Phil Schiller Says iPhone Was 'Earth-Shattering' Ten Years Ago and Remains 'Unmatched' Today

[craig1410]

I've got to wonder why there aren't more successful companies out there. This forum seems to be filled with armchair-executives who have all the answers...

Apologies to the scattering of insightful commenters who have either been directly involved in running a business or bringing a product to market. I've done both, albeit on a micro-scale, and although I don't necessarily agree with every decision Apple's exec team make, in my eyes they deserve massive respect for doing an almost impossible job.

As for Phil's comments, as a business and as a product the iPhone is indeed unmatched and may not be matched by another product or business in our lifetime. He's not talking about how many pixels it has or inches diagonal or CPU cores or any other individual quantitative measure. He's talking about the impact the product has had on the market and on people. Part of that impact has been the rise of competitive products but none of those have seen the sustained success and enduring demand of the iPhone.

I for one am glad I'm not still carrying a Nokia 6310i coupled to a Sharp Zaurus or Palm m105 as I was just before the iPhone was announced. Even if those products had evolved they would still pale in comparison to what we have in our hands and pockets today.

Apple deserve appreciation for what they did 10 years ago whether you are an Apple customer or not. They did what we should all be trying to do - make the world a little bit better!

 

[TheLivingroom]

I've got to wonder why there aren't more successful companies out there. This forum seems to be filled with armchair-executives who have all the answers...

Apologies to the scattering of insightful commenters who have either been directly involved in running a business or bringing a product to market. I've done both, albeit on a micro-scale, and although I don't necessarily agree with every decision Apple's exec team make, in my eyes they deserve massive respect for doing an almost impossible job.

As for Phil's comments, as a business and as a product the iPhone is indeed unmatched and may not be matched by another product or business in our lifetime. He's not talking about how many pixels it has or inches diagonal or CPU cores or any other individual quantitative measure. He's talking about the impact the product has had on the market and on people. Part of that impact has been the rise of competitive products but none of those have seen the sustained success and enduring demand of the iPhone.

I for one am glad I'm not still carrying a Nokia 6310i coupled to a Sharp Zaurus or Palm m105 as I was just before the iPhone was announced. Even if those products had evolved they would still pale in comparison to what we have in our hands and pockets today.

Apple deserve appreciation for what they did 10 years ago whether you are an Apple customer or not. They did what we should all be trying to do - make the world a little bit better!

Thank you for this. the internet is one big echo chamber of negativity, especially where Apple is concerned. everybody loves an underdog, right? well not if that underdog is Apple Computer - they can't do anything right, ever! why do they even try? why, I remember just recently when they had more cash on hand than the US Treasury. yeah, truly apple is doing everything wrong! that's why nobody is buying any apple products!


I wish people would just shut the hell up. windows 10 is a nightmare, PC manufacturers keep churning out plastic ********, and people are griping about $9 adapters to connect their outdated devices to a new PC, totally missing the point that instead of ports people never use, we have four ports we can use any which way we please, with massive bandwidth and a ton of standards supported through a universal connector. the future is grand, but it's like everyone has gone curmudgeonly and is saying 'the end is nigh!' when in fact the opposite is true. *SIGH*

 

[mac_in_tosh]

...and people are griping about $9 adapters to connect their outdated devices to a new PC...

Outdated? Just because Apple comes out with a laptop that only has USB-C ports, everything we have becomes instantly outdated?

 

[melendezest]

But my wife and kids absolutely refuse to use anything Android. So I guess Phil speaks wise. FWIW...I purchased a Pixel when they came out. While a nice phone I sure do miss my iPhone. I am going to stay with the Pixel until the new iPhone comes out and then I am back to Apple. I try Android every year or so and always go back to Apple. Google just doesn't do it for me.

Fair enough. There are some things that Android is better at and there are some that Apple is better.

It depends on perspective and personal preferences, but to say "unmatched" like he did is just flat out BS.

The iPhone is now just merely another choice in a sea of choices.
[doublepost=1484144943][/doublepost]

Just because you choose something else doesn't make your choice right. It's right for you but for many others it's wrong.

I've tried many different Android phones including the Google Pixel but I always return to iPhone. For me that's the right choice. And there is no denying that when the first iPhone was released it was revolutionary and changed how we all communicated.

