iPad Even Apple is bored with iPad

[macduke]

I can't really put myself in Phil's or your position....I dropped out of college after 1 semester to pursue entrepreneurship, I'm not a college or company type of person.

Yeah I run my own design business too. Fun times! I've got the bug for everything. Probably more of a curse. I just do what I want. I actually dropped out of college for a couple years and worked in banking before going back.

I actually got kind of bored of MacRumors for a while and decided to make my own rumor site, AppleUndercover.com (it's still up but kinda broken since I've never updated it and I basically threw it together one weekend on top of a blank WordPress theme). Arn gave me some advice on Twitter and away I went. Didn't last long before Seth at 9to5Mac hired me on as a part-time writer for a little bit, but I quickly got too busy with my senior year of college. I just started a concurrent hire at the university with a plastic surgeon doing SEO for their sites so who knows where that will lead me next. MU was on the slide during the keynote for universities teaching development. I've been thinking about taking a class in that since I designed my first app earlier this year. I can't imagine all the things I would be working on if I had Phil Schiller type money, haha. Hopefully he isn't sick since he has been losing weight. I have flashbacks to when Steve was losing weight and everyone was glad that he was getting in shape because he had gotten a little bit chunky. Then we found out later his cancer started way back then.

 

[WilliamLondon]

This product category is maturing rapidly, what else do we really expect in big ways that's going to take the world by storm, other than mostly niche features (bigger format, proper stylus support among a few other things)? Same with phones, same with desktops.

Most people who will ever buy a tablet already have one, even the tablets from a couple of years ago still work today, the refresh cycle is getting longer and longer each year the category matures.

I don't think it's reasonable to expect big innovations from those products in the future, not like we've seen in their early lives. The iPad will never toast bread, for example, or freeze water into ice cubes, but strangely, it seems that Apple gets criticised for *not* releasing products that do such unexpected (innovative) things.

 

[AxiomaticRubric]

Plus the are not exuberant, engaging salesmen like... sorry, I must say it... Jobs.

Do you remember when Steve Jobs was showing everyone the iPad on stage for the first time? When he sat down with it on his lap he looked so uncomfortable I thought he was going to puke. That was probably due to illness. Phil Schiller may have his own set of health problems that adversely affects his enthusiasm. Not everyone can be 100% enthused, all of the time, especially at that age.

 

[robgendreau]

Geez, at least with some Apple products you can mention they're boring and at least have an interesting fight over it. New iPads are so boring that it's boring even discussing whether they're boring.....

 

[AdonisSMU]

Do you remember when Steve Jobs was showing everyone the iPad on stage for the first time? When he sat down with it on his lap he looked so uncomfortable I thought he was going to puke. That was probably due to illness. Phil Schiller may have his own set of health problems that adversely affects his enthusiasm. Not everyone can be 100% enthused, all of the time, especially at that age.

When I heard magical and revolutionary device that was all I needed to hear. An Apple FAN was born!

 

[Charliebird]

The iPad Air 2 looks great. The iPad is now a mature product line so people might not be as wowed by new releases.

 

[Jazper]

Yeah, it was quite boring to me during the iOS/OS X review portion. Then they gave about 20 seconds to tell us about the disappointing iPad Mini 3.

On the plus side, at least the streaming video worked this time.

To be honest though, there's not a whole lot they can add to the iPad mini and they've released 2 new iPhones, a new iPad, a new iMac with all these having a lot of new production techniques - not sure why you'd expect another redesigned product, plus it gives them something to work on for next year.

 

[mashinhead]

I feel like the problem with the iPad is that it needs to graduate to being a content creation device. And it needs to be as good as a computer is at that stuff. And I think that is the long term vision for it. Maybe that's why they are thinking about making a 13" version.

