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AllThingsD Confirms Apple Will Release a Gold iPhone
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How is it tacky? Was it tacky when Steve Jobs introduced a white iPhone 4? "Innovation" isn't just adding a kitchen sink of features or making mega screens like Samsung. The way I see it, in the second Steve Jobs era, we had the following significant innovations:
- Original iMac
- Original iPod
- iTunes Music Store
- Time Capsule (I list this since it made backups ridiculously easy)
- iPhone
- MacBook Air
- App Store
- iPad
Most of the rest of Apple's product and service lines were incremental updates to one of the above. This was under arguably a once-in-a-lifetime genius. It's been 3 years since the iPad and while it is getting time for a new game changer, Tim Cook has promised a lot of new products over the next year. If in 12 months we don't see something new it may be time to start worrying about Apple coasting, but even without a "game changer" we've seen steady improvement in Apple's product line. The Retina MacBook Pros were a year ahead of Windows equivalents. The iPad Mini has been a success (and something that Steve Jobs apparently resisted). The Mac Pro looks promising, as well.
Kwill
macrumors 68000
I will go for it. I am utterly tired of seeing zillions of black and white iphones already. This is at least different.
1). I'm pretty sure the majority of posters are males aged 14-25. You are NOT the target market for this phone (if the rumors are true). And frankly, most young men have absolutely no fashion sense. I'm sure some of you do but most do not. All you hear is 'gold' and you immediately think 'rapper' with a golden grill.
2). While it may be true that it sells well in some other cultures (i.e., China, the ME, etc) I assure you that plenty of women here in the States will also buy it. Don't believe me? Just take a look at the cases a lot of women put on their phones, bright flowered, rhinestones, even Hello Kitty! Nope, it will sell, and most likely a bunch.
3). There is nothing 'tacky' about gold by itself. It's all in how it's displayed. And I'm very sure it will be an understated champagne rather than a glaring gold. But either way, there are plenty of folks who like to distinguish themselves via their accessories.
I'm curious why so many Apple fans are so against choice. It seems to be an on-going theme around here. If you personally don't like/want/need something why all the hostility towards those who do?
Sheesh, grow up folks. It's a phone. Not the downfall of civilization or even Apple (even though it seems some who post here think those are the same thing).
2). While it may be true that it sells well in some other cultures (i.e., China, the ME, etc) I assure you that plenty of women here in the States will also buy it. Don't believe me? Just take a look at the cases a lot of women put on their phones, bright flowered, rhinestones, even Hello Kitty! Nope, it will sell, and most likely a bunch.
3). There is nothing 'tacky' about gold by itself. It's all in how it's displayed. And I'm very sure it will be an understated champagne rather than a glaring gold. But either way, there are plenty of folks who like to distinguish themselves via their accessories.
I'm curious why so many Apple fans are so against choice. It seems to be an on-going theme around here. If you personally don't like/want/need something why all the hostility towards those who do?
Sheesh, grow up folks. It's a phone. Not the downfall of civilization or even Apple (even though it seems some who post here think those are the same thing).
Rogifan
macrumors Penryn
Um, isn't that what the competition is doing - different sizes, colors and internal updates? Samsung just released a 6.3" Galaxy Mega. What exactly is the competition doing that is so fantastic? Allowing you to custom design your phone case? If Apple did that people here would be calling it a gimmick and complaining it's not innovation. 🙄
Are you referring to the same competition that all the fanboys on here constantly blast for being mediocre? So let me get this straight... Apple's lack of creativity is justified because it's similar to the lack of creativity produced by the other guy? Riiiiiight. Yeah, let's just see how long that lasts. If you can't beat em, join em... ain't that right, Rogifan? 🙄
You really didn't say anything that argues my point. Instead you pointed out how amazing Apple was in the Steve Jobs era, and then outlined the subtle aesthetic changes that have occurred since. The exception to this is the retina line of Macbooks, which I'm currently using, and is the best computer I've ever used in my life I might add. HOWEVER, this is still an aesthetic that all computer and display manufacturers are heading towards. The functionality of said products are not changing, and it's a mighty worrisome prospect, and the pundits agree. I am confident that the current functionality will get Apple through the next few years. But in my opinion, they had better start focusing on things other than crappy looking aesthetics.... seriously, you won't be remembered for a Mac Pro that looks like a Sharper Image garbage can, or a cheesy gold iPhone, or an IOS / OSX interface paint job that bites heavily off of Windows 8.
anshuvorty
macrumors 68040
I think it is about time Apple starts to open the coffers up to more customization and diversity in their product lines. The original iPod was released only for Mac, then it was later compatible with Windows (no one complained then). The iPhone 4 was released in White (no one complained then, some even welcomed it). This is just the next natural step. Looking forward to the 10th.
Rogifan
macrumors Penryn
So you're admitting the competition isn't bringing out revolutionary products?
sniffies
macrumors 603
I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to. All I was trying to say is that I associate the gold color with black people. It's not necessarily a bad thing.
