When Steve Jobs was at the helm, we knew we weren't always getting the fastest processor, or the clearest screen, or the most storage. The old PowerPC processors, quirky cube or aquarium designs, single button mice, I could go on and on--were all never quite the best or most practical options available. And by golly apple products have always been expensive, more expensive than their competitors. Even though we knew we weren't always getting the top specs in the product, gosh darnit Jobs definitely made sure that we felt GOOD about what we were buying. We felt good because we knew that they obsessed over every single screw, every single circuit, and every single component that went into the product to deliver us the best possible overall user experience that they could. We could see and feel the passion that went into the design, and sure we paid more, but we wanted to be a part of that culture. We wanted to be part of something different, something great. We wanted to believe.
It's hard to look at what Apple is doing now and say that they evoke those same emotions. Sure, maybe the camera in the iphone is technologically amazing and can mimic a fast DSLR lens's bokeh, and yes the new lightness/thinness of the macbook pro is an engineering marvel. But at the same time, aren't we all a little tired of Cook bumbling around on stage saying that "X" product is "the best X we've ever made"?
What surprises me is that now Microsoft, the card-carrying lifetime member of "the most boring companies ever", seems to have taken some of Apple's mojo. We've all seen and been amazed by the new Surface Studio ad, as well as other ads such as the one simply explaining why they chose Alcantara to line their keyboards with. We can FEEL the product through the ad. We can feel how they labored over the design of the hinge of the Studio, how they worked with graphic designers on the design of their scroll wheel, and how they must have sampled thousands of materials before choosing alcantara. What has Apple shown us? Today, we saw that we not only get a price spike that was offhandedly thrown in at the end of the presentation, but we also got a parade of non-professional people trying to tell us how amazing the OLED toolbar is while they imprecisely fumbled through controls trying to sell us on something they hardly looked like they believed in themselves. No disrespect to the "DJ of 20 years", but frankly that display of Dj'ing was more cringey than watching Steve Harvey hand out the title of Miss Universe.
Apple, you're one of the biggest companies in the world because your customer base is loyal, and believe in your products. But if you make us feel like we are just a means to meet your quarterly financial bottom line, then I don't see our relationship lasting very much longer.
Sincerely,
Just an Apple fan since the IIe.
It's hard to look at what Apple is doing now and say that they evoke those same emotions. Sure, maybe the camera in the iphone is technologically amazing and can mimic a fast DSLR lens's bokeh, and yes the new lightness/thinness of the macbook pro is an engineering marvel. But at the same time, aren't we all a little tired of Cook bumbling around on stage saying that "X" product is "the best X we've ever made"?
What surprises me is that now Microsoft, the card-carrying lifetime member of "the most boring companies ever", seems to have taken some of Apple's mojo. We've all seen and been amazed by the new Surface Studio ad, as well as other ads such as the one simply explaining why they chose Alcantara to line their keyboards with. We can FEEL the product through the ad. We can feel how they labored over the design of the hinge of the Studio, how they worked with graphic designers on the design of their scroll wheel, and how they must have sampled thousands of materials before choosing alcantara. What has Apple shown us? Today, we saw that we not only get a price spike that was offhandedly thrown in at the end of the presentation, but we also got a parade of non-professional people trying to tell us how amazing the OLED toolbar is while they imprecisely fumbled through controls trying to sell us on something they hardly looked like they believed in themselves. No disrespect to the "DJ of 20 years", but frankly that display of Dj'ing was more cringey than watching Steve Harvey hand out the title of Miss Universe.
Apple, you're one of the biggest companies in the world because your customer base is loyal, and believe in your products. But if you make us feel like we are just a means to meet your quarterly financial bottom line, then I don't see our relationship lasting very much longer.
Sincerely,
Just an Apple fan since the IIe.