The thing is that is going to take some time for that to happen. A lot of time in fact. Probably 3-4 years more. Until that time all you'll see is a updates like this that are considered boring. They up the power but apart from game developers, their really aren't a lot of people using that power. Essentially you're doing the same task as on the iPhone on a larger screen. Which are minimal tasks that a two year old iPad can handle just fine.

So it's a waiting game.

 

[S.B.G]

To be honest though, there's not a whole lot they can add to the iPad mini and they've released 2 new iPhones, a new iPad, a new iMac with all these having a lot of new production techniques - not sure why you'd expect another redesigned product, plus it gives them something to work on for next year.

Its not a redesign I was expecting. It was keeping the internal hardware up to speed with the iPad Air, like last year. It was having the fancy new display technology, like the iPad Air 2, that I, and no doubt, many other, were expecting.

Rather, they kept the Mini exactly the same as last year, added Touch ID (nice, but not worth $100) and gave a gold color option. Storage capacity is largely irrelevant.

Anyone buying a 3 today is paying more for a 2 with Touch ID and a gold color option.

 

[orpheus1120]

Something seems wrong between Tim and Phil. Can't really put a finger on it, but Phil was left out in Cook's credit and gratitude for the iPhone and  Watch during the keynote last month. He basically named everyone except Phil.

I hope there's no grudges between the both of them though.

 

[Jazper]

Its not a redesign I was expecting. It was keeping the internal hardware up to speed with the iPad Air, like last year. It was having the fancy new display technology, like the iPad Air 2, that I, and no doubt, many other, were expecting.

Rather, they kept the Mini exactly the same as last year, added Touch ID (nice, but not worth $100) and gave a gold color option. Storage capacity is largely irrelevant.

Anyone buying a 3 today is paying more for a 2 with Touch ID and a gold color option.

Eh, it's not their flagship device so not surprising really, same with the non-retina Macbook Pro - I do however agree with you partly as if I wanted an iPad I'd definitely get the Mini.

 

[S.B.G]

Eh, it's not their flagship device so not surprising really, same with the non-retina Macbook Pro - I do however agree with you partly as if I wanted an iPad I'd definitely get the Mini.

The Mini may not be their flagship tablet, but if they wanted to keep pace like they did last year, they'd have made both of them with matching hardware specs, like before.

I'm afraid they may not make another Mini again after this year.

 

[Jazper]

The Mini may not be their flagship tablet, but if they wanted to keep pace like they did last year, they'd have made both of them with matching hardware specs, like before.

I'm afraid they may not make another Mini again after this year.

Well usually it's years before they stop producing a product but with the rate they're introducing completely different models it wouldn't be unlikely, I really hope not since it's a really nice size in my opinion.

 

[AdonisSMU]

Something seems wrong between Tim and Phil. Can't really put a finger on it, but Phil was left out in Cook's credit and gratitude for the iPhone and  Watch during the keynote last month. He basically named everyone except Phil.

I hope there's no grudges between the both of them though.

Tim is not the best speaker TBQH. I think Tim should let Phil handle these types of tasks TBQH. Apple needs to put a spokesperson out there who can inspire confidence in the company.

 

[S.B.G]

Well usually it's years before they stop producing a product but with the rate they're introducing completely different models it wouldn't be unlikely, I really hope not since it's a really nice size in my opinion.

Agreed. I had an iPad 3 and liked it. But once I went with a Mini, I was even happier with its size, weight and relative screen size. The screen size is smaller, but still plenty big enough to be enjoyable.

 

[vmflapem]

Hmmmm did anyone else get the sense that Apple is bored with the iPad? Apple seemed more excited to show off a device that people only wear when they are showing off to their friends at the club.

Funny that someone mentioned this. I did, too, get a feeling that the presenter wasn't too excited about it. I was a bit disappointed to see that.

 

[puma1552]

Didn't Cook recently say that Apple thinks the iPad is not a mature product, but rather still in its infancy?

