Look at any current iPhone advertisement, and you’ll notice that, no matter the screenshot, it’s always 9:41am. It used to be 9:42am. What’s going on?
It could be anything. 3:16am or 4:20pm if you prefer. But it’s not. It’s always possible — Apple being Apple — that Apple’s designers work very long hours, and it just happened to be that their screengrabs were all at the same time.
But this isn’t so. It’s quite deliberate.
9:41 (or 9:42 in some older images) was quite deliberate, as Business Insider discovered. Former Apple exec Bob Borcher — because, let’s face it, nobody inside Apple is likely to confirm this — states that it’s because they’re set to run at around the time Apple expects the unveiling of a new iPhone to actually happen at a keynote. They can’t pick it precisely — which is why it’s wobbled between 9:41 and 9:42 — but the idea is that when a new iGadget is unveiled, the screenshots should match up with the time of the presentation. [Business Insider]
Jim
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:02 PMI’ve wondered this as well. I work for a Personal Media company, and in our wire frames the time on iPhones is always 4:20pm.
Graham
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:13 PMYou know that 4:20 is a cannabis reference?
Matt
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:17 PM+1
420 4 life.
Adam
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10:13 PM+1
StevoTheDevo
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:04 PMThat’s an insane level of detail!
The Rug
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:14 PMWho… cares?
Mitch
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 4:03 PMThis.
olearymo
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 4:14 PMYou both came in to not only read this, but write a comment.
You tell us.
Trishool
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 9:51 AMThat ^
Philip B
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:15 PMAnd here I was, expecting some kind of “expert” designer talk about how 9:41 is aesthetically the perfect combination of numbers
attila
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:28 PMe.g. the way watches are always shown at 10:09 or thereabouts, as that is considered to be the most aesthetically pleasing way to show the hands.
Pat
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 4:00 PMNo, actually, that’s to make sure that you never obscure the logo / brand of the watch you’re presenting
Magsin
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 4:50 PMNo…it is actually the most aesthetically pleasing arrangement of the hands on an analog watch face. You could have many other times that would not block the watches name/logos, but they are not used.
bri_cheese
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 9:18 AMAgree – make a smiley face with the watch. Who wants to see a case full of droopy frowney watches? Also applies to grills on small Japanese designed cars. Smiley face.
mrp
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:21 PMSeiko watches are always 10.08.
Chris
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:29 PMIt’s Apple. To giz that’s all that is needed to report on it.
Charles
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 3:30 PMHUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRR GOOD ONE.
Lachlan Bromage
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:36 PMI read the first two lines and immediately though… WHO THE F CARES…
Stormtrooper
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:45 PMObviously you do if you took the time to comment :)
nick
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:46 PMthen why did you bother to read it and then proceed to comment..
James Ray Cox
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 2:52 PMsame, I did not click on the story, i didn’t read it, nor did I comment either, THATS how committed I am to not caring. I also did not reply to your comment.
TSH
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 3:23 PMSo, is that 9 minutes and 41/42 seconds into the presentation or the actual time of day (0941/0942 hours)? Or maybe it’s both…!
*shrug* I was expecting it would have been an aesthetic thing as well.
Richard
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 6:34 PMtime of day
dfg
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 3:34 PMwell 42 is the answer to everything so maybe 9:41 means its almost the answer to everything. or they just take one screen shot of a phone and photoshop it into all phones for the ads
olearymo
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 4:16 PMApple’s original plan was to enable the iMindControllers on Zero Day at 9.42. They improved the efficiency slightly, so the process takes one less minute. Hence, 9.41.
Jason
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 4:45 PMThe original iPhone was announced at 9.42am January 9th 2007 and thus its stuck. Apple aren’t that insanely cryptic. Though, am unsure about why a 1 minute change has occurred.
Just This Guy ...
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 4:52 PMBecause “They can’t pick it precisely”
did you not read the article? :P
Just messin’ with ya :)
Nick
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 6:50 PMHTC does the same thing with their 10:08 time…
Stephen
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 9:48 PMBack in the day clock ads wld put the time of 7:22. The time that President Lincoln past away. Alittle Graphic Arts history for you all.