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

[Dekema2]

You know, the other day I looked at the old iPhone keynotes; I don't really know why I did, but then I looked at the dates on the videos and I saw that the keynotes were on January 9, 2007. Then I realized that the anniversary of the iPhone was coming in a few days. So I watched a bunch of them.

Throughout watching the keynotes you could tell just how excited the audience was. And I'm sure that rumors of the phone's features were pervasive right here on MacRumors. When was the last time you actually got excited about a Keynote like that? The inspiration is gone.

4K video is nowhere near the leap of the App Store or the original iPhone. I think Apple made a mistake of getting rid of Scott Forstall.

 

[bluush]

Replace cook with Forstall. Sure, Forstall is an *******. So was Jobs. You need that kind of personality. You need someone in charge, not a meek CEO who relies on confusing launches and multiple product variations just to please the board and try to always sell more. And now, with iPhone seeing its first decline in sales, it's time to reshuffle the top brass.

 

[LordVic]

After that they went out of business.

Many of those companies did what Apple is apparently doing today

"we don't need to change because look at our history, we're the best, so therefor everyone wants us"

all it took was a sleek and sexy designed smartphone (the iPhone) to disrupt that norm. Apple was in the drivers seat effectively since 2011 (when their sales finally surpased everyone else) as the leader of the industry. But now we've got Apple's top brass makign similar comments to those who came before.

If you look at your past as evidence for your future in the smartphone business, you are in trouble. Apple cannot claim to be "unmatched" just because 10 years ago they changed the landscape. And while there are still some aspects that are great, to claim the iPhone is unmatched is disingenuous. it's still a top smartphone, but it doesn't truly offer anything that the competition doesn't have an answer too, and in many aspects, it lags on the competition in a lot of the tech that is predicted to be the future.

There's nothingw rong with Apple being proud of their past. There IS something wrong with hubris and believing because of your past, you're invincible in the future. Schiller seems like his Hubris has become a problem in 2016. Especially regarding the MacBook Pro's (which he came out after the launch in confusion why so many people were complaining about it), and then comments like this.

I truly think that Apple's Exec's right now are like the king's kids who inhereted the throne and believe they have some "god" given right to be there. But don't actually understand what it is that got them there in the first place. They're too busy telling everyone how amazing they are because they're the kings kids, and not actually doing things for the populace.

 

[avanpelt]

Even with their privacy concerns, they should be able to see how many people of the 76% installed iOS 10 user base actually use Siri and to what extent. (I think Siri runs through their servers, not sure?)

That realism would show them that SIRI is inadequate for many and needs a lot of work. It is obvious since it is still in BETA?

For me it has NEVER worked and I have tried and re-tried every so often.

Maybe I am just talking wrong?

Siri definitely goes through Apple's servers...every...single...time...it's...used.

Really, they need to build a basic amount of Siri functionality into the OS. It's crazy that the moment you lose connectivity to the internet, Siri is completely useless even for doing basic things like turning bluetooth or Wi-Fi on or off on your device.

Apple has not cracked AI as much as they probably like to give themselves credit for doing so. In reality, up to this point, they've barely even scratched the surface. At the end of the day, Siri is just a database running in the cloud that has a very specific set of predefined use cases. Try to go much beyond that and you start running into walls left and right. Siri isn't capable of learning -- at least not yet.

That's why I think they need a Siri app so that the end user can teach it things and customize Siri's abilities to how they use their device(s). If we have to continue to depend on Apple for Siri to get her education, she'll be 10 years old and still in first grade.

 

[Zaft]

Well, To be fair, "ontario" is a massive province that has a few major cities in it, and it's climate and weather can change dramatically over a few kilometres (my home for example is routinely 2-3c colder than my parents, 20km away)

So I can see Siri misunderstanding a question like that. And liklihood, it chose Ottawa because it's Canada's Capital, which is also in Ontario
Though, surprisingly, you'd think it would have selected Ontario's Capital, which is Toronto

Maybe but it did choose Ontario the 3rd time. So i think it had something to do with voice recognition.
I have no accent so It should not be a problem.
[doublepost=1483988080][/doublepost]

If the iPhone is unmatched, why is Apple copying Samsung by using oled this year.

Well the apple watch already had oled so..

 

[Radon87000]

Unmatched? Hey Phil the Galaxy S7 Edge exists.All of Apple's executives have become arrogant of late

 

[LordVic]

Maybe but it did choose Ontario the 3rd time. So i think it had something to do with voice recognition.
I have no accent so It should not be a problem.
[doublepost=1483988080][/doublepost]
Well the apple watch already had oled so..