And to the people who always complain about the keynotes being boring and not exciting like Jobs did them...I gotta tell ya, I've watched Jobs's keynotes and they are just as stiff and boring as anyone else's. *shrug*

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Do you remember when Steve Jobs was showing everyone the iPad on stage for the first time? When he sat down with it on his lap he looked so uncomfortable I thought he was going to puke. That was probably due to illness. Phil Schiller may have his own set of health problems that adversely affects his enthusiasm. Not everyone can be 100% enthused, all of the time, especially at that age.

Supposition all you like. It was a poorly executed event for whatever excuse you care to offer. But for arguments sake I went over to YouTube to refresh my memory of the original iPad intro event -- 4 years ago so its faded from my mind a bit. On reviewing a few minutes of it I have to say, to me, a terminally sick Jobs is more engaged about selling the product and engaging with the audience than Cook and Schiller yesterday with two very good products.

 

[eggersj]

Yeah Phil just seems tired or something. I can't quite put my finger on it. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he retires in the next 1-3 years.

They should put federaghi on these events full time. Even cook is horrible on the stage...

 

[sviato]

I just don't think they were well prepared for the presentation. Phil/Tim fumbled on a lot of words and it was noticeable.

 

[Rodster]

I just don't think they were well prepared for the presentation. Phil/Tim fumbled on a lot of words and it was noticeable.

They're trying to be cool and have the same impact as when Steve used to do the presentation. It's no longer the same. Even some of the Tech media sites picked up on that as well. CNET going as far as to say if that's the best Apple can do they should scrap the presentation.

 

[AdonisSMU]

They're trying to be cool and have the same impact as when Steve used to do the presentation. It's no longer the same. Even some of the Tech media sites picked up on that as well. CNET going as far as to say if that's the best Apple can do they should scrap the presentation.

I agee that if its not a material update they should scrap the event.

 

[rowspaxe]

I have to wonder if they're at a plateau with the iDevices. Like you said, there really isn't much more they can do with them. I suppose they could always find a way to drastically improve battery life somehow and add little features here and there.

Now we know what apples vaunted pipeline was full of...I'll grant the new imac retina was impressive, but the watch was a fail and new ipads and phones didn't make much of a splash. So 2014--outside of the Surface 3-- did not provide much innovation.

Mobile is mature, tv is ever boring, wearables are a punchline. While innovation has crested--it has left behind some amazing products.

 

[S.B.G]

Now we know what apples vaunted pipeline was full of...I'll grant the new imac retina was impressive, but the watch was a fail and new ipads and phones didn't make much of a splash. So 2014--outside of the Surface 3-- did not provide much innovation.

Mobile is mature, tv is ever boring, wearables are a punchline. While innovation has crested--it has left behind some amazing products.

I'm going to hold off passing judgment on the watch for a while and see how it fairs in the wild next year. I like it and what its capable of, but I don't know if it will really take off or not.

The new 5K iMac is quite awesome, but way too far out of my price range and needs.

As for everything else, yeah, you're right, kind of meh.

 

[rowspaxe]

Probably 3-4 years more. Until that time all you'll see is a updates like this that are considered boring. They up the power but apart from game developers, their really aren't a lot of people using that power. Essentially you're doing the same task as on the iPhone on a larger screen. Which are minimal tasks that a two year old iPad can handle just fine.

I think people are bored with the ecosystem as we'll. In 2006 "there's an app for that" suggested a boom of innovative apps and games. In 2014, the app store seems glutted and games are increasingly passe. Yes there are tremendous app products--but many go to resolving ui deficiencies, art and note apps await a robust pen technology, and many just seem frivolous.

Turns out a few good x86 applications are better than scores of apps.

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The new 5K iMac is quite awesome, but way too far out of my price range and needs.

I think its ok for apple to "premium" products, even if a significant percent of the user base can't buy them. I creates brand excitement and gives people a motivation to go to the (physical) apple store. I know I will make it a point to see the new imac. cheers