How often should Apple introduce a new iPhone?

thermal · Dec 23, 2012, 09:30 PM

When Apple introduced a new iPhone once per year, some complained that was far too slow in the hyper-paced smartphone world.

Then Apple introduced the iPad 4 about seven months after the iPad 3, and many bemoaned the faster pace of product introductions.

So, my question is: how often should Apple introduce a new, updated iPhone (iPad in separate discussion). Once a year as during Steve Job's era? Twice a year to remain competitive with Android's hyper pace? Some other figure?

darster · Dec 23, 2012, 09:33 PM

Every other week, on Tuesdays, unless a holiday.

SnowLeopard OSX · Dec 23, 2012, 09:38 PM

Less frequently than once a year -- doesn't match up with two year carrier contracts.

ob81 · Dec 23, 2012, 09:40 PM

I voted less frequently. The iPhone isn't a hardware issue, it is a software issue. Give it some decent hardware and focus on the software adjustments. We have been looking at the same interface for years. Jailbreaking was thought to originally be months ahead of Apple on development. It is actually multiple years ahead of Apple as it turns out.

Marrakas · Dec 23, 2012, 09:46 PM

every 9-12 months is fine with me. Allows you to skip 1-2 generations and still have a fairly up to date phone.

newyorksole · Dec 23, 2012, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnowLeopard OSX

Less frequently than once a year -- doesn't match up with two year carrier contracts.

People have upgrades everyday...

And millions of people still don't have iPhones.

serkan · Dec 24, 2012, 12:14 AM

Think out of American market.In other markets Iphones are too expensive to buy or make a commitment to a gsm operator.In Turkey,if you want to buy and unlocked iphone you have to give : 1250 Dollars and if you want to make a commitment to a phone the total price will come up to : more than 2000 $ And secondly the phones,ipads and ipods are not coming to other countries that fast like US and we can't keep up with this race.I personally want Apple to release the phones in 2 years and we can catch up with all model easily and frequently.With those I can only keep up with the 2 models and I don't want that.

irDigital0l · Dec 24, 2012, 12:17 AM

iPhone 5S at WWDC 2013 in June.

irDigital0l · 06:14 AM

Yea, needs a redesigned UI in some form.

And no "Newsstand" or "Facebook" features.

New multitasking, notification center, photo/camera, updates for siri, etc...

Kashchei · Dec 24, 2012, 12:35 AM

Definitely more frequently than once a year now that Samsung is outselling the iPhone.

adam044 · Dec 24, 2012, 12:46 AM

There's many other topics on this. thanks for another one though!

ucfgrad93 · Dec 24, 2012, 01:33 AM

I think once a year is fine.

Leet Apple · Dec 24, 2012, 01:55 AM

18 months...the S bull needs to stop lol

irDigital0l · Dec 24, 2012, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leet Apple

18 months...the S bull needs to stop lol

Good one.

harcosparky · Dec 24, 2012, 04:42 AM

Every TWO YEARS !

When TWO YEAR COTRACT is over, you can restart with a new contract!

Or maybe better yet, get rid of contracts altogether somehow.

boy-better-know · Dec 24, 2012, 04:48 AM

I think the yearly cycle is right. People who moan about how often new products come out need to get a grip. Why should the Apple halt their progress just so you can say that you have the latest iPhone? It is the way of the world. Just be thankful that Apple don't release 50 different phones a year like all the other manufacturers.

Whilst some think ios is outdated (and I agree in part), if you are a Mac user then it is insanity to use any thing other than an iPhone. It is an absolute pleasure to have all devices seemlessly integrate.

tomjleeds · Dec 24, 2012, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irDigital0l

Yea, needs a redesigned UI in some form.

And no "Newsstand" or "Facebook" features.

New multitasking, notification center, photo/camera, updates for siri, etc...

UPDATE STUFF!!!!!!

How?

I DON'T KNOW JUST CHANGE IT SO IT DOESN'T FEEL STALE!!!!!!!!!

But what if that makes it worse?

WHO CARES IOS IS LIKE FREAKIN' PREHISTORIC MAN!!!!!!!!!

matttye · Dec 24, 2012, 05:29 AM

Yearly is good. They should carry on with what they're doing.

Breaking Good · Dec 24, 2012, 05:40 AM

From a business perspective, I don't think it is going to make much difference very soon.

Smartphone technology has almost reached the point where it is "good enough" for most people. After that they become a commodity just like laptops or toasters and it is a race to the bottom at that point.

What do you think would happen if Google's X Phone ends up as a quad-band phone that ca run on GSM, CDMA and LTE for $199?

There are only so many people who willing to pay $400 for a cell phone and then an additional $80 or more a month for cellular service.

