Apple and animation studio Pixar, both titans in their fields, have had a long association; Steve Jobs supplied the latter with valuable financial resources after departing Apple in 1985, and eventually became the studio’s CEO. Eagle-eyed fans of both companies have probably succeeded in spotting various subtle but clever references to Apple in Pixar films – but, if you haven’t, here are some of our own favorites.
Do iSpy an iPhone? Erm, maybe…
In this year’s experimental hit Inside Out, Riley’s Dad takes an unexpected call on his mobile phone. It has been suggested in some online quarters that this is an iPhone; that the rear camera lens is middle-aligned, contrary to that of any iPhone yet released, suggests otherwise, but did you see the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it display? It seems to show the call screen of iOS 6 – we can only assume Riley’s Dad hasn’t been taking notice of those “new iOS update is available” notifications.
Just how long could your iPod last? Well…
Apple products are renowned for their rugged feel – it’s not uncommon to hear of people with Macs that continue to run well more than five years after they were first bought. So, it’s pretty apt that, in 2008 sci-fi adventure WALL-E, some Apple products seem to have survived even into the dystopian future. In the clip below, for example, WALL-E makes a retro Mac boot-up sound after charging himself – and, at other points in the film, you can spot an iPod and Mac keyboard.
Here’s to the scary ones…
Near the end of 2002’s Monsters, Inc., Mike picks up a magazine with an intriguing advert on the back cover. The advert features the words “Scare Different” – seem familiar to you? Yes, it’s a reference to “Think Different”, the iconic slogan used in Apple marketing in the late 1990s and early 2000s. What next, we wonder – “The only thing that’s scary is everything”?
A fitting farewell to Steve Jobs
The most poignant of all of Pixar’s on-screen Apple tributes is in the credits of 2012’s Brave, the story of flame-haired Scottish princess Merida. This tribute is a straight dedication to Steve Jobs, who had passed away the year before and is described as the studio’s “partner, mentor and friend”. There is also, in the adventure itself, a character called Lord Macintosh – “Macintosh” long being the brand name for Apple’s computer line. It was shortened to “Mac” shortly after Jobs returned to Apple.