Psh, you're from NY.. you have an accent

and the amusing thing about OLED in the Watch, was Apple's rhetoric. "We are using a brand new technology that will change the watch"... they wouldn't outright call it OLED, because that would be admitting that they're using a technology that was in fact around for over a decade, that was refined through other peoples work. The verbage was used to imply Apple's invented the technology, without actually lieing about where the tech came from

This is my problem with Cue, Ive, Schiller, Cook. They don't "lie", but they offer nothing but platitudes, rhetoric, and claiming how awesome they are by how much money they make. But we really don't get anything of substance.

 

[44267547]

iPhone still is amazing. But yeah, as for unmatched, this new Xiaomi Mi Mix is ridiculously amazing.

Have you tested this phone? I'm not sure what you think know about the Xiaomi Mix or if you have handled this phone, but it's poorly made and constructed. There are plenty of tests showing how his phone is relatively cheap, but indicates why it bends and breaks with little effort. Yes, the screen is nice. But when compared to the iPhone quality and hardware, it's not even close.

And from my understanding, the Xiaomi is only available in China. Ridiculously amazing isn't something I rate this phone by quality standards.

http://www.androidauthority.com/xiaomi-mi-max-review-697812/

 

[Jess13]

Have you tested this phone? I'm not sure what you think know about the Xiaomi Mix or if you have handled this phone, but it's poorly made and constructed. There are plenty of tests showing how his phone is relatively cheap, but indicates why it bends and breaks with little effort. Yes, the screen is nice. But when compared to the iPhone quality and hardware, it's not even close.

And from my understanding, the Xiaomi is only available in China. Ridiculously amazing isn't something I rate this phone by quality standards.

http://www.androidauthority.com/xiaomi-mi-max-review-697812/

That review isn’t even the phone.

 

[MrX8503]

The iPhone 7 is unmatched. Fastest silicon with water resistance and great sounding speakers.

The speaker on the Galaxy 7 Edge sounds like it's under water. I don't know how reviewers didn't catch that.

The iPhone was not a massive change in what a smartphone was or could do. In fact, the first version was somewhat crippled in that respect, and really ranks as more of a feature phone.

Smartphones of the time had much more functionality, such as 3G, GPS, MMS, video cams front and rear for videos and video calls, Microsoft Exchange, and of course third party native apps. They had apps for search, music, Google Maps, navigation, medical dictionaries, games, etc.

However, they were not as much fun to use!



On the contrary, it was widely expected, just not so soon. During 2006, all-touch finger friendly concept and prototype phones were being shown, some of which no doubt influenced Apple.

View attachment 682673

Synaptics was showing off their working Onyx prototype. Qualcomm was shopping around a capacitive touch controller. And the Linux Moko? It was announced that it would have pinch zoom, 285 PPI, etc two months BEFORE the iPhone was ever shown off.

View attachment 682674

I think it's very telling that when a small group proposes a multi-touch, near-retina resolution device with gestures, icon grid and dock, etc... nobody pays any attention. But when Apple does it months (or years, in the case of retina) later, suddenly it's all A Big Deal.



Even after the iPhone came out, it took a while for the major phone makers to take it seriously as a threat. That's what killed some of those companies.

The iPhone was not disruptive because it was something nobody had thought of. There were plenty of such phones in R&D at the time.

It was disruptive because other companies were dragging their feet, worrying more about their biggest customers: corporations with heavy investments in legacy code on older style smartphones... and so were not concentrating on what the mass consumer liked. And the mass consumer liked the simplicity of learning and using the iPhone!

The difference is that Apple actually delivered the whole package at a mass scale. That's why it was a big deal and that's why the iPhone changed the world.

That review isn’t even the phone.

The phone is stunning.....and that's where it ends. The camera isn't very good and the software is buggy.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

Many of those companies did what Apple is apparently doing today

"we don't need to change because look at our history, we're the best, so therefor everyone wants us"

all it took was a sleek and sexy designed smartphone (the iPhone) to disrupt that norm. Apple was in the drivers seat effectively since 2011 (when their sales finally surpased everyone else) as the leader of the industry. But now we've got Apple's top brass makign similar comments to those who came before.

If you look at your past as evidence for your future in the smartphone business, you are in trouble. Apple cannot claim to be "unmatched" just because 10 years ago they changed the landscape. And while there are still some aspects that are great, to claim the iPhone is unmatched is disingenuous. it's still a top smartphone, but it doesn't truly offer anything that the competition doesn't have an answer too, and in many aspects, it lags on the competition in a lot of the tech that is predicted to be the future.

