Eight Apple Products and Services Make Fortune's List of Top 100 'Greatest Designs of Modern Times' - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Eight Apple Products and Services Make Fortune's List of Top 100 'Greatest Designs of Modern Times'

Fortune today published a list of the 100 "greatest designs of modern times," featuring products that have made people's lives simpler, better, and more stylish.

iphonelineupguide b
Apple's iPhone, which first came out in 2007 and has since been updated every year, made the number one spot on the list for the way that it has "transformed human communication" and impacted almost every aspect of our lives.

"An iPod, a phone, an Internet communicator" was how the late Steve Jobs announced the iPhone to the world in 2007. At the time it was an impressive claim. Now it seems like a massive understatement for a device that changed how we live. Analysts were initially skeptical that Apple could succeed selling a premium phone for $499 in a market in which most devices were subsidized or given away by carriers. But by relentlessly pushing the envelope of hardware and software design, adding a professional-grade camera, and creating an ecosystem of apps and services, Apple has sold more than 2 billion iPhones--and in the process has become the most valuable company in the world.

Another Apple product, the 1984 Macintosh, made the second spot on the list for defining the personal computer revolution.

Six other Apple products were also included on the list in various spots. The 2001 iPod came in 10th, the 2006 MacBook Pro took the 14th spot, the App Store was 22nd, iOS is in the 29th spot, the Apple Watch made the list at spot number 46, and Apple Pay was also included as the 64th product on the list.

For its list, Fortune teamed up with the IIT Institute of Design and polled educators, influencers, freelance designers, and corporate design teams on the designs they consider "truly great," using that information to compile a top 100 list.

The complete list, which also includes products and services like Google Search, the Sony Walkman, Uber, Netflix, Google Maps, the Tesla Model S, and more, can be found on Fortune's website.

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...
Apple iCloud Plus expansion hero

iCloud+ Now Includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Curated Apple Music Stations in Over 100 Countries

Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries. In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people....

Top Rated Comments

calzon65 Avatar
85 months ago
I refused to use a Blackberry when everyone had a love affair with them, but when I saw the iPhone, I knew at that moment, that was the future versus the Blackberry with all its buttons.

Apple and Steve Jobs hit a home-run with the iPhone design ... it set the stage for ALL smartphones and tablets of today.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CrazyForCashews Avatar
85 months ago
This list is accurate as the iPhone is number 1.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago
I would replace that MacBook Pro with MacBook Air.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
85 months ago

This list is accurate as the iPhone is number 1.
hmm. I’d say the Macintosh should be number #1 and OS X should be #2 for Apple as both was needed before the iPhone could take place. Took Apple 3 yrs before a “professional grade camera” was added - iPhone4. (iPhone 3G/3GS having a VGA camera while others already had 3-5mp cameras with decent quality is NOT professional all pics where blurry as crap).

2006 MacBook Pro? I keep forgettingMBP existed before the 2008 unibody designs.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago
Great list. I would have chosen the 2008 unibody Macbook Pro over the 2006 model though. The single piece of aluminium body is still the benchmark in laptop design, and apart from minor tweaks, has held up to this day.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
85 months ago
What does it take to become a design icon? There‘s more to it than good looks. These 100 products have made our lives simpler, better, and yes, more stylish.
Did I scroll too fast? Didn't see a single home gaming console (Atari 2600 or Nintendo NES) on the list.

Not even a VCR
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)