So how did the company decide what customers wanted – surely by using focus groups? “We don’t do focus groups,” he (Jonathan Ive) said firmly, explaining that they resulted in bland products designed not to offend anyone.
Christopher Frayling reminded us at that point of Henry Ford’s line about what his customers would have demanded if asked – “a faster horse” – and it’s surely true that the point of innovative companies is to come up with products that customers don’t yet know they need.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2009/07/listening_to_mr_iphone.html
