The popular myth surrounding the Apple logo is that the bite was a reference to the biblical story of Adam and Eve, with the apple representing knowledge or a nod to the discovery of gravity by Sir Isaac Newton. However, the true origin of the Apple logo with a bite taken out of it is more straightforward.
The Apple logo was designed in 1977 by Rob Janoff, an art director and graphic designer. According to Janoff, the bite was added to the apple shape purely for practical reasons. The logo was intended to be simple and easily recognizable, especially at small sizes and in single-color formats.
By adding the bite, the logo became more distinguishable as an apple rather than being confused with a cherry or other similar fruits. It also provided scale and prevented the apple shape from appearing too much like a cherry or a tomato, which could have been potential misinterpretations without the bite.
The rainbow-colored stripes on the original Apple logo were meant to signify the colorful and user-friendly nature of Apple’s products. Over the years, the logo has undergone some changes, and the current version is a monochromatic apple without the rainbow stripes, reflecting the evolution of the company’s branding.
In summary, the bite taken out of the Apple logo was simply a clever design choice made by Rob Janoff to ensure the logo was both recognizable and distinct as an apple, and it was not directly tied to any biblical or historical references.