The same thing is happening with the tablet market. Once Asus or Acer makes a decent $99 tablet running Android OS, that will be the end of that game.

Google sells services and information. They don't care what hardware you use or how often you upgrade just as long as you keep buying their services and they can keep selling your information to other companies.

Apple sells hardware. They sell services like iTines and iCloud and software like iOS and OSX so they can sell more hardware.

I believe Apple is going to move to a six-month release cycle to cash in while they can.

ChristianJapan · Dec 24, 2012, 05:49 AM

I like the 9 to 12 month rhythm. Ah, and those two-year-contracts should end or only for those who want. Free phones in a free world ! From day 1. Let the consumer decide if they want to pay full price or not.

tymaster50 · Dec 24, 2012, 05:51 AM

iOS needs a major boost, they need themes. Literally the only thing that changed about the layout is the SMS and music icon. They never know if they want it as one app for music and video or separate apps lol

yinz · Dec 24, 2012, 06:59 AM

I think most people would like things to stay the same simply because people don't like change.

Sedrick · Dec 24, 2012, 07:22 AM

The next 5 years are going to be very interesting for Apple. With their mind-set, I'm not sure where they can go with the iPhone from here. They're obviously not interested in changing the OS and I doubt they'll ever go with a larger screen. They've kind of painted themselves into a corner.

tann · Dec 24, 2012, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breaking Good

From a business perspective, I don't think it is going to make much difference very soon.

Smartphone technology has almost reached the point where it is "good enough" for most people. After that they become a commodity just like laptops or toasters and it is a race to the bottom at that point.

I agree with this! I think the current 5 is the first iPhone that I think will exceed 2 years of use for most people (if they want it to). It has everything, LTE, good battery, super fast.

onthecouchagain · Dec 24, 2012, 07:49 AM

The slow game is going to bite them in the nippers. Given the fast-rising competition, might not hurt Apple to change gears.

I, for one, welcome our new 6-month cycle overlords. It would make the S-version of iPhones more tolerable, too.

View Poll Results: How often should a new iPhone be introduced?
Twice a year (every six months)	31	17.61%
About every nine months	20	11.36%
Once per year	104	59.09%
About every 18 months	21	11.93%
Voters: 176. You may not vote on this poll

Dec 23, 2012, 09:30 PM	#1
thermal macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2009	How often should Apple introduce a new iPhone? When Apple introduced a new iPhone once per year, some complained that was far too slow in the hyper-paced smartphone world. Then Apple introduced the iPad 4 about seven months after the iPad 3, and many bemoaned the faster pace of product introductions. So, my question is: how often should Apple introduce a new, updated iPhone (iPad in separate discussion). Once a year as during Steve Job's era? Twice a year to remain competitive with Android's hyper pace? Some other figure?
	1

Dec 23, 2012, 09:33 PM	#2
darster macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2011	Every other week, on Tuesdays, unless a holiday.
	10

Dec 23, 2012, 09:38 PM	#3
SnowLeopard OSX macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Southern California	Less frequently than once a year -- doesn't match up with two year carrier contracts. __________________ iPad 4th gen Black/ 32GB/ iOS 6.1.3 iMac G4 1.0 GHz/ 1.25 GHz PPCG4 (7445) iPod \|Classic Black/ 80GB\|U2 edition 20GB iPhone \|4S White/16GB/ iOS 6.1.3\|3G White/16GB iOS 4.2.1
	2

Dec 23, 2012, 09:40 PM	#4
ob81 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Virginia Beach	I voted less frequently. The iPhone isn't a hardware issue, it is a software issue. Give it some decent hardware and focus on the software adjustments. We have been looking at the same interface for years. Jailbreaking was thought to originally be months ahead of Apple on development. It is actually multiple years ahead of Apple as it turns out. __________________ iMac 27" '09\| 15" rMBP 2.3ghz 16gb \| iPhone 5 \| iPad mini \| www.twitter.com/ob81
	4

Dec 23, 2012, 09:46 PM	#5
Marrakas macrumors regular Join Date: May 2012	every 9-12 months is fine with me. Allows you to skip 1-2 generations and still have a fairly up to date phone.
	6

Dec 24, 2012, 12:14 AM	#7
serkan macrumors regular Join Date: May 2012 Location: Turkey	Think out of American market.In other markets Iphones are too expensive to buy or make a commitment to a gsm operator.In Turkey,if you want to buy and unlocked iphone you have to give : 1250 Dollars and if you want to make a commitment to a phone the total price will come up to : more than 2000 $ And secondly the phones,ipads and ipods are not coming to other countries that fast like US and we can't keep up with this race.I personally want Apple to release the phones in 2 years and we can catch up with all model easily and frequently.With those I can only keep up with the 2 models and I don't want that.
	0

