Welcome to the "give it to me NOW" generation where apparently innovation should be immediate and people get bored and sick of products before they're even out. So sad.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Board of Directors 'Concerned' About the Speed of Innovation?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Welcome to the "give it to me NOW" generation where apparently innovation should be immediate and people get bored and sick of products before they're even out. So sad.
Those things aren't innovation. Those are updates.
----------
So, you mean the boomers, right? From what I've seen my generation (their children) don't care because we're too broke to even buy this new crap.
How did Google "innovate" on Maps when maps have been around for 600 years?
And thank you for making my point. Google makes their money selling your information; they're a marketing company, not a technology company.
World: "Apple please come up with something new, something great, something everyone will want"
Apple: "Want a watch, or an XBMC clone..uh...I mean Apple TV?"
(As a CEO currently sitting on an Armchair I hereby take that title)
That's unfair. XBMC is way better than Apple TV
In fact jailbreaking the ATV and putting XBMC on it is one of the first things many customers do.First, I think the rumor is a farce.
Second, it needs to be interpreted:
"Board Of Directors" means "Competition".
If Apple doesn't innovate, then there is nothing new coming for ANY manufacturer. Apple is the design and innovation arm of the entire industry. Period.
Second, it needs to be interpreted:
"Board Of Directors" means "Competition".
If Apple doesn't innovate, then there is nothing new coming for ANY manufacturer. Apple is the design and innovation arm of the entire industry. Period.
You are the perfect example because is hard to "innovate", you describe new awesome tech like Hamswell and Mavericks as normal, you take only a little part of the new things they bring and mark them as normal. Mavericks is incredible, the new CPU are incredible fast and power efficient. Apple ecosystem is unmatched, iPhone 5 after 1 year it is still the best overall smartphone ever...
Probably you expect Apple to invent "infinite battery" or "anti gravity iPad"... Ten yes they are not innovating right now.
I believe your second statement is a farce - there are better designs and technologies out there than what Apple puts out. If people can look beyond the logos they will have the best of all.
That's unfair. XBMC is way better than Apple TV
I don't know a single user with it installed, and about 10 friends have an AppleTV. Maybe in your nerd dreams.
You are a perfect example of Fanboyism; Mavericks is a revolutionary update - Finder with tabs (OMG thats some innovation going on there). The new CPU is from Intel - not exclusively to Apple,
I won't even bother about the iPhone 5/iOS6 being the best phone by today's standards.
You can't just gather all the main guys at apple and say "ok, we're not leaving this room until we come up with a groundbreaking new product". That's not how innovation works, and when you try to force it like that, you end up with a lackluster product. Unfortunately there isn't much more to add on the mobile phone or tablet front, as apple, Samsung, and many others have recently discovered, and the "next big thing" may not be on the horizon just yet. A tv set from apple wouldn't be much more than a smart tv with the guts of the current apple tv box inside it, so that's not the answer. The iWatch? It's not something that doesn't currently exist in some capacity and it would be a niche product at best.
I'm sure the creative heads at apple are up to something promising, but we may not see the fruits of their labour for a little while still.
I'm sure the creative heads at apple are up to something promising, but we may not see the fruits of their labour for a little while still.
Thats probably the only reason why the ATV still sells - if you are willing to overspent on your precious Apple eco-system be my guest - others will find solutions to make the use of best technologies around.
btw: your website sucks
I agree, it will not be easy to come up with new areas - Apple is also looking into the automotive to add their magic to car audio/phone/gps technologies.
well Apple has already stated they have new things coming this fall and throughout 2014. granted, they are probably behind where they should be, but hopefully their stuff isn't too late.
i personally think the smaller screen on the iPhone compared to other phones is holding the iPhone back, especially outside the US. and maybe the concern is there won't be a bigger iPhone until late next year
i personally think the smaller screen on the iPhone compared to other phones is holding the iPhone back, especially outside the US. and maybe the concern is there won't be a bigger iPhone until late next year
I don't know. Didn't they came up with with the U.S. Constitution in 18 hours of doing just that? In the locked room with no windows and no potty break at that.
I'm not picking on you, just using your comment as an example.
