Top Apple Innovations: A Ranking of the Best Products Over 50 Years

Ranking 50 items can be a time-consuming task for an individual, but for a community, it becomes much simpler. Instead of having each user submit a full list, we can divide the rankings into smaller components and then combine them once we have gathered enough votes. To achieve this, we are utilizing a modified version of the ELO algorithm.

The ELO algorithm assigns a starting score to each item, which is then adjusted in every paired matchup. The change in points is determined by the score of the other item in the pairing; defeating a higher-ranked item will result in a greater reward than defeating a lower-ranked one, and vice versa for losing. While ELO was originally created for chess, we have customized it to minimize the impact of major upsets in our rankings based on user preferences.

By choosing between two items on our Apple Top 50 list, you are actively contributing to the overall community rankings. Your input is highly valued, so thank you for participating!

CREDITS

• Design: Kristen Radtke
• Engineer: Graham MacAree
• Editors: Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Meredith Haggerty
• Concept: Victoria Barrios, Travis Larchuk
• Copy edit: Kallie Plagge