Dec 24, 2012, 12:17 AM	#8
irDigital0l macrumors 68020 Join Date: Dec 2010	iPhone 5S at WWDC 2013 in June.
	2

Dec 24, 2012, 12:30 AM	#9
irDigital0l macrumors 68020 Join Date: Dec 2010	Yea, needs a redesigned UI in some form. And no "Newsstand" or "Facebook" features. New multitasking, notification center, photo/camera, updates for siri, etc... Last edited by maflynn; Dec 24, 2012 at 06:14 AM.
	0

Dec 24, 2012, 12:35 AM	#10
Kashchei macrumors 65816 Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Meat Space	Definitely more frequently than once a year now that Samsung is outselling the iPhone. __________________ The Commonwealth Requires the Education of the People as the Safeguard of Order and Liberty
	2

Dec 24, 2012, 12:46 AM	#11
adam044 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Boston	There's many other topics on this. thanks for another one though!
	0

Dec 24, 2012, 01:33 AM	#12
ucfgrad93 macrumors G4 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Colorado	I think once a year is fine.
	0

Dec 24, 2012, 01:55 AM	#13
Leet Apple macrumors 6502a Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Canada	18 months...the S bull needs to stop lol __________________ MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz 15.4" White iPhone 4S 16GB
	4

Dec 24, 2012, 04:42 AM	#15
harcosparky macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jan 2008	Every TWO YEARS ! When TWO YEAR COTRACT is over, you can restart with a new contract! Or maybe better yet, get rid of contracts altogether somehow. __________________ Awwwwwww!
	2

Dec 24, 2012, 04:48 AM	#16
boy-better-know macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: England	I think the yearly cycle is right. People who moan about how often new products come out need to get a grip. Why should the Apple halt their progress just so you can say that you have the latest iPhone? It is the way of the world. Just be thankful that Apple don't release 50 different phones a year like all the other manufacturers. Whilst some think ios is outdated (and I agree in part), if you are a Mac user then it is insanity to use any thing other than an iPhone. It is an absolute pleasure to have all devices seemlessly integrate.
	1

Dec 24, 2012, 05:29 AM	#18
matttye In Time-Out Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Lincoln, England	Yearly is good. They should carry on with what they're doing.
	0

Dec 24, 2012, 05:40 AM	#19
Breaking Good macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Sep 2012	From a business perspective, I don't think it is going to make much difference very soon. Smartphone technology has almost reached the point where it is "good enough" for most people. After that they become a commodity just like laptops or toasters and it is a race to the bottom at that point. What do you think would happen if Google's X Phone ends up as a quad-band phone that ca run on GSM, CDMA and LTE for $199? There are only so many people who willing to pay $400 for a cell phone and then an additional $80 or more a month for cellular service. The same thing is happening with the tablet market. Once Asus or Acer makes a decent $99 tablet running Android OS, that will be the end of that game. Google sells services and information. They don't care what hardware you use or how often you upgrade just as long as you keep buying their services and they can keep selling your information to other companies. Apple sells hardware. They sell services like iTines and iCloud and software like iOS and OSX so they can sell more hardware. I believe Apple is going to move to a six-month release cycle to cash in while they can.
	1

Dec 24, 2012, 05:49 AM	#20
ChristianJapan macrumors 68030 Join Date: May 2010 Location: 東京	I like the 9 to 12 month rhythm. Ah, and those two-year-contracts should end or only for those who want. Free phones in a free world ! From day 1. Let the consumer decide if they want to pay full price or not. __________________ I support the MacRumors Blood Drive!
	0

Dec 24, 2012, 05:51 AM	#21
tymaster50 macrumors 68000 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: New Jersey	iOS needs a major boost, they need themes. Literally the only thing that changed about the layout is the SMS and music icon. They never know if they want it as one app for music and video or separate apps lol
	1

Dec 24, 2012, 06:59 AM	#22
yinz macrumors 6502 Join Date: Apr 2012	I think most people would like things to stay the same simply because people don't like change.
	1

Dec 24, 2012, 07:22 AM	#23
Sedrick macrumors 68020 Join Date: Nov 2010	The next 5 years are going to be very interesting for Apple. With their mind-set, I'm not sure where they can go with the iPhone from here. They're obviously not interested in changing the OS and I doubt they'll ever go with a larger screen. They've kind of painted themselves into a corner. __________________ iPod Nano, iPod Touch, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad 2
	2

Dec 24, 2012, 07:49 AM	#25
onthecouchagain macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2011	The slow game is going to bite them in the nippers. Given the fast-rising competition, might not hurt Apple to change gears. I, for one, welcome our new 6-month cycle overlords. It would make the S-version of iPhones more tolerable, too.
	4

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode