Apple & Iteration
Without a doubt, the industrial design and engineering in Apple products are cutting edge. To the vast majority of users this fact is appreciated at an arm's distance. As a designer, the products need to be closely analyzed to fully appreciate how much hard work goes into these products and to learn lessons that can assist in the design process. As a disclaimer, this is an analysis exclusive to the hardware and not the software, though it should be noted that the two are equally important to a success of a product.
In a nutshell, Apple uses each product iteration as an opportunity to solve design problems and manufacturing issues. For example, the edgeless glass design first introduced in the original iPhone was carried over to the unibody MacBook line of notebooks and later the iMac and the LED Cinema Display.
In the original iPhone, Apple saw the device as a window to the content. By eliminating bezels, edges, and parting lines on the front of the device, the user can be completely immersed in the software, UI, and of course the content itself. This speaks volumes to the fundamental and philosophical differences between Apple and other consumer electronics companies, but this is its own separate topic.
To highlight this point further, let's look at the main structure or chassis of some of their products. Apple's breakthrough "precision unibody enclosure", a subtractive method of manufacturing, was introduced to their product line with the MacBook Air (MBA) notebook computer. The defining characteristics of that product called for a way to create a thin, light product while still maintaining strength in its structure. Products before the MBA, namely the MacBook Pro (MBP), used an additive method, whereby sheets of cold-rolled aluminum were basically stitched together to create its form. In the MBA, using the additive method would of added much bulk, parting lines, and most importantly, a product that thin would not have the structural integrity that the user would demand.
With these problems in mind, the teams at Apple utilized a manufacturing technique dating back to the early 20th century, where the lower price of aluminum allowed the airline industry to pioneer the "single shell" (or monocoque) technique, where the entire form is used for structure. This technique naturally trickled down to the automotive industry, where strength and weight are just as important. With the personal computer revolution and the current mobile revolution, products have those same criteria of strength and weight. For these reasons, Apple developed a version of this "unibody" technique to create the chassis for the MBA. While the MBA was and still is a niche product, it allowed Apple to use what they learned from the MBA and deploy the unibody technique for their main line of MacBook computers. However, Apple uses each product iteration to experiment and innovate certain aspects of a product. The product introduced after the MBA, the MacBook Pro (MBP) received the unibody treatment, while also gaining features like the buttonless, glass trackpad. The steps Apple takes to innovate during these product iterations can clue the user into what their future products might be. As an example, the MBA will undoubtedly get the buttonless, glass trackpad and the edgeless glass display.
By learning from past products and carrying over certain elements to the next generation, it not only allows for innovative features but also a beautifully organic way of creating a design language. Each product iteration is an incremental step towards more innovation and breakthrough manufacturing techniques, by vigorously examining potential flaws in the design and being dedicated to solving them, a better product will inevitably emerge. This is not just good for the bottom line, but for the consumer experience as well.