The cheaper smaller PCs I referred to was known as Eee PCs it was a sub size laptop fad of 2008 or so that everyone said Apple absolutely must follow. They didn't, instead the iPad came, and today no one makes these sub sized laptops.
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Apple Acknowledges Consumers Want Larger and Cheaper Phones
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The cheaper smaller PCs I referred to was known as Eee PCs it was a sub size laptop fad of 2008 or so that everyone said Apple absolutely must follow. They didn't, instead the iPad came, and today no one makes these sub sized laptops.
Hmmm....... you're splitting hairs, in my opinion.
The original poster wasn't marginalizing anything. The comment was that, in their opinion, the vast majority of innovation in the Android ecosystem is not coming from Samsung.
I am inclined to agree. I would say that the vast majority of the innovation is coming from Google themselves. I'm impressed that the HTC One was able to do a metal phone like the iPhone 5/5S without it seeming "me too". I am NOT impressed with, nor do I consider innovative Samsung's proprietary "swipe gestures", their sub Siri/sub Google Now S-Voice, their Galaxy Watches, or their fingerprint swiping.. which is decidedly "me too".
With current technology of the smart phone it's hard to truly innovate, look at Samsungs S4 it had more features then anyone knew what to do with or actually used, throwing out tons of ideas to see what sticks.
One small but simple innovation IMO Apple did right was the lightning cable, no more frustrations with having to plug your phone in the middle of the night and trying to make sure it's facing the right direction. Is it a game changer? No. Did it make an old process better? Yes.
Please describe what you'd like to see innovated with current technology, look at the Desktop PC over the past 15+ years. The basic foundation is there no real innovation.. Just making it more efficient, powerful, etc. same thing is happening to the smart phone market. Until they come out with foldable displays, and other futuristic tech there's not much you're gonna see innovated hardware side.
Software side were seeing a trend going towards wearable devices and fitness... So far the Smart Watch seems like a failure. Maybe Apple will do it right everyone thought tablets were useless and just a blown up smart phone until Apple did it right.
That's the Chromebook market, which outsold all Apple notebooks by a considerable margin last year - 9.6% of all computers for Chromebooks vs. 1.8% for Apple notebooks. There's still a market. Would anyone complain if there was an 11" Macbook Air with "unapologetically plastic" case and lesser specs for $300-$400?
That's not Apple. Apple needs to be Apple, not an also ran.
If someone doesn't like it, let them get their chrome books or $100 HP and be happy.
It's a different product than the Eee PC, maybe the market is partly the same but then it also shares a lot with the iPad so the direct comparison to regular laptops isn't really fair.
Fair enough. On the flip side - their camera software and tech blows other Android OEMs away.
And the Camry outsold the BMW 3 series 4 to 1 last month. What's your point? Apple is not the Toyota of electronics nor does it seek to be. Sales volume and marketshare are two metrics of many, none of which, when isolated, tell much of an accurate story.
Google can make the case for a loss leader notebook locked to its online data mining products. Apple cannot make the case for a no-profit, low quality product.
Sure, but even Olympus and Leica make more than one format camera body. Agree, Apple needs to stick w/ making quality products, but a more diverse lineup can only help attracting new customers.
I think you are on the ball, sir.
Ppl are bashing on me for fearing that we may be beginning to see an era where apple lags in it's innovation.
What they may be failing to understand is what you said above.
The next innovation likely won't be coming from the mobile industry. Apple revolutionized it, and now that market has matured.
Which is why I'd place my bets on entirely different technologies as the new innovations/revolutions. And, what I fear is that Apple won't be at the forefront of these, like the electric and self-driving vehicles, for example...
Caught up? They caught up eons ago, Apples bigger iPhone is the catchup here, catchup to what has long been standard fare size wise. And iOS continue to catchup to Android features, long may that continue
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I agree, screen size is the fragmentation issue with iOS, but its LOW, VERY LOW, and in house, thats a huge benefit. There are 2 iPhone sizes and 2 iPad sizes now. Thats 4. Add one more for the retina Mini, this is all very low, if this doubled its still very very low. I read somewhere that Android has about 150 variants that require code changes by the manufacturer to cater for the differing hardware components.
Its a bit like OSX, how mabny device drivers does Apple need for the Mac range? How many are requirted to cater for Windows PC's?
You are comparing larger phones with being a simple 'fad' similar to sub size laptops of six years ago? Any day now everyone will start shunning the functionality and experiences afforded by larger screen sizes and demand screens return to the original small size of yesteryear? So, in your view the future is really behind us. Interesting argument.
That's often (IMHO) a sign of marketing desperation for lesser companies scrambling for what's left over once Apple has spoken. Personally I find the plethora of models from Samsung, Morotola, LG, etc. to be more confusing and off-putting, not more attractive - but I'm old. I like when a stellar company just produces The Best and makes my life easier. Apple has earned the right to be arrogant because they don't waste my precious, finite time always with the latest shiny toy - I have things to do. Plus, I don't believe Apple wants or needs to be all things to all people - just to people who want to get things done.
Considering Android is not a cell phone, I'm sure they don't have much to worry about.
In the abstract the similarities are, research shows market demand for a "different size", "cheaper" version of what we have. My point is that Apple's response my be some other "thing", that meets that demand, or no response at all. As we have seen before. What I am not saying is that Apple will or will not release a larger screen phone, if anything I say I don't know.
Well said.
I love Apple and all their products, but the statement: "Apple Acknowledges Consumers Want Larger and Cheaper iPhones" reminds me of Henry Ford's remark:
This is why they miss Steve.
Like nearly everyone else do not under stand.
I did not say drop price to the level of competitors.
I am saying drop price to follow the typical price decline as manufacturing matures.
A simplified, crude example,
A tablet used to cost $250 to make in 2010.
Today it is $150.
Competitors are dropping prices of their product but still keeping the same profit margins.
Apple still charges the same but has a bigger margins.
Anther wise, Flash memory is, what, 50% cheaper to make today then 2010, yet Apple still chargers $100 each doubling.
Ok, so it appears its one of the benefits. I know they more then break even, but thats probably due to them selling their own applications, which is often hundreds of dollars more then the average price.
Bottom line is consumers not only want choices; they demand them, and in the smartphone space they certainly have them now. Companies need YoY sales and profit growth so when a model like the 4" has peaked it's time to add a new trick to the bag.
I agree diversification can go too far and look desperate as Apple did and was with the never ending Performa line models, but having a medium and large size I don't think is a danger for the iPhone anymore than an iMac, MBA, MBP, iPad, or iPod.
No we just want prices to drop like they should have already been doing. Smartphones are not a new product and carrier subsidies have kept the pricing artificially high.
I have the girliest of hands. I am, after all, a girl. Or did you forget that females buy iphones too?