There's nothingw rong with Apple being proud of their past. There IS something wrong with hubris and believing because of your past, you're invincible in the future. Schiller seems like his Hubris has become a problem in 2016. Especially regarding the MacBook Pro's (which he came out after the launch in confusion why so many people were complaining about it), and then comments like this.

I truly think that Apple's Exec's right now are like the king's kids who inhereted the throne and believe they have some "god" given right to be there. But don't actually understand what it is that got them there in the first place. They're too busy telling everyone how amazing they are because they're the kings kids, and not actually doing things for the populace.

A sexy sleek phone that put those people out of business and is arguably the best smart phone today. If you look at sales figures it can't even be argued. The iPhone has out sold every other phone on the planet.

 

[Deuce on the Clock]

Totally agree the phone was earth shattering 10 years ago. I still love the feel and design of the phone compared to the new ones. I don't agree with the unmatched comment at all. No wonder the phone has been only incremental and not innovative the past few years. Change the mind set and change the world Apple. I hope the time will come when this will happen again. It does feel the business strategy is reverting back to the 90s with tons of product and no focus. Get back to the core and do it right again.

 

[Zaft]

Psh, you're from NY.. you have an accent

and the amusing thing about OLED in the Watch, was Apple's rhetoric. "We are using a brand new technology that will change the watch"... they wouldn't outright call it OLED, because that would be admitting that they're using a technology that was in fact around for over a decade, that was refined through other peoples work. The verbage was used to imply Apple's invented the technology, without actually lieing about where the tech came from

This is my problem with Cue, Ive, Schiller, Cook. They don't "lie", but they offer nothing but platitudes, rhetoric, and claiming how awesome they are by how much money they make. But we really don't get anything of substance.

Very true. Apple goes out of its way to convince people they made the stuff..
I bet apple words the OLED iPhone 8 screen in this way.

"Apple scientists have made a screen where individual pixels light up only when needed, this gives a true black color and saves battery life, truly revolutionary."

 

[44267547]

That review isn’t even the phone.

Exactly. It refers to Xiaomi's poor build quality and standards, which I indicated in my previous post to prove my point on materials used. So again, I ask you, have you tested the Mix or used it to Make a fair judgement calling it "Ridiculously Amazing"? Android Authority rated it fairly poor.

It's not available in the US, unless you are in China. Then what makes this phone "Amazing?" Surely it can be just the display?

 

[cmwade77]

Schiller is right about the "earth-shattering" comment. However, he is no longer right about "unmatched."

The iPhone is still incredible. But everyone else has caught up.

That's not entirely accurate, many have actually surpassed, not just caught up.

 

[Zaft]

Exactly. It refers to Xiaomi's build poor build quality and standards, which I indicated in my previous post. So again, I ask you, have you tested the Mix or used it to Make a fair judgement calling it "Ridiculously Amazing"?

It's not available in the US, unless you are in China. Then what makes this phone "Amazing?"

I saw those videos, it makes the iPhone 6 bendgate fiasco look overblown (which it was).

 

[TwoBytes]

while CEO Tim Cook promised "the best is yet to come."

How long is he going to keep saying this without showing the goods?
If you keep saying that for a few years, you might release something that's ok but for now, all we have is poor incremental updates, price hikes and talk.

 

[andyyau]

Very true. Apple goes out of its way to convince people they made the stuff..
I bet apple words the OLED iPhone 8 screen in this way.

"Apple scientists have made a screen where individual pixels light up only when needed, this gives a true black color and saves battery life, truly revolutionary."

You forgot the thickness. SJ changed the world while Jonathan Ive changes only the thickness.

 

[urbZZ]

The only thing unmatched is the price

I am all Apple, Macbook PRO iPad, iPhone ... 'till a few weeks ago, when my beloved 6s died on me (water hazard). I just did not want to spend top dollar on an outdated device like the iPhone 7. So I gave the Galaxy Edge 7 a chance ...
Just WOW. The Hardware is WAY better than the Apple stuff: Battery, Camera, Display, this is so much better and it's 2/3rd of the price of an iPhone 7! Yeah, Schiller, the Apple Marketing Comanche, did not expect anything else from him...

Looks like my first step away from apple.... And btw., pay your damn taxes already you thieves ...

 

[LordVic]

A sexy sleek phone that put those people out of business and is arguably the best smart phone today. If you look at sales figures it can't even be argued. The iPhone has out sold every other phone on the planet.

Yeah, at no point did I not dispute Apple's Dominant position in sales. I am not one fo those people who didn't think the iPhone didn't shake up the industry. it did. Absolutely was "earth breaking" or whatever verbiage you wish to apply.

