Liz Hafalia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty

Liz Hafalia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty

There’s a shape that explains the growth of everything from forests to iPhone users. It’s called an s-curve. Growth starts out slow, and then ramps up as success breeds success. Finally that fast growth hits a wall, and growth is slow again.

Technology analyst Benedict Evans says the s-curve can be seen in the rise of cars, planes, computers and smartphones. Not every technology will grow like an s-curve — jetpacks are still mainly a gimmick sadly. But if you start seeing s-curve patterns, this shape could provide a lens to see the future.

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