This exhibition explores the Apple iPhone — INSIDE OUT to see what light it can shed on the world we live in.
This approach is inspired by the design and educational practices of Taku Satoh, a Japanese graphic designer who, along with Issey Miyake, Naoto Fukasawa and Noriko Kawakami, is a director of 21_21 Design Sight in Tokyo. In 2016 he directed the exhibition “Design Anatomy, a method for seeing the world through familiar objects” in which he picks products familiar in the daily lives of the Japanese, dissects them from a design point of view, and interprets and displays the results.
Image: Roman Goik – Design Anatomy, 21_21 Design Sight, Tokyo
Our exhibition seeks to similarly “see the world through a familiar object” – the Apple iPhone .
June 29, 2022 marked the 15th anniversary of the release of the first iPhone by Apple. “Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone,” Jobs said at the time of its release. It didn’t just reinvent the phone – it reinvented the way we interact with the world. It led the way for our smartphone technologies, created new economies, transformed the way we communicate and interact. In short, it has profoundly shaped our present world and therefore, is a site and an object worthy of investigation.
Image: Roman Goik – Design Anatomy, 21_21 Design Sight, Tokyo
1st year students in the Design (Visual Communications) program at Western Sydney University were asked to collectively build a complex “story” about our designed world through an interrogation of one object. During the journey of creating the exhibition, they came to realise that design can be a way of seeing things differently.
We asked our students to take on a single aspect of the Apple iPhone as a site for their research, investigations and information design outcomes. Together, their individual ‘stories’ paint a much larger picture about the world we live in. Please enjoy the exhibition.
Roman Goik
Unit and exhibition coordinator
On some occasions, though, technology comes packaged with some especially big promises. Promises that it will save lives, revolutionise cities, aid democracy and empower people to achieve nothing short of greatness. Yet being aware that there are countless instances of all these things having occurred at some time in some part of the world leaves no guarantee that the same technology will produce equivalent effects on us. We may still, after all that, elect to look at pictures of cats.
Photographers are using iPhone to capture stunning images, here’s why
PDFHow Apple’s integration of biometrics revolutionised phone authentication
PDFThe library inside your pocket and whether you actually need it
PDFWhen does the consumer experience start; with the product or the packaging?
PDFDriverless cars, Augmented realities, what else does Apple have planned?
PDFHow is e-waste effecting us and what is Apple doing to minimise risks?
PDFDoes Apple value your privacy, and what measures do they take to secure your data?
PDFTake a trip through the lens of your iPhone camera and explore its evolution!
PDFAn insight to how the iPhone camera has captured our best moments over the years
PDFApple reimagining the possibility of its iOS through evolution
PDFSafety features used with iPhones and technology development in forming ID
PDFJournalists have the opportunity to capture a story with what they carry in their pocket
PDFIs dark mode really better for your eyes?
PDFAR, bringing a figment of one’s imagination to life
PDFHow does Apple's predictive text work? Has it benefited its users overtime?
PDFApple continues to lead way with its hearing accessibility in ways never done before
PDFBusy lives mean you don't have to wait for your phone to charge
PDFForever changing the landscape of accessible technology through Voiceover
PDFWill iPhones eventually replace digital single-lens reflex DSLR cameras?
PDFHaving your own virtual personal assistant sounds great, but how does it actually work?
PDFHow the new crash detection feature can potentially save your life
PDFAre you familiar with your virtual assistant? What practical benefits does it offer you?
PDFDoes Augmented reality have a place in Apple’s future? Is it more than a gimmick?
PDFDoes Apple Pay provide users with privacy and security?
PDFAll about Apple’s new Emergency SOS via Satellite and Crash Detection
PDFThe future is here. All you need is your face. Your identity is your security.
PDFYou night be missing out on Apple's newest addition to the iPhone lock screen
PDFWhat is the back tap? The little-known feature streamlining the iPhone experience
PDFUnderstanding the use of Emergency SOS via Satellite on the iPhone 14
PDFEverything you need to know about haptic technology and how it affects you
PDFAre we evolving the technology of the digital world, or is the digital world evolving for us?
PDFYour touch is capable of transforming the iPhone into something of your own
PDFWhy is iOS so popular and have you ever asked yourself why you choose iPhone?
