299: San Francisco: An Incomplete History of Type
- Diana Varma
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
From the middle ages to the Middle East, From Futura to Freight, join us on a journey across the type universe and go where no designer has gone before...Welcome to An Incomplete History of Type.
Name: San Francisco
Release Date: 2014
Designer: Apple’s Team (based on Helvetica and FF DIN)
Classification: Neo-Grotesque Sans Serif
Owned By: Apple
Claim to Fame: This is the first new typeface designed by Apple in nearly 20 years, it’s the UI font for Apple’s software.
In this episode, we will dig deeper into the San Francisco typeface. The typeface, made by Apple and launched back in 2014, has now been adapted to basically EVERYTHING Apple has! This modern, sleek font came from a completely different look. Wondering how and why they made this specific typeface for their products? Listen more to learn.
References:
Berlow, D. (2016, May 9). San Francisco – Typographica. Typographica. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://typographica.org/typeface-reviews/san-francisco/
Buchholz, C. (2025, March 25). The Psychology of Fonts: How Typefaces Shape Emotion & Influence Design. Skill Share. https://www.skillshare.com/en/blog/the-psychology-of-fonts/?srsltid=AfmBOor3vRCx79Ty2a-jWhL0Q4cvu9oLyLT-Lv73FGIWToRTYUZ0AbH_
Fonts. (n.d.). Apple Developer. Retrieved January 29, 2026, from https://developer.apple.com/fonts/
Font Wiki. (n.d.). San Francisco. Font Wiki. https://fonts.fandom.com/wiki/San_Francisco_(sans-serif_typeface)
Hennequin, D. (2018, January 10). The Death of Helvetica and the Rise of the Bespoke Font. Envanto. https://elements.envato.com/learn/death-of-helvetica-rise-of-the-bespoke-font?srsltid=AfmBOoq025uIhkqtWuH5eZw3da3UTDRJSNCeLIKI1eNAp0tkeLfTXah-
Hyndman, S. (2016). Why Fonts Matter. Gingko Press.
Keppol, N. (2015, October 13). Why San Francisco. martiancraft. https://martiancraft.com/blog/2015/10/why-san-francisco/
Keppol, N. (2015, October 22). Arriving at San Francisco. martiancraft. https://martiancraft.com/blog/2015/10/san-francisco-part-2/#:~:text=With%20the%20Apple%20Watch%20came,piece%20of%20this%20type%20system.
Stinson, L. (2015, June 9). Why Apple Abandoned the World's Most Beloved Typeface. WIRED. Retrieved January 30, 2026, from http://wired.com/2015/06/apple-abandoned-worlds-beloved-typeface/
Truong, A. (2022, July 20). Here’s what Apple’s completely different San Francisco fonts looked like in 1984 and 2014. Quartz. https://qz.com/409398/heres-what-apples-completely-different-san-francisco-fonts-looked-like-in-1984-and-2014
About Our Guest:
Hi! I'm Sheilae Siagian, the Print Nerd. A second-year student from the Graphic Communications Management with a strong passion for print production, design, and digital media. Proficient in creating short-form video productions, signs, and marketing materials using real-world print processes and applications.
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Music (public domain): TRG Banks - Above the Earth
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