Well I was referring to the "unmatched" categorical statement. I believe this to be false, but when the iphone first came out? Sure. That was almost 10 years ago, though.

Now, its a battle of features: iPhone has the easiest integration (if you use a Mac).

Android has the best power-user feature set and customization options.

Not to mention a headphone jack (which makes iPhone a deal-breaker for me).

In my family (of 5) case, when given the choice to upgrade from iPhone to a new device, every single one chose a Galaxy device. We're talking tech-savvy teens here, and price was not a factor (iPhone was actually cheaper). Not saying this'll be the same everywhere, but certainly in my household.

So as I posited before, the iPhone is now merely a (preferred feature-set) choice in a sea of choices, but pretty freaking far from "unmatched".

Nowadays, no choice, be it iPhone or otherwise, is a bad choice if you understand the feature-set that matters most to you and shop accordingly.

 

[craig1410]

Fair enough. There are some things that Android is better at and there are some that Apple is better.

It depends on perspective and personal preferences, but to say "unmatched" like he did is just flat out BS.

The iPhone is now just merely another choice in a sea of choices.

As I mentioned in my post above, the difference is in what Phil was referring to when he said "unmatched" and also the side-effects caused by the iPhone. You appear to be thinking in 'micro' terms and he is thinking 'macro'.

Name another individual product which has had the success (revenue/profit) and impact (on people) of the iPhone? My guess is that the closest you will get is from the Samsung Galaxy line but Samsung are under enormous pressure from the Chinese manufacturers now and have never been able to maintain the ASP of the iPhone or the associated profits. This is largely due to a combination of Samsung fragmenting their product line with a seemingly endless series of 'flagship' models and Apple's mastery of the supply chain and economies of scale. The exploding Galaxy Note products was just the icing on the cake.

Even the Android platform itself is under pressure now due to tensions between the competing needs of different vendors and Google themselves, not to mention the ongoing issues of lack of timely upgrades. IMO Android needs some sort of relaunch, perhaps using a better platform language such as Swift instead of Java. But more importantly it needs to find a way past the upgrade malaise that currently inflicts it. If they don't do that then iOS products released at the same time as Android products will continue to evolve due to iOS updates whereas Android devices will be locked to only the features available at release.

Anyway, let's see if Samsung fall under the same scrutiny over their marketing messages next time they say something similar to what Phil said the other day. My guess is that they won't. Anyone disagree?

 

[melendezest]

As I mentioned in my post above, the difference is in what Phil was referring to when he said "unmatched" and also the side-effects caused by the iPhone. You appear to be thinking in 'micro' terms and he is thinking 'macro'.

Name another individual product which has had the success (revenue/profit) and impact (on people) of the iPhone? My guess is that the closest you will get is from the Samsung Galaxy line but Samsung are under enormous pressure from the Chinese manufacturers now and have never been able to maintain the ASP of the iPhone or the associated profits. This is largely due to a combination of Samsung fragmenting their product line with a seemingly endless series of 'flagship' models and Apple's mastery of the supply chain and economies of scale. The exploding Galaxy Note products was just the icing on the cake.

Even the Android platform itself is under pressure now due to tensions between the competing needs of different vendors and Google themselves, not to mention the ongoing issues of lack of timely upgrades. IMO Android needs some sort of relaunch, perhaps using a better platform language such as Swift instead of Java. But more importantly it needs to find a way past the upgrade malaise that currently inflicts it. If they don't do that then iOS products released at the same time as Android products will continue to evolve due to iOS updates whereas Android devices will be locked to only the features available at release.

Anyway, let's see if Samsung fall under the same scrutiny over their marketing messages next time they say something similar to what Phil said the other day. My guess is that they won't. Anyone disagree?

Well, Samsung didn't make a statement like that (that I know of), Phil did. The truth is, if they had, they'd be just as wrong as Phil is.

In the "macro" context you present it, it makes some sense, but I'm not buying it. Phil is doing what he's supposed to, trying to make his product look good in the face of increased competition and declining sales. He made a broad statement that should've been more specific.

