Am I the only one who still gets goosebumps hearing Steve's voice in this video?
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Apple's 'Think Different' Trademark Extended to Apple Watch, iPad, Siri, and More
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I read your reply with a smile and a large laugh. I think you missed the point of my comment. Apple isn't thinking different, Apple's thinking is very much same, same. Apple’s current trajectory is completely off in terms of “great” products.
I find it hilarious you accuse me of being "sucked into a large company's marketing slogan" when you yourself have listed numerous marketing slogans Apple has spun out in the past. One example. If Apple was truly interested in thinking different on the issue of its manufacturing conditions and its forgotten workforce of iSlaves in countries outside the US, it wouldn't waste its time with "Fair Labor Association". That approach is just baby steps to nowhere. Instead Apple could really "think different" on its manufacturing conditions by reducing its total profits and making good to its extended and forgotten workforce at suppliers around the world (in Asia, South America, Africa, Europe) by paying much higher wages that are comparable to those workers in the US along with comparable working hours and conditions. That WOULD be thinking different.
Apple catered to the design savvy crowd a decade ago. However, Apple has been on a mission in recent years to go for the other part of the untapped market which is defined by those with no taste, those who think an etched Apple logo is "great" without even giving the product or service any critical observation or investigation. Protruding camera, terribly obvious antenna lines, 3d touch feature that's not even utilised within all Apple's own apps. These might be small things, but they add up to a larger picture of Apple not meeting minimum standards anymore. These are all hallmarks of Apple's current mission to remain thinking same and current inability to think different.
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Except that they won't be unless they prioritize customer experience over 'business as usual' (i.e.: the way everyone else does it). I'm not sure if you remember Apple in the mid-90s before Jobs returned. They had CEOs who were 'industry experts' who were doing the kinds of things that the tech industry thought they should do. They were also failing at it. When Steve returned, Apple did many things that the industry and media laughed at.... but, it worked, in spades.
While, yes, 'think different' means many things, that was at least one of them... and arguably the most important one to Apple's actual success. Given all the posters that went along with the slogan, they obviously meant a blend of 'outside the box' thinking, along with a more people oriented thinking.
If you think it was *just* a meaningless marketing slogan, then IMO, you don't really know what made Apple different. Sure, all these kinds of marketing slogans tend to be idealistic or 'over the top' but I can guarantee you, as a nearly 30-year Apple evangelist, that Apple did indeed, think different. That's what has me so concerned right now. They are starting to act more like a big, stupid company.... more like other tech companies... than the Apple I know and love.
And frankly, seeing this shift, stuff like review scores and customer satisfaction ratings are fairly meaningless. By the time you start seeing it substantially in those kinds of metrics, it will be too late. If you're a long-time Apple user, you'll recognize the slip in software quality, the lack of following hard-learned UI/UX principals, the shift in following the big pie-slice to the detriment to other areas of the eco system, killing off critical professional tools and product lines, etc. You'll also note the shift in marketing decisions... like a 16GB base model iPhone to get that up-sell at the expense of a lot of users being too cramped on space (i.e.: having a bad experience with a premium luxury product, that is under spec'd compared to the much cheaper competition). Or, selling devices that are already obsolete (ex: when Apple released iOS 8, it pretty much killed 512k RAM devices, yet because Apple has taken this product-line idea of selling old stuff at reduced prices - as an actual part of the product line! - they were still selling iPad minis... BRAND NEW), once again, putting profits ahead of user experience.
Profits are important. But, user experience is what made Apple great. If they forget that, it's the beginning of the long, painful journey back down.
I agree wholeheartedly.
I feel that Steve Jobs WAS Apple.
When he died, so did Apple, and it's starting to show.
It seems to me that as soon as he did, Apple threw everything he paid attention to out the window and even made fun of it in their keynotes. I also believe Ive is out of gas. Apple needs new blood.
That said, I believe the Mac survives and will continue to do so, so long as Apple does not forget or ignore it (like they have been the Mac Pro) and the competition doesn't catch up (like Android devices did on the mobile space).
