Where would Apple be financially today if the iPhone never existed? I think there's something special coming next year. After all, Tim and company needs that BAM moment when they introduce a redesigned iPhone next year after spending a few minutes going down ten years of iPhone memory lane.
1. iPhones took Apple to the next level. I can see this being a special event for Apple.
2. They do except we know the S cycles won't be as huge as redesign years.
3. So they will get 3 years out of the 6 design. If the serious redesign occurs next year, then while it seems like they skipped an S cycle, they didn't because this year is shaping up to be an S revision. The 2017 model I imagine it will be called iPhone 8 and back to the tick tock cycle.
4. Yea, but tell me when was the last time you were surprised going into a product launch not knowing pretty much everything that would be presented except for the name and pricing?
Sure, but again, Apple historically isn't a big anniversary company. The Mac only got an "anniversary edition" at #20. Apple would not even exist to make an iPhone if there never was a Mac. For about 33 years the Mac was Apple's core product with everything else being a peripheral or accessory that depended on the Mac.
Also before the iPhone saved Apple, the iPod/iTunes did, yet Apple never combined Anniversary marketing w/ the iPod, just as it never did, save the 20th anniv Mac, for the Mac. I don't see why the iPhone is going to be different than business as usually: try to put out the best iPhone possible.
Anniversary editions are pure kitsch marketing when there is no underlying product. Apple wants every model to be seen as "special," not just ones on random anniversaries.
To the other points:
1. Except for maybe the 6s, all other s years have outsold the previous non-s model, so your contention is #2 is not accurate. As for the 6s it's probable that a lot of users jumped early on the 6/6+ with the size change leaving them to skip the S this time. It doesn't mean the S will continue to be outsold by the previous non-S model though. Too soon to tell. Also the 6 was sold when many cellcos still offered a subsidized plan.
2. Could be 2017 is a reset year, but again, Kuo offers zero evidence for his rationale. He just vomits out speculation without any basis for his belief. Logically it makes no sense given the iPhone 7 needs to be seen as a blockbuster or the media view will be the iPhone has peaked. That will make an all-new 2017 model too late to "save" the iPhone. And again, if it's glass, and it's heavy, that will ruin iPhone for sure, not propel it to the next level.
3. Not sure what your point is about being "surprised." But we are just getting bits about the iPhone 7. Way too early to speculate about the model after that one. Certainly Kuo has no access to the many prototypes Apple is working on based on his previous speculation on products far out from introduction.
