after my recent post about those who ‘keep boxes’
my longtime friend, a brilliant apple systems engineer
texted this mind-blowing response to me:
“thought you might like to know that the apple engineers designed the iphone box
so that the amount of time it takes to lift the top off is 4 seconds –
just because their research showed
that it was the amount of anticipation that gave the recipient the most joy”
—
“i have drunken deep of joy, and I will taste no other wine tonight.”
― Percy Bysshe Shelley
It’s always been a struggle for me to toss an Apple box… I’m definitely a box “keeper’. Never knowing when I’ll need one to mail a package. 😉
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Right?
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I see a future with a museum filled with nothing but Apple packaging. I love it when engineers use more than a slide rule to make something work well. Great post, Beth!
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Ha, absolutely. I’m quite sure there has to be a museum of exquisite and interesting packaging out there somewhere.) yes, about the engineers
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Very ingenious!
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yes, and an interesting study
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I agree!
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Wow! Anything longer and it would be sheer frustration. 🙂
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for sure, must be just before the tipping point
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Like those hard plastic shells that are near impossible to open!
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ooh yes-
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😂
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Hmmm, I don’t know it that’s cool or creepy..haha.
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I know, it kind of blew my mind to think about measuring the timing of joy)
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It’s super interesting to know but also a bit scary to see how our all emotions are calculated to make more money…
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it really is in most everything we buy, some are just more open about the process
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Ghastly
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[Creation ??]
Eve’s enticing apple
Fell from God’s tree
And hit young Newton
On his hairy head
Then the apple rolled away
Into Bell’s telephone box
And here begun “All Creation”
The first born “Apple iPhone Box”
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🍏
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😄😂
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😊🤗😉💛
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❤️
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No wonder my iPhone cost so much, Beth. Some of the dollars went for the joy!
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Right!
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You know I still have mine!
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I knew it!
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😀
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I just reopened an empty box to relive that joy 🙂
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There you go-
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Seriously?
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Absolutely
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That just adds to my whole mindset about big tech…
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I have to appreciate someone researching what will show people the most joy.
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Yes!
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I confess to being a box keeper, if it is the right box…lol interesting apple box fact
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Me too
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Wow!! No wonder I keep em around!!
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Makes sense
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4 seconds? Seems we are evolving to have the attention span of a gnat….
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Easily amused
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Joy can be measured then. I’d love to see that study.
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Me too!
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One of the few Marketing decisions that Engineering probably enjoyed.
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I have no doubt
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As an Apple customer for decades, this story not only doesn’t surprise me, it fills me with joy indeed…a company that actually loves to make their customers happy!
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There you go!
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Wow, I had not thought even that was calculated! Awesome!
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Surprising but not –
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You are right, surprising on first sight but then, it is so cear!
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Well, they try to think of everything…
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They sure do –
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I’m picturing a bunch of engineers sitting around experimenting. “Nope, no good! Five seconds.”
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Right!
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I knew companies put a lot of thought into packaging design, but this probably tops them all.
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Yes-
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It’s really nice to know someone is thinking about our joy. LOL Pretty expensive for four seconds but worth it in the long run. 🙂
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Maybe it takes 4 seconds to kick in, but lasts a lot longer
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Wow! 4 seconds to feel joy. Amazing.
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We’re easy)
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Perhaps I am an odd bod but I really don’t like how we are manipulated by companies… how they know all these psychological tricks. I find it scary. I love boxes. But I don’t like Apple boasting about how clever they’ve been with their box design.
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I understand, and know that almost all products/companies use this practice, even if it’s just to make their design or packaging pleasant to the eye. I don’t think they were boasting about it, more giving the backstory of why people may be drawn to their boxes and what they put into it.
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wow this is amazing to know! And you find such perfect quotes to go with your posts, this is a beautiful one too.
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Thank you!
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although it’s not in the same league, my mate and I had burgers brought from Barry’s Burgers at Semaphore and he was awestruck at the neat little boxes they came in; and it took us a little under 4 seconds to open them, but oh, the anticipation 🙂
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I am clearly taken by the aesthetic of quality packaging-)
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so am I now, Beth 🙂
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Not surprised. They are something.
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That they are –
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Loved this article, I enjoy all of yours but Apple does make the best boxes. I keep all mine too.
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hard for me to part with )
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Advertisers go to great lengths to get into our minds and wallets. It never ceases to amaze me how easy we are to be tricked. I love pretty packaging too. Good information to have here. 🙂
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we are a pretty easy to figure out species )
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4 seconds of joy just doesn’t do it for me…and this is why Apple scared the hell out of me!
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i interpreted it to mean that i took exactly 4 seconds of opening for them to begin to feel joy, hopefully it continued for a bit longer )
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I wonder if the minute ab development team did just as much research…
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ha!
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Wow, such focus – I love that.
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❤️
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Wow!
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Yes!
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Love this. I will think about that now when getting a new phone. I have always been impressed with Apple’s packaging design.
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me too
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