Apple is doomed ? Probably not, but who cares ? Apple users are definitely doomed, though.
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Apple's Profit Downturn and Negative Customer Opinions Threaten 'Decade-Long Malaise' for Company
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Good point, and I feel the same way.
Actually, I liked Apple best when they had a tiny market share.
While agree there are a lot of people who will be negative on Apple only because it's a big target, you can't deny that under Tim Cook Apple has lost its way. They are simply not innovating and no amount of press releases or event presentations can change that fact.
Yes, they are still crazy profitable. However, it is mainly due to the iPhone, and its inevitable that another technology and competitors will dwindle its profitability over time. I love Apple's products and prefer the iCloud ecosystem due to its consistency and (so far) commitment to user privacy over Google and Amazon. But there's no denying that Apples hardware and software are no longer innovative or receive fanatical development. How many Apple products or service languish after release?
MBP sales may be a small slice of Apple's profit pie now, but the complete failure to keep pace with competitors and over hype a minor update (touch bar not withstanding) is emblematic of Apple's decline under Tim Cook. I've noticed my 12-year old son's generation is beginning to despise Apple the way many of us despised Microsoft back in the day. Not a good sign.
Yes, they are still crazy profitable. However, it is mainly due to the iPhone, and its inevitable that another technology and competitors will dwindle its profitability over time. I love Apple's products and prefer the iCloud ecosystem due to its consistency and (so far) commitment to user privacy over Google and Amazon. But there's no denying that Apples hardware and software are no longer innovative or receive fanatical development. How many Apple products or service languish after release?
MBP sales may be a small slice of Apple's profit pie now, but the complete failure to keep pace with competitors and over hype a minor update (touch bar not withstanding) is emblematic of Apple's decline under Tim Cook. I've noticed my 12-year old son's generation is beginning to despise Apple the way many of us despised Microsoft back in the day. Not a good sign.
I feel very much the same. Been a customer for 35 years but have grown increasingly frustrated and disappointed over the past few years. I don't see a lack of innovation as much as a willful dumbing down of the end user experience to the point where I no longer want to use the products. Nowhere is this more apparent than iTunes. I continue to struggle with iCloud Music Library turning itself on after I turn it off and showing me files that aren't on my machine. I'm over it. Apple used to be the UI/UX leader. Today their dumb dumb UIs are an embarrassment. Why the **** can I no longer delete files in iTunes from a smart playlist??? It's beyond frustrating dealing with the constant changing and removing of features.
Anyway, I'm over it. I'm beginning the process of moving away from the Apple ecosystem. Once I'm happily set up using other services, I'll be looking at a Surface to replace my Mac. The writing is on the wall folks. Apple doesn't care about the Mac any longer. User experience is being dumbed down and everything is about hooking customers on nickel and dime services. Sad really. The old Apple was a proud hardware company that didn't need to nickel and dime customers. Sad.
Ah, I knew this bucket of cold water would break up fanboys into two camps:
1.) Those who go out on the ledge like Stock Market Brokers the first week of the Great Crash.
2.) Those who put add a second layer to their rose coloured glasses.
Can you see me, dude? I'm waving my arms above my head.
The 90s was by far and away their lowest point and I would say 2013 was just as bad as now, if not worse, because their stock price lost over a third of its value.
In a few months, when the new iPads are released, iMacs are updated, people get over the lack of legacy ports on MBP's, and a few months after that, the iPhone 8 sells like gangbusters and their stock reaches new highs, all of this will be forgotten... just like 2013.
BTW, if you think these boards are bad, just look at some of the boards about Pixel and what an overpriced Nexus/iPhone wannabe it is. If you read comments across the web, you'll find that people generally love to whine and are quick to judge and overreact. The headphone jack is a perfect example.
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Maybe that's the problem. You expected Apple to stand still in time and stay the same forever. But times have changed, and Apple has changed to suit the times, for better and for worse.
The problem is you. Apple has moved on, but you haven't.
