Apple should stop focusing on hardware design for a while and shift focus on software design. since 2006, its the 6th consecutive year of relatively the same UI and design. It worked well in 2006 but others have caught up and gone beyond what Apple did in 2006. iOS 6 will likely be my last iOS device if the useability of other designs is not implemented by iOS 7. I don't think this is my sentiment alone, this is a sentiment of millions of iOS users who are quickly finding out they like other platforms better than iOS not just in features but in convenience and simplicity as well.
Stopped reading after you said that the iPhone was announced / released in 2006.