The mobile space is an even battle (although I give Android the edge here), but the Mac is still superior to everything else out there. Hopefully they won't screw up the pro HW so bad (by turning everything into a Macbook) so as to alienate core users to the point of disdain for the company.
I hope they get back to building the best products, not just the most popular or profitable.
Sorry can't deal with such nonsense. Stopped reading.
Like a laptop with only 1 port? People still laugh, the products still do well. I'm looking forward to buying a Retina MacBook when my 2011 Pro dies. I don't need all the ports.
As I mentioned in my original post - I'd worry more if reviews found the products to be bad, customer satisfaction dropped markedly or the key one for selfish reasons - if I found better experiences with other company's products.
I'd love some examples of them prioritising customer experience over BAU though. That's a strong claim, and as you rightly say would be a warning sign.
A real world example, my iPhone 6 battery randomly started cutting out. I was out of warranty, but I thought I'd take it in. They replaced it with little fuss. Now if profits really mattered over experience...
It was a great campaign for the company at the time. It really encapsulated a lot of what they were doing.
But I'm not naive enough to think the slogan was anything more than a strap line. The people, the processes, the products were the key. The marketing campaign was a way of packing it up and selling it to the consumer.
Again, examples of "That's what has me so concerned right now. They are starting to act more like a big, stupid company.... more like other tech companies" - would be really helpful in this discussion.
My question would be are they not making the best products? And if not, who is?
As long time user I've always had some gripes - but overall the experience was better than their competitors. And I feel no different now.
The thing I always get most, not aimed at you, but in general when talking about Apple's past is how good people remember it. The many mishaps, poor decisions of the past seem to be forgotten. I can honestly say my current crop of Apple devices are the best I've had from the company (but that doesn't mean they're flawless).
Yes, stop reading and remain forever ignorant. (I don't believe for a second you didn't read the entirety of my reply by the way.)
In some countries, statutory consumer rights or guarantees go well and above any 12 month warranty a manufacturer might put out. Your experience of a replacement wasn't a showing of Apple's brilliance in customer experience, but more possibly the acknowledgement that a device should very well last well beyond a mere 12 month operating period and be of acceptable quality, safe, lasting with no faults. What you got was a standard customer experience for exercising your consumer rights. You got Apple's 'think same' experience. An Apple that thinks differently might have given you a 12 months free subscription to Apple music, an iTunes gift card and a taxicab to and from their store to assist in your iPhone troubles. That's a 'think different' experience.
Apple isn't making the best products currently, they are good, but not best. They could be much better. It's not a comparison either with competitors. You're either great or you're not.
I think Samsung, LG, and Sony (to name a few) are producing better products in the mobile space (hardware-wise). Android is a far, far more flexible software than iOS. The combination of the 2 has produced products that have met Apple's quality level and often exceed Apple's device capabilities. Thus Apple has lost me as a mobile customer.
This is not to say that Apple products have gone from good to bad. Their products are still quite good. But I cannot say that they're the best with a straight face. They are far too limited. This used to not be the case.
Now, in the personal computer space they are also lacking. The Mac Pro is far too niche for it's own good, and what used to be a good value is no longer so for what it is. The iMac and Mac Mini are also unnecessarily restrictive; the sealed-box mentality is slowly creeping back into Apple and I feel this will be detrimental in the long term. At this point only I see the Mac Mini as a mildly reasonable value, just to get into OS X (their jewel, and rightly so). But as people continue to bypass iOS in the mobile space, the need for OS X and the Apple ecosystem becomes diminished.
Where Apple still shines is in portables, but the signs of erosion are showing here too. There is no excuse for the MBAir's screen. Or for a one-port "iPad replacement" (Macbook). Or proprietary SSDs (or rather, proprietary anything). They keep reducing interoperability in the never ending quest for thinness and control.
As they said in the Apple TV keynote, the future of (computing, in this case) is apps. Once people realize they don't need a Mac (because they have exited the Apple ecosystem on the mobile space) and apps have built-in interoperability, Apple will be in trouble. Their competitors are paying attention and are upping their games here. Apple seems to be spinning its wheels.