I also don't see the "upgrade malaise" you're referring to in the real world sense. In my experience with Galaxy devices, I can say that upgrades (aside from Security ones) are not a "necessity" from the functionality standpoint. I can do everything I want to with my device and do not need to look forward for upcoming features bundled in a release like iPhone users do.

My perspective on this is purely from a user standpoint. Any other point of view, business, stock-market, even marketing, means nothing to me.

That's why I see the iPhone as just another choice, because I'm only concerned with what each device out there can and cannot do.
[doublepost=1484149936][/doublepost]

I've got to wonder why there aren't more successful companies out there. This forum seems to be filled with armchair-executives who have all the answers...

Apologies to the scattering of insightful commenters who have either been directly involved in running a business or bringing a product to market. I've done both, albeit on a micro-scale, and although I don't necessarily agree with every decision Apple's exec team make, in my eyes they deserve massive respect for doing an almost impossible job.

As for Phil's comments, as a business and as a product the iPhone is indeed unmatched and may not be matched by another product or business in our lifetime. He's not talking about how many pixels it has or inches diagonal or CPU cores or any other individual quantitative measure. He's talking about the impact the product has had on the market and on people. Part of that impact has been the rise of competitive products but none of those have seen the sustained success and enduring demand of the iPhone.

I for one am glad I'm not still carrying a Nokia 6310i coupled to a Sharp Zaurus or Palm m105 as I was just before the iPhone was announced. Even if those products had evolved they would still pale in comparison to what we have in our hands and pockets today.

Apple deserve appreciation for what they did 10 years ago whether you are an Apple customer or not. They did what we should all be trying to do - make the world a little bit better!

Apple got it's praise when it deserved it. Yes, the iPhone was revolutionary and brilliant upon it's release. It was lauded as so. Apple gleaned both financial and mindshare success that they're still riding on.

Ten years later, the iPhone is neither revolutionary not "unmatched". Period. It's still quality, no question, but without Steve to push it forward, it's stagnated to the point that it has been matched and even surpassed in some areas.

Apple needs to have REAL courage and push the iPhone and iOS further than what it's been. The reality of it is that it is Android who has been driving the innovation and pushing the boundaries, albeit without Apple's signature polish.

Will Apple do this? Are they already working on it? Who knows. There is GREAT potential for iOS and iPhone to become "unmatched" again. But without a product-centric visionary at the helm to push, I believe it to be unlikely.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

Even the Android platform itself is under pressure now due to tensions between the competing needs of different vendors and Google themselves, not to mention the ongoing issues of lack of timely upgrades. IMO Android needs some sort of relaunch, perhaps using a better platform language such as Swift instead of Java. But more importantly it needs to find a way past the upgrade malaise that currently inflicts it. If they don't do that then iOS products released at the same time as Android products will continue to evolve due to iOS updates whereas Android devices will be locked to only the features available at release.

You've nicely summarized the current displeasure with Apple over the Mac.

Anyway, let's see if Samsung fall under the same scrutiny over their marketing messages next time they say something similar to what Phil said the other day. My guess is that they won't. Anyone disagree?

I don't know. I don't follow Samsung rumor forums.

 

[Jyby]

That is debatable. For you and about 5% of the public MacOS is better at best. I own run both platforms and one isn't any better than the other in my opinion. Both are actually more similar than dissimilar now. I'm about done with Mac anyway. One use to pay a premium and get a premium product - Software and Hardware. That is no longer the case today so why pay a premium anymore?

As a general user, I would argue, Windows users have suffered more setbacks from upgrading their OS throughout the decade. My upgrade experience with Mac has only been welcomed improvements.

Most people only buy Windows machines because they're cheap or they have Software not written for Mac. But, if you reflect on the experience you've had on Mac and Windows, you'll see Macs operating system strengths. Spotlight, File Previews, Finder, spellcheck almost everywhere....

Why do I think Mac is better? It's the UX; my daily usage just flows better. All the software I need for everyday tasks (non-gaming, non-development) is pretty much supplied by Apple for free. And the motions/key-strokes I use to operate that software is easier. I prefer command vs control for example.

The only feature I envy from Windows is native window snapping.. Macs version is a bit clunky.

 

[akash.nu]

I've got to wonder why there aren't more successful companies out there. This forum seems to be filled with armchair-executives who have all the answers...