On point, right here.
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I agree with you. Us fans are disappointed because we care so much, we see so much potential.
I don't know that it's true, but I've starting thinkg that Jony Ive calling the shots on hardware/software ultimately places too much emphasis on form rather than function. I also think these teams are creating products in their bubble of wealth and are more and more concerned with making things aimed at a luxury market. It hasn't bothered me much that Apple products cost more than those made by other companies because the value of the product was often superior in terms of build, features, and lifetime of use. When I plug in my iPhone 7 to charge at the end of the day, reach for my lighting earbuds, remember that I can't plug them in and Apple thinks I should have been reaching for my $150 airbuds, it just strikes me that they are indeed innovating in ways that turn me off.
I know where you're coming from, as I lightened my load a year ago, but I'm looking to load back up. Why? iPhone 8. What other company is this cheap, has a superior brand, pays dividends and has a catalyst right around the corner?
They're starting to make 2011 products obsolete, which means the most-current 2013 MacPro is only 2 years away from being obsolete. This is an extremely poor product cycle for Pro users. Apple, you must remember the old adage – "Dance with who brung ya."
THIS.
I haven't been able to recommend Apple products to family & friends in good conscience since early this year.
I've even started looking elsewhere.
Apple cannot continue to take their customers' loyalty for granted any more. A couple of bad experiences (and there have certainly been plenty lately) and it's gone, --and almost impossible to win back.
Apple Macintosh was about thinking differently, and providing impressive resources to creative professionals.
Apple, Inc. is about catering to the trendy 'don't want to think about features; just make it happen' crowd.
Don't get me wrong: automation in services is a beautiful thing. However, there is, literally, no reason that Apple cannot cater to both parties. In fact, 2007-2012 was a great era of overlap, where their products benefited many diverse types of people.
Thus, either Apple has entirely shifted its focus, and they don't care as much about catering to niche professionals, or they have something extraordinary up their corporate sleeve.
Apple, Inc. is about catering to the trendy 'don't want to think about features; just make it happen' crowd.
Don't get me wrong: automation in services is a beautiful thing. However, there is, literally, no reason that Apple cannot cater to both parties. In fact, 2007-2012 was a great era of overlap, where their products benefited many diverse types of people.
Thus, either Apple has entirely shifted its focus, and they don't care as much about catering to niche professionals, or they have something extraordinary up their corporate sleeve.
Not sure I get this. Isn't the usual criticism/benefit of Apple that their hardware and software are too locked together? Where's the disharmony (unless it's internal squabbling)?
Also, I didn't realize that messaging was the future. Seems to me that messaging is the present. AI, interfaces, and deployment (transportation, home) are the future.
I am the problem? I expect Apple to stand still? You have got it so wrong.
If I never wanted Apple to change, then I would have left them when they went with OSX, or boring beige boxes to iMacs, serial to USB, from PPC to Intel. There are many other changes I could add.
I think in those cases, Apple changed for the better. Lately, Apple has not been changing for the better.
The competition that once chased Apple, even when Apple had a tiny market share, is now being chased by Apple.
I wanting Apple to stand still? No, but if me not liking the direction of a company that I have loved for the past twenty three years is the problem, then I can live with that.
I guess there is a lot of problems just like me out there.
From a personal perspective, Apple have seriously gone-off the boil for me.
When I 'discovered' Apple in 2004, I quickly moved over to Apple entirely. But then nothing changed, other companies did a better job and Apple seemed to be working to lose me as a customer (dropping iWeb, removing the headphone jack on the iPhone etc.) and now all I have left is a MacBook Pro that I've decided to not update to the latest version.
I hope times ahead are bad for Apple, because that's the only thing that will make them shuffle the executives and get back to their core business.
When I 'discovered' Apple in 2004, I quickly moved over to Apple entirely. But then nothing changed, other companies did a better job and Apple seemed to be working to lose me as a customer (dropping iWeb, removing the headphone jack on the iPhone etc.) and now all I have left is a MacBook Pro that I've decided to not update to the latest version.