So to answer your question more succinctly:
Is Apple making the best products? Mobile: No. PCs/portables: Maybe, but compared to previous offerings, No.
Their rigid philosophy is leaving the door wide open for a repeat of what happened to them in the mobile space, in all product categories.
And make no mistake, the Post-PC era is mobile. It drives everything else.
Let me start off by thanking you for a well reasoned response.
You mentioned the combination of 2 that has meant you moved on from Apple (and so you should, your requirements come first). But For me it's more than just the hardware and software, a few examples:
- Customer Support: predominantly the Apple Stores which make things so easy.
- Privacy: The whole FBI thing sums up one of the strengths of Apple for me.
- 3rd party support: whether it's the accessory ecosystem or trying to get something repaired at a random shop. Samsung with their Galaxy line is getting much better with this - the others are a long way behind.
- iCloud (not iCloud Drive): is excellent. Backing up everything every night, iCloud Photo Library etc.
- Continuity: Calls on all devices, Handoff etc. all work well for my workflow and works out of the box.
Regarding your point "This used to not be the case." - I can't agree, iPhone from day one (and the other iOS devices that followed) have always been limited. Even compared to Symbian and Windows Mobile that went before.
For a while I used to build my own PCs. Not once did I get to the point of needing to upgrade one of my PCs before the CPU socket was changed by AMD or Intel - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPU_socket#List_of_80x86_sockets_and_slots. I ended up always starting from scratch, new motherboard, new CPU (and often new RAM too). Unless you're a gamer of have a professional use I don't see the mass public upgrading their computers all that often.
I'd love to get some data on how many people outside of tech forums actually run into sealed box issue. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if it was similar to all the noise about this forums users wanting Bluetooth keyboard support on the Apple TV 4 (in reality that was a tiny insignificant portion of the user base).
I'll hold my hand up in favour of the Retina MacBook. I currently have a late 2011 MacBook Pro. When it's time to replace I'll be getting the Retina MacBook. I don't need the ports. I can count on one hand how many times I've used them in the last year on my current MacBook. More than happy to have a dongle in drawer for the odd time I might actually need to use a USB device and charge at the same time.
My work isued ThinkPad is the same. It has a plethora of ports, but the only one I use is DisplayPort for my 2nd monitor. I will get a replacement in a year or so - they will not be upgrading the internals.
The MBA is an old product. We'll see what happens to it. Get a new screen or drop it.
That's a bold prediction. But also an opportunity for you to become extremely rich by shorting the stock.
I personally think their rigid philosophy got them to where they are right now. Well received products, high customer satisfaction, loyal user base etc.
I also don't see my tech products as singular things like you. I think their is power in connectivity and consistency which leads to ease of use, better experience. For me the whole is greater than just the parts Mac <-> iPad <-> iPhone <-> Apple Watch. Then there's the customer service angle etc.
I can say that for me owning an iPhone, MacBook and iPad is better than competing solutions e.g. Nexus phone, Windows laptop, Galaxy tablet. But I'm not blind, there are areas that are better with the competition. I really like the BoomSound speakers from HTC (although rumours suggest they're on the way out of the M10), I'd like an OLED screen etc.
It's been good hearing from someone who "Thinks Different" [I'm here all week] to me. It'll be interesting to see how things pan out over the next few years. As someone who doesn't use Apple like a sheep, I always check out the competition when upgrade time rolls around. So we'll see if anything changes.
When I pulled out my windows phone on the tube.....android and apple users would have a look, that was thinking different 
It's hard to say think different where everywhere you look there is an apple product that is a variant of the iPhone or iPad. Even seeing an iPod is different these days, and apple has killed that line
Yes please apple, give us a unique and exciting new product.
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Great post. I remember around 2009-2012, apple products were clear winners on all fronts for me. I still own many of them , and loved the fact I could upgrade most of them
It's hard to say think different where everywhere you look there is an apple product that is a variant of the iPhone or iPad. Even seeing an iPod is different these days, and apple has killed that line
Yes please apple, give us a unique and exciting new product.
