In 2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the first iPhone around 42 minutes into Apple’s keynote. The keynote began at 9:00 AM. The very first iPhone, which revolutionized the smartphone industry, appeared on the screen behind Jobs at 9:42 AM.
Hence, as a tribute to the exact moment in history when Jobs revealed the iPhone, Apple, for a couple of years, used that same time across promotional images of its products, including the iPhone, MacBook, and iPod, before the first iPad came out in 2010 with 9:41 AM as the time on the display.
Back in 2010, Scott Forstall, the former iOS chief, revealed the secret behind the fixed time on Apple’s devices to Secret Lab’s Jon Manning. Per Forstall, Apple designed the keynotes so that the big reveal happened around 40 minutes into the presentation.
As a result, when the product appeared on the screen behind Jobs, the time shown on the product would be close to the actual time on the audience’s watches. However, anticipating a likely delay, the company added two minutes to the iPhone’s display time. This is why the first few Apple products always showcased 9:42 AM.