Apologies to the scattering of insightful commenters who have either been directly involved in running a business or bringing a product to market. I've done both, albeit on a micro-scale, and although I don't necessarily agree with every decision Apple's exec team make, in my eyes they deserve massive respect for doing an almost impossible job.

As for Phil's comments, as a business and as a product the iPhone is indeed unmatched and may not be matched by another product or business in our lifetime. He's not talking about how many pixels it has or inches diagonal or CPU cores or any other individual quantitative measure. He's talking about the impact the product has had on the market and on people. Part of that impact has been the rise of competitive products but none of those have seen the sustained success and enduring demand of the iPhone.

I for one am glad I'm not still carrying a Nokia 6310i coupled to a Sharp Zaurus or Palm m105 as I was just before the iPhone was announced. Even if those products had evolved they would still pale in comparison to what we have in our hands and pockets today.

Apple deserve appreciation for what they did 10 years ago whether you are an Apple customer or not. They did what we should all be trying to do - make the world a little bit better!

Well said, as a product you can say iPhone defined what a modern smartphone should look and feel but Phil saying it's "still unmatched", is incorrect IMHO. I've been using iPhones since the 3G days and after iPhone 6, I didn't feel excited about any of the future releases. You can call it a personal experience but so many others share the same view.

PS. I know making a product or service successful is so so difficult. It's not a joke at all seeing what the iPhone has achieved.

 

[craig1410]

Great article from Horace Dediu of Asymco on why the iPhone is indeed unmatched and will continue to be unmatched for many years to come despite the protests to the contrary above.

http://www.asymco.com/2017/01/11/the-first-trillion-dollars-is-always-the-hardest/

 

[Radon87000]

In playing the "what if" game anything in the universe can happen.

The day Windows drops to 0 is the day people stop using computers and even the iPhone is shut down.Fun fact being Windows is needed to create even an iPhone

Or the cell phone with apps that has been around since very th 1990s?

Is this an abstract idea or a tangible concept?

This is 2016 not 2006. New generation of customers, no one know if Apple would have flopped had Steve lived.

When Steve lived, revenue and profits were showing solid gains but never a decrease. Timmy did earn an abnormal gain in 2014 but since then the profits are taking a beating.Tim's era has more volatility in earnings.Apple would not have flopped if Steve was alive because Steve was the one who stopped them from flopping in the 90s.He would do it again

Under Timmy Apple grew to most valuable company, released innovations and had record earnings quarter after quarter. You can interpret "this any way you want".

Which is the past.What I listed is the present. Microsoft and IBM were pretty impressive back in the day.In the here and now,who cares?

I've lost hard drives due to Microsoft errors.

Hyperbole. No software update can break hard drives

So it was great under jobs, but not so much under Timmy..

Yes you are finally understanding. Things were fabulous under Jobs and not under Timmy

 

[I7guy]

The day Windows drops to 0 is the day people stop using computers and even the iPhone is shut down.Fun fact being Windows is needed to create even an iPhone

Fun fact - google doesn't run on Windows.

Is this an abstract idea or a tangible concept?

Tangible concept.

When Steve lived, revenue and profits were showing solid gains but never a decrease. Timmy did earn an abnormal gain in 2014 but since then the profits are taking a beating.Tim's era has more volatility in earnings.Apple would not have flopped if Steve was alive because Steve was the one who stopped them from flopping in the 90s.He would do it again

But they were much less than what they are today. Maybe you missed this gem.

Apple Set to Earn $1 Trillion in Revenue From iOS Ecosystem By Middle of 2017

Which is the past.What I listed is the present. Microsoft and IBM were pretty impressive back in the day.In the here and now,who cares?

Right, but this can't be said about apple.

Hyperbole. No software update can break hard drives

This is all hyperbole.

Yes you are finally understanding. Things were fabulous under Jobs and not under Timmy

Rose colored glasses metaphor I think.

 

[daflake]

Thank you for this. the internet is one big echo chamber of negativity, especially where Apple is concerned. everybody loves an underdog, right? well not if that underdog is Apple Computer - they can't do anything right, ever! why do they even try? why, I remember just recently when they had more cash on hand than the US Treasury. yeah, truly apple is doing everything wrong! that's why nobody is buying any apple products!