Simple put, while in 2006/7 there were other manufacturers playing with the same ideas, Apple was really the first to make those ideas reality. There are many reasons for this, From their secrecy to lack of legacy phones / tech that they had to continue. Apple was able to focus it's undivided attention to ensuring they got their overall package out first. And they did it in typical Apple style. Take a "geeky" idea that doesn't have broad consumer appeal, put it in a fancy and beautiful package, and sell it as something "magical"

it absolutely shook up the landscape.

and it IS one of the best phones you can buy today.

but to claim that the iPhone today is "unmatched" is the argument. it's disingenuous and purposely ignores that from a technology standpoint, Apple's iPhone does not stand ahead of the pack anymore. it's right in the fight with a dozen other manufacturers who are all offering some form of parity product. each devices has slight variances to differentiate itself, But there's nothing about the iPhone that makes it overwhelmingly stand above and beyond everything else.

There's also the confusion thinking that sales = Quality. sales and popularity is not an indication of quality. Profits are also not an indication of quality, but only a metric of differences between sales revenue and expenses. (again, i'm not saying anything about Apple's iPhone quality, i'm just saying repeating the sales and profit as some magic proof of Apple's quality is not valid as there's no direct causation. Lots of bad quality stuff has sold amazingly. Just look at all the "pop" music we listen to everyday. nsync wasn't exactly a pinnacle of music quality or creativity )

 

[bighype]

Unmatched today? Hah, what a silly statement. Schiller should gather some of that "courage" and try some other phones and see how stale iPhone 7 design is. And don't even get me started on the lack of 3.5mm port.

 

[kdarling]

Have you tested this phone? I'm not sure what you think know about the Xiaomi Mix or if you have handled this phone, but it's poorly made and constructed.
..
http://www.androidauthority.com/xiaomi-mi-max-review-697812/

Wrong phone. You dug up the bezeled aluminum Mi Max.

They're talking instead about the bezel-less ceramic Mi Mix.

The latter has great reviews and is being called the future of smartphones.

 

[Jess13]

Exactly. It refers to Xiaomi's poor build quality and standards, which I indicated in my previous post to prove my point on materials used. So again, I ask you, have you tested the Mix or used it to Make a fair judgement calling it "Ridiculously Amazing"? Android Authority rated it fairly poor.

It's not available in the US, unless you are in China. Then what makes this phone "Amazing?" Surely it can be just the display?

I base it being ridiculously amazing, on Marques’s review in the YouTube I posted. The review you posted isn’t the phone, so how you think a different phone’s review is relevant, I don’t understand sorry.

 

[44267547]

Wrong phone. You dug up the bezeled aluminum Mi Max.

They're talking instead about the bezel-less ceramic Mi Mix.

Which has great reviews and is being called the future of smartphones.

Then you shorted yourself. Read further back. I "Dug" up an article indicating the quality issues noted with Xiaomi, as the poster was referring to Xiaomi being amazing, which they suffer from hardware quality standards, which for the price point, you get what you pay for. It was also compared to the iPhone's quality standards, which isn't even close when comparing to the whole "Bend gate."

And by my anecdotal presumption, the future of smart phones can't be comparably noted unless something Can be widely as as available to the masses. It's only available in China thus far from my understanding, so it's the future of smart phones by China. That's a nice thought, but carries false modesty.

 

[ChrisCW11]

This company is revelling too much in past glory and the statements Phil said are ludicrous and woefully in denial. Sure the iPhone is a great phone, but I wouldn't say it's unmatched by anyone else today. And to say Siri does more then any other competitor, well just ask Siri to tell you a joke or sing a song, or even give a decent weather forecast.

Apple is the new Blackberry, and if they focus too much on how great they WERE and do little to up the ante on future iPhone and other device updates then consumers will quickly grow, and have grown, weary of the nostalgic Apple of the past and will continue to move elsewhere.

2016 was just a small example of what happens when Apple lets down there guard and takes a breather, the company doesn't have enough substance to go a few years without substantial improvement to there products. Kid yourselves all you want, but Amazon has turned up the heat on Alexa, unfortunately something Siri can't do yet in my house, and Amazon has stolen the innovation mindshare from consumers and that is what everyone is talking about after CES on all the other tech blog sites. And Amazon didn't even have a dedicated presence at CES.

The only buzz Apple can generate is another round of cars supporting CarPlay, which most already did last year anyways, a few HomeKit do-dahs, and the anniversary of the iPhone? Not off to a great start.