Books › The One Device
The One Device
The Secret History of the iPhone
496 pages
A globetrotting, investigative journey that shatters the myth of the lone genius to reveal the sprawling, messy human reality behind a sleek modern marvel.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like taking apart a sleek, familiar object to discover a sprawling, messy, and deeply human world hidden inside. The narrative moves at a brisk, investigative clip, pulling you from the secretive, high-stakes boardrooms of Silicon Valley to the toxic e-waste pits of Kenya and the grueling factory floors of Shenzhen. It balances a genuine awe for engineering brilliance with a sharp, critical eye toward the environmental and labor costs of our modern conveniences. The prose is sharp and narrative-driven, making complex technological histories feel as gripping as a thriller. It will thoroughly delight tech enthusiasts, history buffs, and anyone who wants to understand the vast, invisible global infrastructure that puts the future in our pockets.
- Mood
- globetrotting
- industrial
- high-stakes
- sobering
- Tone
- investigative
- critical
- journalistic
- revealing
- nuanced
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- myth of the lone genius · human cost of technology · global supply chains · collaborative innovation · unintended consequences
- The writing
- Sharp, narrative-driven journalism that seamlessly weaves historical anecdotes with on-the-ground reporting.
- The arc
- Begins with a sense of technological wonder that gradually deepens into a sobering awareness of the immense human and environmental toll required for modern convenience.
- Who it's for
- Readers fascinated by the intersection of design, engineering, and the hidden global economies that power our daily lives.
Content notes
- labor exploitation
- suicide
- environmental degradation
About the book
The secret history of the invention that changed everything - and became the most profitable product in the world. Odds are that as you read this, an iPhone is within reach. But before Steve Jobs introduced us to "the one device," as he called it, a cell phone was merely what you used to make calls on the go.
How did the iPhone transform our world and turn Apple into the most valuable company ever? Veteran technology journalist Brian Merchant reveals the inside story you won't hear from Cupertino-based on his exclusive interviews with the engineers, inventors, and developers who guided every stage of the iPhone's creation.
This deep dive takes you from inside One Infinite Loop to 19th century France to WWII America, from the driest place on earth to a Kenyan pit of toxic e-waste, and even deep inside Shenzhen's notorious "suicide factories." It's a firsthand look at how the cutting-edge tech that makes the world work - touch screens, motion trackers, and even AI - made their way into our pockets.
The One Device is a roadmap for design and engineering genius, an anthropology of the modern age, and an unprecedented view into one of the most secretive companies in history. This is the untold account, ten years in the making, of the device that changed everything
Description from Open Library.
Books like The One Device
See why they match
Jony IveLeander KahneyA sleek, admiring portrait of the quiet perfectionist who shaped the modern technological aesthetic.
Steve JobsWalter IsaacsonA gripping, unvarnished portrait of how ferocious drive and uncompromising vision can change the world while leaving a trail of personal wreckage.
The Everything StoreBrad StoneA gripping, fly-on-the-wall plunge into the relentless engine room of modern retail's most formidable empire.
Becoming Steve JobsBrent Schlender and Rick TetzeliAn intimate, deeply humanizing portrait of how a brilliant but flawed founder learned to actually lead.
Genius MakersCade MetzA high-stakes, deeply reported journey into the minds and boardrooms racing to build artificial intelligence.
Creative SelectionKen KociendaA quiet, meticulous look over the shoulder of a craftsman building the digital tools that changed the world.