So, what's the story behind Apple's logo? An apple seems to have little to do with phones, computers and tablets, so the idea must have come from somewhere interesting for it to stick. Many theories circulate on where the famous apple came from... and they're not what you'd expect,
If you Google the story behind the famous fruit, you get the following general explanation: that the apple logo symbolizes knowledge. What it doesn't say in those 3 sentences is that the real inspiration is a lot more difficult to decode: several theories have persisted as to the meaning behind the bitten apple. But what's the truth?
1. The tree of knowledge of good and evil
Perhaps the most haunting of explanations, this inspiration behind Apple's logo opens up a whole new can of worms. If the apple truly symbolizes the apple bitten by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, surely this access to "knowledge" isn't all beneficent. What knowledge do Apple and other technological developments provide – and is it favorable to be so connected to the web, social media, and the like? Of all possible explanations, this is surely the most unsettling.
2. Newton's experiments on gravity
A bit of a lighter take on the Apple origin, it is also rumored that Apple originally designed its logo to allude to Isaac Newton's experiments on gravity. A tale of insight, genius, and progress, this concept is certainly possible. But, beyond the cuteness of this idea, what does technology truly have to do with gravity?3. Homage to the creator of Apple AI
Alan Turing, a pioneer in AI, laid much of the valuable groundwork for Apple technology back in the 50s. However, as an unrecognized and mistreated homosexual, he faced jail time and hanging for his sexuality. He would found dead, lying next to a bitten apple laced with cyanide.
4. Punning on "byte"
Another simple explanation, perhaps the designer of the apple logo had come up with the apple-image on his own, designing the bite on the apple as a play on words with "byte" a technological term for a unit of digital memory. A fun and simple image, this backstory lacks the intensity of the others, but is a fair possibility.
So, what of these is the true backstory?
Unfortunately for you and I, the truth is not so simply ascertained – Rob Janoff, who designed the logo, says that he hadn't designed the logo intending to allude to the Bible, or any other of the above explanations. They were all happy coincidences (even the 'byte'). He designed the apple with a bite on the right side, not for story purposes, but "for scale", to show that the fruit was not a cherry. (seriously... that's it??) However, Steve Jobs chose to remain silent on the matter, never explaining away any of the long-held theories about the origin of the apple logo. Perhaps – albeit frustrating – there is some beauty in the uncertainty.
