The iPod and the iPhone created a massive shift in the way we think about and interact with technology. For the first time, we carried around everything we needed in our pocket. When I was younger, my mom gave me her BlackBerry to play games on at restaurants. As I grew older, the iPod touch gave me the ability to video chat with my father as he served overseas in Afghanistan. The shift was drastic and important.
The iPod provided a sense of personalization and closeness. All of our favorite music in our pocket. The iPhone provided a large touchscreen, reshaping interaction design by revolutionizing gesture based interactions. Swiping, scrolling, and pinching all became a part of our daily lives. Our camera, GPS, browser, and even flashlight became one device, allowing us all to have everything we need available to us at all times.
As one of the last people born in time to experience life both before and after the iPod and iPhone, I believe it changed our relationship to technology in a massive way. Today, I rarely think about bringing my credit card or camera along with me, I rely on my iPhone to do everything I may need.