Notice how it's never Apples fault, it's always something or someone else's fault. It's this kind of excuse making for Apple that endures year after year and keeps selling Apple products even when there are better choices. Apple is very lucky to have had Steve Jobs to create this kind of mentality and embed it in the minds of millions.
What an amazing legacy.
Putting more processors into a device is not innovation. That's going to get copied or surpassed in a short amount of time. Innovation in my book has to be something more than that.[/QUOTE]
It meight be not innovation, but a better technology, which apple cant do, cause they aren't able todo. Iphone die already...
*It is worthy to note that below are not my personal feelings on the company, but reasons for this issue. I do believe that Tim is telling the truth about the "Army of New Products", and any of products that launch in new markets won't be seen until 2014...we just need to be patient.*
Here is why Apple is in this situation, and why people feel they are not innovating lately:
(1) Fall Release Schedule: having most of their products stacked into the end of the year, as opposed to the every few months from the 2007-2011 era is a big factor. Apple isn't getting press for new stuff as often.
(2) No Large Screen iPhone: Say what you want, but investors and consumers have been wanting and expecting it since the iPhone 4S. All rumors back then pointed to the Teardrop phone that never materialized, and then Apple went tall. Again, not debating if a larger phone makes sense, but I can tell you that half of my family is waiting out for a larger iPhone, and wont buy the 5 or 5S because they feel that isn't enough. Many people feel the same. The 5S is selling fine because of Apple's ecosystem, but many people want a larger phone.
(3) Mac Decline: Part of this is the PC industry shrinking, however another part is that Apple has neglected the Mac the past few years, mostly on the Pro and Software side. Final Cut Pro X was badly mishandled, iWork hasn't been updated since 2009, Aperture is badly overdue, Logic was until recently, Lion/Mountain Lion were largely focused on iOS integration rather than desktop features and more. Add this to the fact that pro market is not happy, largely with the years between the Mac Pro, the dropping the 17" Macbook pro, and the outdated Retina Macbook Pro's. Definitely a lot of sales waiting to happen in this space. People in general haven't needed to update computers as often either, largely because performance has peaked and most general software doesn't need the latest and greatest in hardware.
(4) Apple TV: Apple TV's still do not have an App Store. I love mine, have many, and have had them since the beginning. Apple's "hobby" is still in the back seat, but they need to get this in gear. And that doesn't mean they have to build a TV set. The potential for this product is huge if they focused the right energy on it. Part of this delay has been the studio's lack of dealings with Apple, so Apple seems to simply be holding off until they can do everything at once. Having that Steve Jobs quote in the Autobiography toward the end of his life about "finally cracking the TV" didn't help this matter, and probably pushed expectations out long before Apple was ready to release it.
(5) Impatience: People forget that innovative products don't happen every year. People are so eager to see what Tim will do without Jobs that they forget there it took three years between the iPhone and iPad to come out (and they are largely the same device). Also, anything that comes out still for the next two years likely had a lot of Steve Jobs influence, including the overall roadmap and release schedule. The only thing that we have seen that he had nothing to do with was the design of iOS 7. That was purely Ive, and on this one it seems Jobs actually liked the Schuemorphism.
(6) iOS 5 & 6: These updates, largely the maps debacle, hurt the company. Most did not see them as pushing forward and instead of just playing catchup with Android, and in some cases still haven't (hence features like "Control Center" finally coming in iOS 7). Siri was also a big letdown after the initial fun people had with it.
(7) iPad 3/4: Having the Retina display was huge, but many people (myself included...have the 3, no need for me to upgrade to the 4), are waiting out a redesign. Sales of iPads have dropped lately, and this should change once the new one is released in September. Many iPad 3 customers likely didn't upgrade to the 4 because the features and design was too similar. People in general seem to hold onto their iPads longer than their phones.
Here is why Apple is in this situation, and why people feel they are not innovating lately:
(1) Fall Release Schedule: having most of their products stacked into the end of the year, as opposed to the every few months from the 2007-2011 era is a big factor. Apple isn't getting press for new stuff as often.
