Apple's current direction

Man of Honour
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Don't get me wrong, I love Apple products, but I'm not one of these freaks that thinks the sun shines out of their ****. I own an iPad 2, an iPhone 4S and a late 2011 13" MBP. Apple to me have always appeared to be an innovative company, coming out with genius new ideas and pushing the boundary of current technology with neat features. Which has got me thinking a little bit.

I saw this article which sums a lot of my thoughts up.

http://www.businessinsider.com/apples-problem-with-services-2012-10

It seems to me that all Apple are currently doing is re-releasing products with minimal changes apart from new hardware. Let's be honest, iOS hasn't changed all that much since iOS4 which brought multitasking, and perhaps iMessage which is useful to use from my Mac I admit, but I still prefer whatsapp and find it more reliable, plus there are other messaging applications that allow you to SMS from your PC/Mac. Siri came with iOS5 and to be honest, I don't know anyone that uses it. I know it has its uses, for example when driving, but it's not exactly the only voice activation software around. And now the latest release of iOS 6 with monumental amount of fail which has resulted in the Apple CEO publicly apologising. Let's not forget that it was Apple's decision to not move forward with Google maps.

I really hope Apple do something fast, because right now, they're appearing rather average and not exactly innovating much. For the first time in 3 or so years I'm contemplating switching to Android, and a lot of my friends are in the same boat, some already having made the move and wishing they'd done it sooner.

I'm just wondering what people's thoughts are on this. To me, it's as simple as this: Apple are not delivering as I would expect them to.
 
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Soldato
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Apple do seem to have dropped the ball a little recently, however they still produce hardware and a mobile platform which I personally find superior to any other.
 
Associate
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Wellington, Somerset
Apple seem to be turning into a mobile company, all focused on iPhone and iPad, which is fine if you don't own Apple computers.

We use Mac's at work, the cost is ridiculous when compared to PC for running CAD software, the computer I am using at the moment cost about £4.5K. The support is starting to get really bad, having recently upgraded the office to mountain lion, the functionality of most of the applications is being geared towards mobile and home use, not business use at all.
 
Soldato
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The bleak North East arm pit of Britain
Don't get me wrong, I love Apple products, but I'm not one of these freaks that thinks the sun shines out of their ****. I own an iPad 2, an iPhone 4S and a late 2011 13" MBP. Apple to me have always appeared to be an innovative company, coming out with genius new ideas and pushing the boundary of current technology with neat features. Which has got me thinking a little bit.

I saw this article which sums up what I'm thinking:

http://www.businessinsider.com/apples-problem-with-services-2012-10

It seems to me that all Apple are currently doing is re-releasing hardware with minimal changes apart from new hardware. Let's be honest, iOS hasn't changed all that much since iOS4 which brought multitasking, and perhaps iMessage which is useful to use from my Mac I admit, but I still prefer whatsapp and find it more reliable, plus there are other messaging applications that allow you to SMS from your PC/Mac. Siri came with iOS5 and to be honest, I don't know anyone that uses it. I know it has its uses, for example when driving, but it's not exactly the only voice activation software around. And now the latest release of iOS 6 with monumental amount of fail which has resulted in the Apple CEO publicly apologising. Let's not forget that it was Apple's decision to not move forward with Google maps.

I really hope Apple do something fast, because right now, they're appearing rather average and not exactly innovating much. For the first time in 3 or so years I'm contemplating switching to Android, and a lot of my friends are in the same boat, some already having made the move and wishing they'd done it sooner.

I'm just wondering what people's thoughts are on this. To me, it's as simple as this: Apple are not delivering as I would expect them to.


I have the Iphone 5, Ipad3 and an 2012 i7 MBA 11.6".

I love the Air, its fantastic for what it is and the Ipad is just as useful as ever but with a nicer screen that makes reading much easier on the eyes.

As for the iPhone 5.. I wish i hadnt bothered. Its marginally quicker than the 4S, it feels like it will turn to dust with the slightest knock where as the 4S could be launched in anger or used to bludgeon people to death should the requirement arise.

Im not seeing any new features that i will actually use.. the new IOs6 is buggy, the maps are awful, SIRI is just as bad as before and hardly any of the Apps work properly. They have black bars either at the sides or the top and bottom depending on how you use it as barely any of the apps have been made to support the new res.

Steve Jobs passes and the company loses what made it great. These things unfortunately happen.. :(
 
Man of Honour
OP
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Loads of other features they bring out I never use, I know it's entirely subjective, but the bookstore, reminders and that other thing they brought out in iOS 6, the name escapes me as I'm back on iOS 5.1.1. Personally, the last decent thing they brought out in an iOS update was iMessage.

I must admit, I do love my MBP, it's a little powerhouse and the OS is really nice to use on a laptop. Kind of wishing I had something with a better GOU though but then the price increases a fair amount.
 
