Gurman: Apple's 'Spring Loaded' Event Won't Feature Anything 'Particularly Innovative'

[renexago]

Apple had a really good run with the return of Steve Jobs, but unfortunately, as predicted, innovation under Cook has been largely absent. Tech that has been present in companies that used to follow Apple’s lead, have leapfrogged Apple. Despite being an iPhone user since the very first iPhone, two years ago I purchased a Huawei P30 Pro to take advantage of its dual SIM for extensive travel. It had a 10 X optical zoom using a periscope camera, a fingerprint sensor built right into the screen that lights up when you bring your finger close to it, And it’s camera only took up a little blip at the top of the screen. Back then, it already had three cameras including one wide angle. I actually started using that as my main phone once I got used to Android. Of course, after Donald Trump banned Huawei from using Android, Huawei was sadly not an option for me any longer. Instead I got the latest iPhone 12 Pro. Let me tell you, as soon as I received the Apple, I was disappointed! It was much heavier, very difficult to hold, and for some reason it just feels clumsy. When I have my face mask on the Face ID doesn’t work, so either I remove my mask or I have to type in my password something like 50 times a day. Even when I am lying down in bed or reclining on a sofa, Face ID simply does not work because I suppose my face looks a bit different. When I don’t have my contacts on and have the iPhone a bit closer to my face, again Face ID does not work. So even at home, without a face mask on, at least 25% of the time I am unable to easily login. I hear that Apple is going to introduce a periscope camera and an integrated fingerprint scanner next year. That would put Apple a full 3 years behind what Huawei was offering in its previous generation telephone. Of course, when Apple introduces it, it will be blessed as a “magical” innovation. Unfortunately under Jobs, things Apple did really did feel magical. Under Cook, the term has become simply a hackneyed expression. Technologies like OLED and micro LEDs have been around for a while and it is true that all of its so-called innovations are simply iterations that other companies introduce with little fanfare years before. It used to be that even though Apple was not at the forefront of technology, It was able to implement technologies in a wonderful manner that was completely intuitive while other companies had a clumsy implementation. That gap has completely disappeared, rendering Apple’s delay in introduction of technology simply a delay... nothing more. Even my trusty MacBook is no longer as reliable as it once was. The hardware is great, but the software and OS has turned into garbage. don’t get me wrong, Tim Cook is a great guy, arguably a much nicer person than Steve Jobs ever was, there’s no denying that, but there is also no denying that jobs was a giant when it came to innovation. Tim Cook introduce apple to the world of donations to social causes, he came out publicly which set a great example for many other people in his situation, And most importantly, he has Kept the company humming along. It hasn’t really Innovated, but it continues to grow organically, and perhaps that is the best that anyone can do at this point in time. Tesla has become the new Apple.

 

[Tonal]

Apple isn't perfect and some of your points don't support the conclusion. Homepod is a great sounding device and for me it works the way I would expect. Whether one thinks that in this space the Homepod is best is up for personal interpretation. Why they discontinued that one model, is not for public knowledge. But sure criticize a couple things and then form a negative conclusion.

Could be...so what?

I don't see it. Maybe it's happening or maybe it's not.

Siri does a darn good job of holding the ecosystem together.

I don't know how much R&D Apple needs to spend, but it's obvious it does care. Maybe not everyone agrees that Apple cares though.

Homepod is definitely the best sounding assistant (Max and Studio sound muffled and hollow by comparison) but for the price it can't compare to a good mini stereo.

Siri is the worst of all assistants with far more non-answers, while Google now handles multiple requests like "what's the weather in Anahem and Chicago."

Eliminating Android users was extremely arrogant - they assumed they wouldn't need them because Apple users would be lining out the door. Yet it would have cost them nothing - imagine how many more sales they could have made by simply flipping the switch for Android users that wanted a good sounding smart speaker.

Under Jobs, we would probably already have an iPad/MacBook hybrid, a multi-screen iPhone/iPad, AR glasses, a round and square Watch, and Beats would be used properly with Beats Pods and Beats HomePod with Bluetooth - why segregate audio products away from a well-known audio company you already own???

Instead, every year's "leaks" are - faster CPU, new camera, smaller notch, minor shape changes, different colors, and new emojis.

I'm sure Ming Chi is laughing at this but... guess what's new about the 2022, 2023, or 2025 iPhone/Watch/Mac's?

To his credit, Tim Cook tries to follow in Jobs footsteps quite a bit. The difference is Jobs is a dreamer and imagines a product with features that he really wants, then hoping the money follows. Cook is a bean counter following the money trail of other companies, then copying with minor changes. You can see a lot of Jobs' characteristics in Elon Musk - imagine if Musk somehow took over Apple...

 

[adamjackson]

Don't be so dramatic, you literally asked what people are doing on an Air that requires the M1. If you spend any time in the Apple Silicon forum, you would see that people are running all kinds of demanding software on the M1BA because under most conditions it is as fast as the M1BP. But if you are going to use that argument, why would anyone need an M# iPad since they just run Safari/Chrome on it.

Beyond streamlining production, which is not how I read your statement because to me M#-spec means M#-power, how would an M# iPad be better than an A# iPad?

If multiple people are misinterpreting your post, the problem is either that those people are overreacting or your post wasn't clear enough. You can decide which it is.

Looks like the M1 is coming to the iPad Pro. Looks like a waste for them to include it in the device but what do I know?

 

[Michael Scrip]

Looks like the M1 is coming to the iPad Pro. Looks like a waste for them to include it in the device but what do I know?

It could just be a chip-production decision... consolidate on a single chip.