I wish people would just shut the hell up. windows 10 is a nightmare, PC manufacturers keep churning out plastic ********, and people are griping about $9 adapters to connect their outdated devices to a new PC, totally missing the point that instead of ports people never use, we have four ports we can use any which way we please, with massive bandwidth and a ton of standards supported through a universal connector. the future is grand, but it's like everyone has gone curmudgeonly and is saying 'the end is nigh!' when in fact the opposite is true. *SIGH*

Wow... Went on a rant about negativity and then went all negative.

What is wrong with Windows 10? I have been using it for 1 + years and not had any massive issues with it. It is fairly lightweight and works well. I love my macs as well, but there really isn't anything wrong with Win 10 and it runs great on my HP Envy.

The iPhone was ground breaking at the time and opened the door for others to follow. It was a solid product and is still my go to phone.

 

[Shanghaichica]

In terms of technology, the iPhone has been equaled and surpassed. However I don't think the iphone can be beaten on user experience, ecosystem and integration with other Apple devices.

 

[Radon87000]

Fun fact - google doesn't run on Windows.

Its been reported multiple times that a bulk of Google's search revenue comes from Windows.If Windows goes down,it takes a major chunk of Google with it.Heck even if iOS goes down it will still take down a fair share of Google with it as Google earns more from iOS than Android

Both Apple and Google go under without Windows

Tangible concept.

So which model was copied?

Right, but this can't be said about apple.

How so?What makes you think Apple wont pull of a Blackberry or Nokia?

 

[craig1410]

In terms of technology, the iPhone has been equaled and surpassed. However I don't think the iphone can be beaten on user experience, ecosystem and integration with other Apple devices.

In some specific metrics perhaps, but as a complete system I'm not so sure. The iPhone 7+ can stand toe to toe with the best. In areas such as CPU it is head and shoulders above the others. What is most impressive is that Apple can do all this and still make 40% margins which then become the seeds of future innovations.

But tech-specs aside what you say about user experience is exactly right and that's ultimately all that matters.

 

[I7guy]

Its been reported multiple times that a bulk of Google's search revenue comes from Windows.If Windows goes down,it takes a major chunk of Google with it.Heck even if iOS goes down it will still take down a fair share of Google with it as Google earns more from iOS than Android

Google doesn't run on windows, proof positive the world could stop using it tomorrow.

Both Apple and Google go under without Windows

And more to the point, Microsoft.

So which model was copied?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_store

How so?What makes you think Apple wont pull of a Blackberry or Nokia?

With their Note 7, washing machines, and now Apple vs. Samsung Lawsuit Over iPhone Design Officially Reopened Samsung may be the one pulling off a blackberry.

 

[ReneR]

Unmatched really is a bit silly, give how many nice flagship Android phones are out there with better specs, design or features.

 

[craig1410]

Unmatched really is a bit silly, give how many nice flagship Android phones are out there with better specs, design or features.

It's not about specs or features or even individual design elements. You need to widen your perspective to include everything the iPhone has achieved as a "product" in the last 10 years. No other product comes close.

 

[ReneR]

It's not about specs or features or even individual design elements. You need to widen your perspective to include everything the iPhone has achieved as a "product" in the last 10 years. No other product comes close.

And how much has Google archived by brining an open Android and thus Linux to the masses. With a with a whole, compatible ecosystem covering more than just one vendor? Of course Android and Google are not perfect and update adaption and so on. But Apple is not perfect either.

 

[craig1410]

And how much has Google archived by brining an open Android and thus Linux to the masses. With a with a whole, compatible ecosystem covering more than just one vendor? Of course Android and Google are not perfect and update adaption and so on. But Apple is not perfect either.

I never even used the word 'perfect' so not sure why you bring that up.

Google didn't bring Linux to the masses, it's been around for at lot longer than that. And Android isn't as 'open' or compatible as you seem to think. As you bring up, update propagation is shockingly bad.

 

[ReneR]

I never even used the word 'perfect' so not sure why you bring that up.

Google didn't bring Linux to the masses, it's been around for at lot longer than that. And Android isn't as 'open' or compatible as you seem to think. As you bring up, update propagation is shockingly bad.