PDFThrough the iPhone camera lens, its evolution is amazing, here’s why…
PDFThe intricacies, controversies and future of reading, storing and using your face
PDFAre you really using the voice system Siri, whilst understanding how it truly works?
PDFWill the iPhone’s newest camera system get you the shots you need?
PDFOver the decade how has Apple improved photo quality
PDFA picture’s worth a thousand words, a camera is a never-ending story.
PDFHow Apple successfully use marketing strategies to stand out against competitors
PDFAn app that you can track and store your important health information
PDFWhat truly is iPhone's relationship with water and other common liquids?
PDFHow Apple’s Unique Packaging Satisfies Customers Even After Purchase
PDFListening to the new wave of technology, how time has changed our way of hearing
PDFA look into Apple’s 3D technology and how hands on its user interface is
PDFApple’s falling behind on the biggest trend for smartphone technology!
PDFOwn your life with Apple’s Cinematic mode and capture moments to a Hollywood standard
PDFThe iPhone 11 pro, professional quality in the everyday hand.
PDFHow safe is your fingerprint? Category: Promise & Possibility
PDFThe Risk Apple took to innovate from the well-known 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
PDFIs it really? Did you read the fine print? The truth behind the water resistant feature.
PDFWhat is predictive text? How does it work? Is Apple collecting all your messages?
PDFJust point it, shoot, and let the triple-system camera do all the tricky stuff.
PDFThe iPhone was more innovative than it was initially established
PDFApplications helps the world to connect from long distances.
PDFHow the iPhone functions with as many buttons as it doesn't have.
PDFBehind the iPhone camera- How has the iPhone changed the way you photograph?
PDFWhat does the future hold for iPhones' Outer shell?
PDFDoes having a big phone really make a difference? Or is it just a waste of money?
PDFAn insight on Apple’s cable history and the future it leads to.
PDFWith technology growing to help us, are we backtracking in our everyday skills?
PDFWhat's behind the magical box? Is it a beauty with no cost?
PDFWhat Apple's facial recognition and learning machines really have in common
PDFSiri - how exactly does it understand and get the information it needs?
PDFTwelve years of iPhone evolution and the humble beginnings.
PDFWater-resistance does not mean waterproof. Uncover the truth behind “waterproof”.
PDFIs the new iPhone XS really improved or is it just another marketing ploy?
PDFThe iPhones multi-touch technology has introduced a whole new way to play
PDFApple knows what you want... And now it's in the palm of your hands
PDFNo recording studio? No worries! Plug your instrument into your iPhone, away you go!
PDFHow Apple’s streaming service leads the future of music.
PDFWith the removal of the home button, the iPhone has been given more room to grow.
PDFHow business and marketing strategies have shape the way society views the iPhone
PDFWhy use cable to charge phone when you can charge it with AirPower
PDFThe way your most unique trait can protect your life at your fingertips
PDFThe technology behind the best wireless headphones to date.
PDFThe way both you and Siri speak might be more similar than you realise
PDFYou are about to encompass a whole new world of technology
PDFDo you know how to instantly share files with other Apple users?
PDFAre we really alone? Do you feel safe knowing that you’re being watched?
PDFIf nobody knows about a feature, doest it really exist?
PDFAre you using your iPhone to its full potential?
PDFUnboxing the philosophy behind why people keep their iPhone packaging.
PDFDifferent Perspectives of the iPhone - Techies VS Normies
PDFHow have Apple improved and innovated on each new generation of the iPhone?
PDFApple expands their aesthetics to become the most diverse brand.
PDFThe rise of Apple's "beautiful victory" and sociopathic comedian, Siri.
PDFiPhone cameras keep upgrading each year, but what exactly are they improving?
PDFCan wearing nice pants remould the shape of your brand new iPhone 6 plus?
PDFThe iPhone emergency call feature - do you know of the lifesaving Medical ID feature?
PDFWhen did a digital voice become so important in everyday life?
PDFA symbol of the technological advancements of this generation.
PDFThe big question: Is your fingerprint safer than your credit card pin?
PDFView your screen with ease: the optimisation of display brightness.
PDFIs Apple's decision to remove the home button from the new iPhone a good move?
PDFNo more tangled cables. Is the new AirPower... all that it's cracked up to be?
PDFWill Face ID be the preferred replacement for Touch ID on the iPhone?
