How Steve Jobs and Apple changed travel forever

Apple founder Steve Jobs, who "thunk different." Photo: andrechinn / Flickr

The media lit up with commemorations of Steve Jobs, the legendary CEO of Apple who passed away on Oct. 5, 2011. While talking about his full impact on technology is beyond the scope of this blog, we can talk about how his products changed our trips: How Steve Jobs helped make Apple a major disruptor in travel.

The iPhone was not the first smartphone that could access the Internet.  However, it was a level ahead of its competitors in offering a fuller web experience.  At the time, web surfing on phones was much more limited.  The iPhone made touchscreens and apps popular.

Photos used to be developed at stores, then painstakingly assembled into binders as photo albums.  Now with the right apps, you can snap a picture with your phone and send it out to your friends instantly.  Apple's devices pulled off the feat of making the world smaller, more personal, and more connected.

This is only the beginning.  About a year ago, there was news that Apple was developing iTravel, an app for the iPhone.  According to patent filings, iTravel would integrate transportation booking, check-in, and social networking. It would turn your iPhone into an electronic ticket–and ticket agent.  We can only imagine how Jobs would have presented it at a future Apple summit.

Do you use Apple products?  How have they affected your travels?  Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Steve Jobs' 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University: