This September—though we’re not really sure exactly when—Apple will release its latest edition of their iPhone.
My reaction?
When the first iPhone launched in 2007, it turned the cellphone marketplace on its head; Steve Jobs promised that this product would “reinvent the phone,” and it did—for a while, at least.
The large, flat touch screen with only one physical button. The integration with iTunes and the overall media capabilities. The fact that you were basically carrying a computer in your pocket. We had never seen anything like it, and we loved it.
In the seven years since, as we’ve moved from the iPhone 3S to 4S to 5S (all of which cost in the ballpark of $600), the novelty is wearing off. While each version has featured various improvements to various aspects of the device, it is ultimately still the same iPhone.
Not only that, but these improvements generally already exist in another phone that’s on the market. So, while the rumor mill may be churning, what I’m hearing isn’t anything to shout about. Large screen? Been there. Scratch-proof design? Done that.
It’s not that I dislike iPhones—our company provides every employee with one when they come aboard. The operating system is solid, the security is thoughtful, and for quite some Apple dominated the app scene in a big way.
My issue is that I couldn’t even make it through that praise without using the past tense.
Far and away, Samsung has had incredible success in answering the demands of the market. You can choose a waterproof model if you don’t want to worry about burying your phone in rice and crossing your fingers. You can choose a 7-inch screen if you like watching movies in that special little nook of your bed. Or you can choose the “rugged” variety if you like brawling with grizzly bears or whatever.
Consumers love having options. Period. And somewhere along the line Apple has lost sight of this.
Now, I’m not surprised when I walk through the Dubai International Airport to see a nearly vacant Apple store and a Samsung store that is swarming with customers. I will be equally as unfazed if the iPhone 6 launch is met with a less-than-stellar showing (relatively speaking, of course).
Sorry, Apple, but the iPhone isn’t reinventing anything these days. Instead, it’s shuffling its way down the paths Samsung and other providers have already tread.
But don’t worry too much—I hear parents really dig it.
Update 9/10/14: Yeah, big deal.