Though Apple is still making A12 chips for the new Apple TV... so they aren't afraid of making different chips.

 

[adamjackson]

It could just be a chip-production decision... consolidate on a single chip.

Though Apple is still making A12 chips for the new Apple TV... so they aren't afraid of making different chips.

Which is exactly what I said initially. Apple streamlining things. Do iPad Pro users 'need' an M1? most don't just like MacBook Air users don't 'need' an M1 to browse Facebook. It's not about need, it's about cost and streamlining. just because you can't run Final Cut Pro on an iPad Pro doesn't mean there's no reason for an M1 in an iPad Pro.

 

[I7guy]

Apple had a really good run with the return of Steve Jobs, but unfortunately, as predicted, innovation under Cook has been largely absent. Tech that has been present in companies that used to follow Apple’s lead, have leapfrogged Apple. Despite being an iPhone user since the very first iPhone, two years ago I purchased a Huawei P30 Pro to take advantage of its dual SIM for extensive travel. It had a 10 X optical zoom using a periscope camera, a fingerprint sensor built right into the screen that lights up when you bring your finger close to it, And it’s camera only took up a little blip at the top of the screen. Back then, it already had three cameras including one wide angle. I actually started using that as my main phone once I got used to Android. Of course, after Donald Trump banned Huawei from using Android, Huawei was sadly not an option for me any longer. Instead I got the latest iPhone 12 Pro. Let me tell you, as soon as I received the Apple, I was disappointed! It was much heavier, very difficult to hold, and for some reason it just feels clumsy. When I have my face mask on the Face ID doesn’t work, so either I remove my mask or I have to type in my password something like 50 times a day. Even when I am lying down in bed or reclining on a sofa, Face ID simply does not work because I suppose my face looks a bit different. When I don’t have my contacts on and have the iPhone a bit closer to my face, again Face ID does not work. So even at home, without a face mask on, at least 25% of the time I am unable to easily login. I hear that Apple is going to introduce a periscope camera and an integrated fingerprint scanner next year. That would put Apple a full 3 years behind what Huawei was offering in its previous generation telephone. Of course, when Apple introduces it, it will be blessed as a “magical” innovation. Unfortunately under Jobs, things Apple did really did feel magical. Under Cook, the term has become simply a hackneyed expression. Technologies like OLED and micro LEDs have been around for a while and it is true that all of its so-called innovations are simply iterations that other companies introduce with little fanfare years before. It used to be that even though Apple was not at the forefront of technology, It was able to implement technologies in a wonderful manner that was completely intuitive while other companies had a clumsy implementation. That gap has completely disappeared, rendering Apple’s delay in introduction of technology simply a delay... nothing more. Even my trusty MacBook is no longer as reliable as it once was. The hardware is great, but the software and OS has turned into garbage. don’t get me wrong, Tim Cook is a great guy, arguably a much nicer person than Steve Jobs ever was, there’s no denying that, but there is also no denying that jobs was a giant when it came to innovation. Tim Cook introduce apple to the world of donations to social causes, he came out publicly which set a great example for many other people in his situation, And most importantly, he has Kept the company humming along. It hasn’t really Innovated, but it continues to grow organically, and perhaps that is the best that anyone can do at this point in time. Tesla has become the new Apple.

I don't agree. Downplay Cooks' achievements while over-aggrandize Jobs' achievements. Apple never was the first to introduce new tech, except in the 5s with the 64 bit processor. Touch-id and face-id are examples of tech that existed previously, but yet Apple set a new standard with both of them. With the iphone 11, the phone is able to capture streams from two cameras at once, innovation that gets lost in the shuffle. But I guess horses for courses.

Homepod is definitely the best sounding assistant (Max and Studio sound muffled and hollow by comparison) but for the price it can't compare to a good mini stereo.

Siri is the worst of all assistants with far more non-answers, while Google now handles multiple requests like "what's the weather in Anahem and Chicago."

Eliminating Android users was extremely arrogant - they assumed they wouldn't need them because Apple users would be lining out the door. Yet it would have cost them nothing - imagine how many more sales they could have made by simply flipping the switch for Android users that wanted a good sounding smart speaker.

Under Jobs, we would probably already have an iPad/MacBook hybrid, a multi-screen iPhone/iPad, AR glasses, a round and square Watch, and Beats would be used properly with Beats Pods and Beats HomePod with Bluetooth - why segregate audio products away from a well-known audio company you already own???

Instead, every year's "leaks" are - faster CPU, new camera, smaller notch, minor shape changes, different colors, and new emojis.

I'm sure Ming Chi is laughing at this but... guess what's new about the 2022, 2023, or 2025 iPhone/Watch/Mac's?

To his credit, Tim Cook tries to follow in Jobs footsteps quite a bit. The difference is Jobs is a dreamer and imagines a product with features that he really wants, then hoping the money follows. Cook is a bean counter following the money trail of other companies, then copying with minor changes. You can see a lot of Jobs' characteristics in Elon Musk - imagine if Musk somehow took over Apple...

I understand what you are trying to say, except Cook didn't introduce minor changes and Jobs didn't invent the cell phone or tablet. Cook is giving the people what they want as evidenced by the financials. And the old trope about Jobs being a dreamer and Cook being a bean counter has to go. If Musk took over Apple, it might be bankrupt...so there is that.

 

[darngooddesign]

Looks like the M1 is coming to the iPad Pro. Looks like a waste for them to include it in the device but what do I know?

I mean...just because its on the iPad doesn't mean it's not a waste unless it allows a touch version of OS X.