PDFWe are caught in an elastic dialogue between euphoria and consternation which will continue to fuel the development of new technologies.
So there is a fascinating tension between knowing that technology really has changed our lives and wondering whether we’re making the most of it. Maybe we’re just making fools out of ourselves through it. That is the greatest contemporary paranoia.
How Apple’s new privacy policy has altered the Ad ecosystem
PDFOur addiction to our phones is affecting our sleep. What else could it be affecting?
PDFReaching the tops of our screens is becoming more difficult. What can we do?
PDFAugmented reality offers a vast world, but how far into reality can it get?
PDFDid you know your phone is made by exploiting Congolese children?
PDFThrough Apple’s accessibility features, Apple has helped bring change.
PDFWhy do Apple’s cameras keep multiplying & continue to capture lifes moments?
PDFHow Apple’s successful #shotoniphone ad campaign shot down the camera industry.
PDFHow the Apple iPhone uses our fingers creatively to achieve efficiency
PDFWhat exactly is in your iPhone, and what are the costs of making them?
PDFEven a monopolist can encounter competition in the market
PDFIs Siri really just a virtual assistant?
PDFHow a culture of convenience triggered a digital disease
PDF“Nothing vast enters the life of mortals without a curse” - Sophocles
PDFUncovering Apple's data privacy hypocricy and exploitation.
PDFWill the misuse of facial recognition technology be an issue when it comes to privacy
PDFCan your iPhone’s Face ID really scan through that mask quick enough
PDFFamous 'shortcut tool' benefitting society in ways you wouldn't expect
PDFWhy Apple is designing their devices with the purpose of becoming obsolete
PDFDoes enabling Night Shift mode have a positive effect on your sleeping patterns?
PDFWhat does Apple do with your health and fitness data?
PDFDo you get distracted by your phone, if not how do you stop from looking?
PDFApple’s accessibility features for those with vision impairments?
PDFThe 3.5mm Apple jack is gone, but at what cost?
PDFDo you need professional cameras? Do people need better phone cameras?
PDFAn analysis of Apple's external and Internal user Interface
PDFThe power to communicate all around the world, all in the palm of your hand
PDFThe iPhone’s role in standardising swipes, moulding markets and creating new forms of entertainment
PDFHow your iPhone is contributing to the atrocities in the DRC
PDFAn imitative relation between screen time and? Our life??
PDFThe iPhone has forever changed the way society views and interacts with reality
PDFHow has FaceTime changed the medical world? Does it have the power to save lives?
PDFWill we ever hold apple accountable for their human rights violations?
PDFNew iPhone? Whatís iOS? Fourteen updates and counting!
PDFThe life of the battery is just as important as the life of the iPhone
PDFThe impact of the iPhone on the wellbeing of young people
PDFHow far does the iPhone affect the minds, emotions and behaviour of our society?
PDFFacial recognition, the safest password phone protection
PDFDo you really own your device if apple discourages 3rd party repair?
PDFHow Apple’s rise in popularity has sabotaged technological diversity
PDFDid you buy the newest iPhone, or is it someone else’s that they’ve recycled?
PDFExploring the dark size of iPhone X Face ID.
PDFAre our phones approaching their expiry after each software update?
PDFAre you truly alone? Do you feel safe, knowing someone might be listening?
PDFHow much does it cost to manufacture an iPhone?
PDFHow does Apple spend less but manage to outmatch their rivals?
PDFApple’s Face ID authentication cannot tell the difference between real and fake faces.
PDFAre the iPhones bought more as a status symbol or for practicality?
PDFApple Pay: cashless made effortless. But how secure is it?
PDFHow one man’s data is another man’s way of making lots of money
PDFHow Apple has changed photography for individuals all over the world
PDFAre you ready to protect and store important data? Lets use iCloud.
PDFBluetooth devices are causing mutations but corporations block their ears
PDFMaterials used in the iPhone and the locations of where they get all the parts
PDFRecycling the core parts of the iPhone is an essential part of Apple's business.
PDFThe future of GPS location technique will change how you use iPhone.
PDFLocation services and how apple uses it to invade your privacy
PDFThere is a wonder in reading Braille... to touch words and have them touch you back
PDFBy turning your wallet into a digital one, is the convenience really worth the risk?
PDFIn a world of limited privacy, have Siri users bitten off more than they can chew?