(2) No Large Screen iPhone: Say what you want, but investors and consumers have been wanting and expecting it since the iPhone 4S. All rumors back then pointed to the Teardrop phone that never materialized, and then Apple went tall. Again, not debating if a larger phone makes sense, but I can tell you that half of my family is waiting out for a larger iPhone, and wont buy the 5 or 5S because they feel that isn't enough. Many people feel the same. The 5S is selling fine because of Apple's ecosystem, but many people want a larger phone.
(3) Mac Decline: Part of this is the PC industry shrinking, however another part is that Apple has neglected the Mac the past few years, mostly on the Pro and Software side. Final Cut Pro X was badly mishandled, iWork hasn't been updated since 2009, Aperture is badly overdue, Logic was until recently, Lion/Mountain Lion were largely focused on iOS integration rather than desktop features and more. Add this to the fact that pro market is not happy, largely with the years between the Mac Pro, the dropping the 17" Macbook pro, and the outdated Retina Macbook Pro's. Definitely a lot of sales waiting to happen in this space. People in general haven't needed to update computers as often either, largely because performance has peaked and most general software doesn't need the latest and greatest in hardware.
(4) Apple TV: Apple TV's still do not have an App Store. I love mine, have many, and have had them since the beginning. Apple's "hobby" is still in the back seat, but they need to get this in gear. And that doesn't mean they have to build a TV set. The potential for this product is huge if they focused the right energy on it. Part of this delay has been the studio's lack of dealings with Apple, so Apple seems to simply be holding off until they can do everything at once. Having that Steve Jobs quote in the Autobiography toward the end of his life about "finally cracking the TV" didn't help this matter, and probably pushed expectations out long before Apple was ready to release it.
(5) Impatience: People forget that innovative products don't happen every year. People are so eager to see what Tim will do without Jobs that they forget there it took three years between the iPhone and iPad to come out (and they are largely the same device). Also, anything that comes out still for the next two years likely had a lot of Steve Jobs influence, including the overall roadmap and release schedule. The only thing that we have seen that he had nothing to do with was the design of iOS 7. That was purely Ive, and on this one it seems Jobs actually liked the Schuemorphism.
(6) iOS 5 & 6: These updates, largely the maps debacle, hurt the company. Most did not see them as pushing forward and instead of just playing catchup with Android, and in some cases still haven't (hence features like "Control Center" finally coming in iOS 7). Siri was also a big letdown after the initial fun people had with it.
(7) iPad 3/4: Having the Retina display was huge, but many people (myself included...have the 3, no need for me to upgrade to the 4), are waiting out a redesign. Sales of iPads have dropped lately, and this should change once the new one is released in September. Many iPad 3 customers likely didn't upgrade to the 4 because the features and design was too similar. People in general seem to hold onto their iPads longer than their phones.
Last edited:
Geez you can't just tell someone to innovate and then they make something new next week for everyone. In sure Apples cupboards are full of prototypes that didn't get off the ground.
Having said that, Tim is a businessman that responds to the design and ideas of others. Steve responded and added and dreamed his own stuff up. They can't expect Tim to be like Steve.
Having said that, Tim is a businessman that responds to the design and ideas of others. Steve responded and added and dreamed his own stuff up. They can't expect Tim to be like Steve.
Competition
The Nexus 7 is getting good reviews and has forced a Retina iPad mini update. Android itself is getting "good enough" and Google is starting to take a more active role which will make the platform stronger.
They still haven't cracked online in any meaningful way. And forget about social.
Incremental innovation
The move to subscription music pricing is something Apple is missing the boat on - I went Spotify and just can't even imagine going back to buying music.
They spent too long treating AppleTV as a hobby and are about to have their legs cut out from under them by Google, and even if it doesn't, they basically have stiff competition in a low-margin area.
Transformational innovation
Google Glass is at least an attempt at changing the computing paradigm. Leap is also doing interesting things. Amazon has Liquavista displays in the wings which will change tablet computing again potentially.
So there is a mix of competitors catching up, incremental innovation going on, and transformational stuff waiting in the wings and Apple doesn't seem to be positioned against any of it. If I was the Board, I'd be worried too. They have enormous goodwill built up that could get them through for a bit, but they have been sitting on massive capital while having obvious areas of weakness that suggests willful blindness.