I hope times ahead are bad for Apple, because that's the only thing that will make them shuffle the executives and get back to their core business.
True, this seems like the best time to be an Apple fan. Something happened after 2012.
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This is very true. I'm a die-hard fan-boy and an iOS developer by profession.
I'm looking at the Surface; going, Hey, that's pretty nifty.
The magic is gone. The software is ****. The hardware no longer targets my user group.
The Apple-esque 'It just works' now requires a dongle or 2 and it mightn't work then either.
I'm looking at the Surface; going, Hey, that's pretty nifty.
The magic is gone. The software is ****. The hardware no longer targets my user group.
The Apple-esque 'It just works' now requires a dongle or 2 and it mightn't work then either.
How could you possibly raise prices even further?!
I think Apple is currently at the extreme end of the price sensitivity (and beyond with the new MBP).
I think Apple is currently at the extreme end of the price sensitivity (and beyond with the new MBP).
Here's an interning Apple situation...
I order an Apple watch band from apple (for my mother-in-law). Just got it this morning. It was the wrong one, and the wrong size, got 42mm black classic buck (worth $150). I called Apple directly to ask how to return for the correct one. The Apple person looked up their policy and said that they will send the correct one immediately, but to throw out the one I receive since it's not the correct size. I asked why they don't want me to send it back since it will only be a few dollars by USPO. They said it's not profitable to deal with the logistics of returning it.
So a $150 watch band is not cost feasible with the ~$4 cost to send it back. Anyone have a theory. To me it means the cost of the $150 watch band is actually less than $4. I guess I'll eBay it and hopefully get more than $4.
I order an Apple watch band from apple (for my mother-in-law). Just got it this morning. It was the wrong one, and the wrong size, got 42mm black classic buck (worth $150). I called Apple directly to ask how to return for the correct one. The Apple person looked up their policy and said that they will send the correct one immediately, but to throw out the one I receive since it's not the correct size. I asked why they don't want me to send it back since it will only be a few dollars by USPO. They said it's not profitable to deal with the logistics of returning it.
So a $150 watch band is not cost feasible with the ~$4 cost to send it back. Anyone have a theory. To me it means the cost of the $150 watch band is actually less than $4. I guess I'll eBay it and hopefully get more than $4.
All this talk about lack of innovation is funny when everyone just complains when Apple tries to innovate. "They took away my 20 year old USB-A ports!", "I can't hook up my DVI monitor to my new MacBook Pro!", "This trackpad is too big!", "I don't care that this is the sleekest, lightest laptop ever...just make it 9lbs so I can have all my ports again!, "I hate that the Home button isn't a physical button anymore!"
Honestly, they could make most people happy if they just keep Macs updated and have a cutting edge iPhone design every 2 years. Thats it. That's been the primary driver of negativity. Most people are happy with the software these days. No more crying for widgets or app extensions in iOS. Just keep hardware that can be updated, up-to-date.
Honestly, they could make most people happy if they just keep Macs updated and have a cutting edge iPhone design every 2 years. Thats it. That's been the primary driver of negativity. Most people are happy with the software these days. No more crying for widgets or app extensions in iOS. Just keep hardware that can be updated, up-to-date.
When I 'joined' Apple, everything was designed to work together. Plug an iPhone into a Mac and it would be instantly recognised, AirPorts would link immediately etc. There genuinely was an 'ecosystem'.
Now though, whilst alternative technologies are all working nicely with each other, Apple's own products do not.
The new iPhone no longer has an headphone socket, but the new MacBook Pro does.
The new MacBook Pro only has USB-C, the iPhone only has thunderbolt.
The heaphones that come with the iPhone 7 won't work with any other Apple product.
The AirPods that were supposed to complement the iPhone 7 are yet to be available.
Whilst all other tech companies are standardising (USB-C, DLNA etc) Apple are creating their own proprietary standards and then not even using them universally throughout their own products.