The iPhone Course
The “Jesus” phone, as the iPhone was affectionately dubbed at its inception, was released in June of 2007 and in various respects marked critical shifts in telephony, computing, internet access and the evolution of global telephony standards. In addition to basically inventing the “smartphone” category of mobile devices the iPhone is also the most successful product in Apple’s history and is in many ways, directly responsible for Apple’s rise and its becoming, literally, the most valuable company in the world. The launch of the iPhone also introduced a new kind of global consumption marked by infinite and raucous lines on launch day and the proliferation of “apps” and app stores. However, the rise and dominance of the iPhone has not being without controversy or challenge - most notably, the Android operating system and its affiliated ecosystem. This course will undertake a critical examination the iPhone as a physical, social, cultural and economic artifact. What does it mean to say that the iPhone is an innovative product? Innovative in what way? What really goes into making an iPhone, and are iPhones sustainable? What about the global politics of iPhone sourcing and manufacturing? Why did it take so long for China to get the iPhone? What can the iPhone teach us about global software development and the making of telephony standards? Finally, and perhaps most importantly, what can a critical study of the iPhone teach us about ourselves and how we consume and make meaning of the world in the 21st century?

Find out more at http://www.theiphonecourse.com