20 Scalable Innovation
applications. Each of the applications turns the iPhone into a slightly dif-
ferent Tool. For example, it can work as a communicator, a GPS navigator, a
gaming console, a video console, a banking terminal, a digital wallet, e-book
reader, and much more. At the time of writing this book, there are more
than 500,000 apps available for the device. Within any given slice of time
and space, the app plays the role of a virtual Tool that delivers the system’s
functionality.
Later in the book we will consider implications of the iPhone’s multitouch
interface for the development of modern information technologies. For now,
we will only mention its ability to zoom in and out of a stream of informa-
tion. Similar to the personal compu ...