Man of Honour
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In saying that, this is what I would like to see:

Google maps
Ability to remove Apple apps I don't use from the homescreen
Bigger screen (4.3" ish)
Ability to customise background more, like HTC Sense
Ability to sync to Google and iCloud at the same time

Just from the top of my head.
 
Soldato
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Scotland
Apple's design philosophy has always been to release a product and then improve it gradually over time. It's nothing new or surprising, it's just that uninformed tech writers and analysts who are new to Apple watching don't seem to grasp this yet so keep churning out nonsense articles.
 
Soldato
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I'm in the same boat. I'am waiting for my Pre-order of the iPhone 5 but I feel it may be the last iPhone I will buy. Apple have always innovated they may not have had the best hardware but they still managed to offer what the other's couldn't when it came to the software and usability of the iPhone even making their inferior hardware perform better due to their software. Now they just seem to be playing catch-up hardware wise and if that's the case I may as-well go for the best hardware phone available over the iPhone. Not to sound nostalgic and I don't know much about how he worked within the organisation but are they missing the inventiveness of Steve Jobs?
 
Permabanned
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If all people cared about was hardware specs for swinging dicks, Apple has never been good. The iPhone is a part of an eco system that just works. In terms of hardware specs YACA (yet another car analogy), what Apple does is no different to what BMW does. It's just another M3. But it's a little bit better. If all you care about is what's under the bonnet, go use something else so you can scream POWWWWAHHH when you're sending a text.
 
Soldato
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I have an Ipad 2 and a 4S but I can't see the point getting the 5. When I went from the 3GS to the 4S it was a lot better in many ways. Speed, screen and camera mainly but the differences from the 4S to the 5 seem less. Less important certainly because the 4S still has a really good screen and camera and is still fast. I will probably get an Android phone for my upgrade in December.

It's starting to remind me of the Commodore Amiga 500 (not the first Amiga, I know). At one point, it seemed that everyone either had an Amiga or wanted one and eveything else was compared to it and people from all walks of life used them. Then they replaced it with the A500+ which was a no more powerful and didn't do anything new, only bring compatibility problems with its Workbench 2. Then there was the A600 and A1200. The A600 was again, no more powerful and brought even more compatibility problems. the A1200 was more powerful but, with the exception of a handfull of games/programs, could only run A500 games but with all the compatibility problems of the A500+ and the A600 and some more of its own! then just when the world was screaming out for a CD-based 32-bit (buzz word at the time) gaming platform, Commodore released the CD-32. It was ......an Amiga! with a CD drive! and more compatibility problems. Then some TV company from Japan released the Playstation and that was that.
 
Soldato
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I kinda agree with the OP. I own quite a bit of apple gear but for the first time ever, decided not to get the new iPhone and instead look at an Android based S3 two weeks ago. I am quite happy with the decision too and the S3 is quite a good unit.

I too feel that Apple have dropped the ball lately. Whilst the iPhone 5 is a superb bit of kit from a hardware pov, I feel that it is held back by iOS. Just how long does it take to bring some decent functionality to a barren lockscreen? The present notification system is absolutely useless.

There is a LOT that can be done, that hasn't been done and it makes me ponder as to what Scott Forstall and his team are upto for the next major iOS update. iOS is where major improvements are needed imo.
 
Associate
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Apple's design philosophy has always been to release a product and then improve it gradually over time. It's nothing new or surprising, it's just that uninformed tech writers and analysts who are new to Apple watching don't seem to grasp this yet so keep churning out nonsense articles.

You just described every major company releasing products.

Not really sure what your point here is, are you saying that it's OK for them to release questionable hardware/software because they're going to improve it over time and it's only the uninformed that criticise them for it? If so that's quite naive and it doesn't matter what company you're talking about.
 
Associate
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I get what the OP is saying I just don't understand why it's suddenly the "in thing" to direct such comments at the iPhone?

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Soldato
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^^ pretty much the general problem with most things, there's no new "big step" that we are all expecting and it could be a while before we see another.

The other classic ones are AMD64 from the old netburst stuff and then on to core2 again, that was an epic step in computing, one that has me dishing out core2 stuff to everyone who "just needs a computer".

Apple are lacking innovation because they have pushed it pretty far in most area's already. The ultrabook has been something they have done for years with the air and the retna pro is pretty much the mega-ultrabook.

Similar things with the imac being the standard for the all in one pc and the mini being the ultimate mini pc. There isn't much further they can be pushed just now. Could do another spec update for us though!

All smart phones are currently in the same boat, the iphone 4/4s are pretty much how far they could take it without getting bigger, which the 5 has done. But just about every company either goes bigger or can't really innovate without pretending they have.
 
Soldato
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This is something they could feasibly do with iOS to make it somewhat closer to the live tiles which everyone seems to be buzzing about.


wow, that's really, really awful.

The app icon is a very important visual cue when looking for something.

If they have to go down the "widgets/live icons" route (because everyone else is doing it, not because it's particularly good from a UX point of view) I'd rather they keep it in the notifications centre, or have a zeitgeist of what's happening "now" on the lock screen.
 
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