PDFIs CarPlay really a smarter, safer way to use your iPhone in the car?
PDFApple has shaped the mind of an every-day iPhone user, how did they achieve this?
PDFHow much of an impact has Apple's iOS made in our everyday lives
PDFThe Feature That Revolutionised The Way We Use Modern Technology.
PDFHow Apple is turning their consumers into cultists.
PDFWith the rise social media, online gaming and TV on demand, screen size matters.
PDFApple has ultimate control over the way consumers repair and replace their iPhones.
PDFAn objectively better mobile device for everyone, or all consumer choice?
PDFApple has finally decided to remove the beloved Home Button.
PDFMetal? Plastic? Glass? So what is the iPhone really made of?
PDFConsequences of the introduction of the iPhone’s App Store to the application market
PDFThe iPhone has seized the dominant market share. However, this isn’t the case.
PDFJust trying to keep your iPhone alive. Hey...where is my charger?
PDFThe key question for iPhone users: "Are Apple maps convenient or dangerous?"
PDFInsights on the Apple’s use of experience design with the iPhone.
PDFTrade winds sow a new culture in China and signals Apple's new dynasty
PDFWhy are we changing out our ports when we're just getting used to the last one?
PDFSince 2007, the inception of the iPhone has influenced today's culture.
PDFCould this new Apple feature potentially save lives on our roads?
PDFDrivers want to stay connected but it is this urge to be connected that can be fatal.
PDFExploring the history of unlocking the secrets in your iPhone.
PDFApple sweatshop workers in China - a partnership or exploitation?
PDFSabotage or progress? How planned obsolescence impacts iPhone consumers.
PDFAre your privacy settings really private? Who could be watching you!
PDFHas the evolution of the iPhone affected the way we capture memories today?
PDFDo you know how or where they made the iPhone? Do you know who or what makes the iPhone?
PDFBaraniuk, C. (2013). The Promise of Technology. [online] The Machine Starts. Available at: http://www.themachinestarts.com/read/2013-01-the-promise-of-technology [Accessed 15 Oct. 2017].
This exhibition was produced as part of the introduction to information design work for the unit DESN1007 Graphic Design: Process and Practice, a 20 credit point unit in the first year of the Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) course in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 at Western Sydney University.
A very special thanks to
We would like to acknowledge and thank the following students for taking on leadership roles in their respective classes from 2017 to 2021.
Neisha McGuire Team Leader & Communications
Junki Yoshimura Team Leaders & Communications
Arianne Sabarre Team Leader & Communications
Chante Myburgh Team Leader & Communications
Fletcher Fisara-Fitzpatrick Team Leader & Communications
Paige Spilstead Team Leader & Communications
Lamar Lockhart-Smith and Reeselle Dela Cruz Team Leaders & Communications
Sopphira Tang Team Leader & Communications
George Bichescu Team Leader & Communications
Simon Wu and Lionel Cruz Team Leaders & Communications
Chloe Bowen and Wendy Xayalith Team Leaders & Communications
Lucas Olano and Dominic Piscioneri Team Leaders & Communications
Dinusha Soo and Edison Lam Team Leaders & Communications
Susan Alzaim and Zayn Faitrouni Team Leaders & Communications
Louisa Le, Elysia Noeng and Chelsea Wu Team Leaders & Communications
Chantel Huang and Kirsten Guion – Art Directors & Communications
Rachel Cooper – Art Director & Communications
Sanela Delic and Bushra AlHiriz – Art Directors & Communications
Ali Haydar – Art Director & Communications
Elyse Potter and Ana Akrapovic – Art Directors & Communications
Brenden Schmitz – Art Director & Communications
Noah Geerin – Technical
Harry Jackson – Art Director & Communications
Esther McLaren – Editor & Communications
Seth McMurray – Editor
Marika Martiskin – Editor
Christine Mechneki and Nabeela Ghaznavi – Editors
Behrad Rezaei – Art Director and Technical
Marie Sadek – Editor
Chris Trinh – Technical
Nick Thomas – Technical
Earl Walker – Editor
Lynne Zhuang – Art Director & Communications
Original parallax website design by Peter Finlan, Sydney based freelance UX, UI designer extraordinaire. The original was adapted by Roman Goik and Peter Steele for the purposes of this exhibition.