Peace
Zellio
macrumors 65816
People like you is why jokes can't be told anymore. Get your panties out of a twist!
I'm sure Admiral General Aladeen would still not like it. Because he wants it more Pointy! So that it will not become laughing stock of Android users. 😀
I shake my head for two reasons:
1) Since Apple is too lazy to innovate anymore, merely putting a crappy specs bump, not a single design change. You couldn't tell the difference between a 5 or a 5s besides a goddam double LED flash.
So they decide to go the easy route and add some gold 🙄🙄
2) The fact that this will sell very well due to the east asia's "status" phone + also the girls will flock over this thing.
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TLDR: Wait for Sony Honami for any real technological innovation. Iphone 5S for you status whores who buy apple just to fit in with the crowd and seem "cool".
1) Since Apple is too lazy to innovate anymore, merely putting a crappy specs bump, not a single design change. You couldn't tell the difference between a 5 or a 5s besides a goddam double LED flash.
So they decide to go the easy route and add some gold 🙄🙄
2) The fact that this will sell very well due to the east asia's "status" phone + also the girls will flock over this thing.
------------------
TLDR: Wait for Sony Honami for any real technological innovation. Iphone 5S for you status whores who buy apple just to fit in with the crowd and seem "cool".
And funny, that is what apple seems to be doing with the gold option and the 5C, yet people on here complain.
My point is that even in the Jobs era, which is widely regarded as insanely innovative, there were but a handful of true innovations, once every 2 years or so, on average. Cook has been CEO for about 2 years now, and its de facto leader for about 3 years. He's not Steve Jobs. No one else could possibly be. Will the rate of innovation slow a bit? Probably. Does that mean that Apple can no longer innovate? Hardly. Even under John Sculley Apple continued to innovate (e.g. Mac Portable, PowerBook - first notebook with the built-in palm rest, even the Newton). It didn't really hit the doldrums until Spindler and Amelio.
Apple under Cook is in better position than Apple under Sculley. First off, Jobs hand-picked Cook. He also picked most of the executive team that remains there (e.g. Ive, Schiller, Cue). Looking back at my list, Apple went long periods of time even in the Jobs era between "innovations." MacBook Air to iPad was 2 full years. And the original MacBook Air was widely mocked even among hard core Apple fans. I remember the withering criticism on the Macworld forums from people essentially calling MacBook Air buyers like me idiots for spending so much on a Mac that didn't even have an Ethernet port or DVD drive.
I suspect that Apple has quite a bit in the works. If we consider only hardware, then the length of time between the iPod and the iPhone was nearly 6 years. Right now we're right around 3.5 years since the original iPad. If the rumors are correct we'll see a watch soon, and maybe a TV-related product. Don't worry that Samsung has a watch coming next month. Remember, Apple wasn't the first to release a smartphone, either (far from it, actually, since Nokia had smartphones in the 1990s, and even Sony Ericsson had the P800 in 2002). Apple was the first to get it right. That's innovation in itself.
What Apple lacks is a CEO who doesn't come across as one. Cook is a much more typical CEO, albeit one who is renowned for his operational abilities. I've said since 2011 that one person won't replace Steve Jobs. Instead, different members of the executive team will fill different parts of the role.
Haha. I'm sorry but NFC is not an URGENT thing that customers want. Sure, it WILL be used in the future, but there are not many places where NFC is practical..... YET. (as it stands now, most places use credit cards and not NFC for example). You don't see many stores replacing credit card machines. Just an example as to why apple hasn't added it yet.
I wasn't talking about all of the features of NFC - I was clearly talking about file sharing of NFC vs. Airdrop.
I do know what I am talking about, so don't talk down to me, sir.
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I have NEVER been to a store that uses NFC for payments. Hence, the reason that apple hasn't added it to their phones yet. See the logic?... Probably not.
And what, exactly, was the difference between the iPhone 4 and 4S, both of which were designed in the Jobs era? The 4S fixed the antenna, had a faster processor, and added Siri.
As for gold, how is that different from the iPhone 4 adding white? Again, Steve Jobs did that.
It's an "S" update year for the iPhone. People wanting a larger screen, NFC, or some more radical update will need to wait until 2014. Heck, even Samsung, which somehow has taken up the mantle of "chief innovator" in the mobile space released a Galaxy S4 that's mostly the same as the S3 with a few software gimmicks. Their latest "innovation" is just calling a mini tablet with a 6.3" screen a phone.
Real game changers don't happen overnight. Tim Cook has promised a whole slew of new products in 2014. If at the end of next year we don't have a game changer, it may be time to be concerned, but for now Apple is pretty much playing by the same book it did under Steve Jobs: introduce a game-changer, and refine it for a few years while the next game changer is being developed.
iMcLovin
macrumors 68000
I´m so happy they are making a gold version. Because, iOS7 definately looks better on a white iphone, the new UI is very bright....Even apple knows that, using the white in almost every marketing image that present iOS7. ANd since my wife has the white iphone 5, I need something that looks slightly different. Almost as if Apple listened to my serious needs. 🙂
Giuly
macrumors 68040