I do Linux development since 1996 or so, but before Android only very few end users got to use it. So Android effectively brought Linux into the hands of the masses, not counting the Linux WiFi router in every second house before, though...

And compatibility-wise you can usually run the "Java"ish apps on about every vendor's phone or tablet. It is open enough to build your custom ROM, or start an startup with your one phone or tablet. I would call that pretty open.

 

[craig1410]

I do Linux development since 1996 or so, but before Android only very few end users got to use it. So Android effectively brought Linux into the hands of the masses, not counting the Linux WiFi router in every second house before, though...

And compatibility-wise you can usually run the "Java"ish apps on about every vendor's phone or tablet. It is open enough to build your custom ROM, or start an startup with your one phone or tablet. I would call that pretty open.

Yeah I'm a developer too and have used Linux since around 1991/1992 when I was at University when you still needed to compile your own kernel to get IDE hard drive support!

Personally I would credit the likes of Redhat/Fedora and Ubuntu and other distribution producers with bringing Linux to the masses and it's a source of contention as to whether Android can be considered a Linux distribution. It runs a Linux kernel certainly. I don't know if you remember but even Dell (IIRC) used to offer Linux as an option instead of Windows at one point on new computer.

I ran mainly Redhat/Fedora as my desktop OS for a good few years but got fed up waiting on the Linux community producing a really good desktop UI and bought my first Mac in 2007. Since then I mainly use Linux on the server-side for hosting web applications and doing other server tasks. I also use it quite a bit for embedded device projects.

My comments on compatibility are more in terms of the enormous range of OS versions out there and the hoops you have to jump through as a developer to support the majority of the installed base. With iOS you can support 80%+ of the installed base with the latest OS version within just a few weeks of it being released. Regarding openness I'm thinking more in terms of the features which you don't get on a generic Android device which only Google themselves provide.

Anyway, I think we're getting a bit off topic here so I'll respectfully withdraw from further comment in this direction.

I hear what you're saying but getting back to my original point, I just think that while you can consider the iPhone as a single 'product' and measure the 'unmatched' impact of that product, the hundreds of different Android-based devices from dozens of vendors cannot be considered as a single product in the same way. Also, those products were ultimately inspired by the original iPhone, a fact that can easily be seen if you look at how phones have changed since 2007.

 

[LordVic]

/craig141 and ReneR, you're both pretty right.

The knowledge and popularity of Linux has mostly been pushed by specific distos focused on usability, like ubuntu, mint.

Linux became a viable deskto to some because of the works of these guys.

But not mutually exclusive, android being made on top of Linux foundation actually got its use by end users up to record numbers of billions because of mobile sales of android devices. However most users wouldn't know what Linux is.

 

[craig1410]

/craig141 and ReneR, you're both pretty right.

The knowledge and popularity of Linux has mostly been pushed by specific distos focused on usability, like ubuntu, mint.

Linux became a viable deskto to some because of the works of these guys.

But not mutually exclusive, android being made on top of Linux foundation actually got its use by end users up to record numbers of billions because of mobile sales of android devices. However most users wouldn't know what Linux is.

Yeah in my opinion as a huge fan of Linux, I think that its strengths are also its weaknesses as is often the case. I'm referring to flexibility and openness mainly. Those qualities have given us a wide range of distros and an extremely useful multi-purpose server operating system. However, in my opinion, those same qualities are responsible for the meme "This is the year of Linux on the desktop!" something I waited on for many years before giving up.

Creating a UI of comparable quality to that of macOS is a massive undertaking and takes many years of focus and single mindedness to achieve. I can't help but feel that this is antithetical to OSS and may go some way to explain why the best desktop operating systems have tended to be closed source. Software designed by "committee" never seems to work when what you are designing needs to be "opinionated" and with a singular vision.

My day job is working as a Ruby on Rails developer, a notoriously opinionated web development platform created by a notoriously opinionated (but super-smart) software writer, David Heinemeier Hansson. I strongly believe that if RoR had been designed to suit everyone then it would not have been successful. I think the same is true of iOS and I think that the "openness" of Android has probably held it back in many ways in terms of user experience in order to achieve the ubiquity it enjoys amongst 3rd party vendors.

I hope I continue to live in a democratic country but I don't want democratic software and products!