way.
Re: Apple hardware design coincidence?
#13Something to do with multiple Apple products being cut from the same sheet of aluminium to reduce waste, perhaps? From Ive's comments in the Objectified documentary: 'This is the bezel for the iMac. When we remove the aluminium from the display in the centre here, we actually take that material, and then we can make two keyboard frames from it.' [2min30 into this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdVG4LcoY4Y ]
This explains that coincidence.
Re: Apple hardware design coincidence?
#14maybe they just like using a specific radius for the corners of their products
It could have the same radius and not fit. It has the same radius and the same width.
Or perhaps there's a relationship between a border length and its radius* - some sort of eye-pleasing ratio?
In which case, only the width would have to be the same.
*Someone more interested than me could perhaps see if any relationship exists.
Re: Apple hardware design coincidence?
#15maybe they just like using a specific radius for the corners of their products
On a more historical note: http://www.landsnail.com/apple/local/design/design2.html describes a design system for early Apple products that specified corner radii for various situations.
Re: Apple hardware design coincidence?
#16If this was deliberate it would fit perfectly, which it doesn't - the radii on the corners are very different. Apple aren't that sloppy.
I would have to agree with this. More likely, the same design team was on both projects and they used a set of proportions to create a visual harmony across the entire product line.
Phi doesn't change, why should your proportion change if it's nailed?
Re: Apple hardware design coincidence?
#17anybody else hearing Also Sprach Zarathustra?
Re: Apple hardware design coincidence?
#18anybody else hearing Also Sprach Zarathustra?
That's what I heard when I discovered this at my kitchen table and the "docking" succeeded. :)
Re: Apple hardware design coincidence?
#19Re: Apple hardware design coincidence?
#20It could of course just be a coincidence... however I am reminded of the story about how the (new) Mini Cooper exhaust tip was modeled on the bottom of an aluminum beverage can, because the designer happened to find one lying around when building a mockup, and afterwards no one saw any reason to change it. Maybe a designer traced their iPhone while working on an early sketch of the laptop, and then the detail just st…
But, the unibody MacBook design came well before iPhone 4?