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Great post. I remember around 2009-2012, apple products were clear winners on all fronts for me. I still own many of them , and loved the fact I could upgrade most of them
I agree that Apple excels in the all of the above. I use a Galaxy Note5 but have not had any issues, so I have not been able to test Samsung CS. It was also issued to me by my company (we can choose iPhone as well) so that makes this negligible for me, as I just deal with my company and not Sammy directly. Continuity in particular is a nice feature, but it's not indispensable. Everything else you mention has equivalents in Google-land.
The statement was referring to the iPhone being (arguably, of course) the best device of its time, for a while. More limited than its competitors, yes. But those limitations were less impactful than the ones iPhone has today.
There are two things that should be replaceable in a computer, forever: Graphics, RAM, and Storage, with storage being the indispensable one. Apple has made this nigh impossible in all machines (save the outdated Mini and even-more-so 2012 13" cMBP they still sell). CPU power has never been a bottleneck in regards to performance, so CPU upgrades were never an issue except for the most high-end of systems/power users. But my movie and photo collection grows every year significantly.
I think that the target Apple user doesn't care, and is affluent enough to treat their computers as "disposable" items. Given that I don't fit this category, I find myself increasingly alienated by Apple products, as my upgrade cycle was slower.
I don't think the RMB is a bad machine (again, Apple doesn't make bad products, really). The issue is that it is unnecessarily limited. A Retina Air would have been "everyones" dream machine. Having a port you don't use does not have any impact in your workflow. I'm from the camp that "it is better to have and not need, than to need and not have". These are not unnecessary, obsolete ports here. Ethernet, USB, etc are still widely in use. The fear is that the RMB is an example of Apple's "thinner is better at the expense of everything else" philosophy, that they tend to apply to everything. Given how they crippled the Mac Pro, it's not unreasonable to expect them to similarly gut their other portables.
I don't have money to play the market. And I'm not betting on Apple failing. I hope they correct their course, but I just don't like the direction their going in. Still, they have so much money and are so good at marketing, that I don't see them going under completely.
Apple's rigid philosophy served them well, but now I think it's time to loosen up a bit. Apple products are increasingly reducing interoperability with non-Apple products and increasing interoperability internally. They want to lock you into their ecosystem ever-tighter. Thus, it is easier than ever to do things Apple to Apple. Anything else is a hoop-jump. All their competitors (particularly Google) have an opposing philosophy. Even Microsoft is opening up a bit.
I can say that if Apple built an iPhone with ALL the capabilities of my Note5, I'd be in heaven. But alas, my phone is the No. 1 device. Everything else flows from there. And that is the biggest point of all. I believe that for many this is the case.
Apple is still niche relative to the market. If Apple starts losing long-time users like me on the mobile space (or on the Pro Mac user space), there's a possibility for this to have a snowball, reverse-halo effect: i.e. "Since I don't need iPhone, I don't need an iWatch, nor an iPad, nor a Mac, nor Apple TV..."
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"I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am," Renée Deckard is translated by Hilary Putnam (Chairman, philosophy department, @Harvard)
So, "Doubt. … Significantly,"
Or, with Apple trends, "entertain. So you have again… Doubts,"
Or, with Apple trends, "Entertain ...significant ...doubts,"
Or, more traditionally, "question authority – respectfully,"
So, isn't the first letter after an "always a capital?
Better make that, "question authority significantly and respectfully,"
Or, "answer significant questions – with Apple
Or, "ask answer, and find – significant questions – with Apple
I doubt, therefore I think, Therefore I am.
I resolve my doubt, therefore I continue to be.
There was an intermediary step back in their 1997; XREF: notes from South grocery lawn
So, "Doubt. … Significantly,"
Or, with Apple trends, "entertain. So you have again… Doubts,"
Or, with Apple trends, "Entertain ...significant ...doubts,"
Or, more traditionally, "question authority – respectfully,"
So, isn't the first letter after an "always a capital?
Better make that, "question authority significantly and respectfully,"
Or, "answer significant questions – with Apple
Or, "ask answer, and find – significant questions – with Apple
I doubt, therefore I think, Therefore I am.
I resolve my doubt, therefore I continue to be.
There was an intermediary step back in their 1997; XREF: notes from South grocery lawn