It's incredible not just how emotional people get about a phone, but how 'keen apple fans' feel the need to write an essay about the impact that such devices/products might or might not have on their lives. I'm not taking the pi55 here - knock yourself out - just try to remember; it's just a phone. If you don't need it don't buy it. If you don't want it, don't buy it. If it isn't everything you'd hoped for, get over it.
Announcements like this are doomed to failure simply because the insane level of entitlement/expectation from 'fans'. When that expected hit isn't delivered, people seem to crumble and get themselves down. And falling in love with the way an enormous company like Apple sell you things, and market at you as part of the experience is needy and a little bit weird.
I'll say it again: It's just a phone. Apple released it, showed it to us, and told us what it does. Your assessment of how that announcement has underwhelmed you, but you'll still buy it really just sounds like a cry for help.
And One More Thing...
I'm guessing Apple won't be too worried about the tragic loss of their magic, and their desperate struggle without Steve Jobs' presentation to snag customers, when after all you will be "preordering and/or standing in line to get one"!!
I think that's some voodoo.
I can see your point of view, and of course you are right, it is just a phone.
But, as you say yourself, there is a lot more going on here, a lot of people are feeling much more of an interest and fascination with Apple than could be explained by just some company releasing an updated phone.
I don't agree with your explanation that this is a 'cry for help', but perhaps you are right.
For me it is simply that Apple seem to stand for some kind of ideology that other companies don't. Im not saying that there is necessary any substance behind this view, it may just be marketing or an accident, but it does seem that by supporting Apple you are also supporting a set of values.
And I don't see those same values attached to Samsung or Microsoft or Google at the moment.
So yeh, whilst I do agree with you in some ways, I don't think the answer to the mystery is by criticising the Apple fans, or by pointing out ways in which Apple doesn't meet the ideological image that some people hold of it.
The fascinating question to me, is why does it have such an image at all?
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As a matter of principle, that farking adapter should be free.
As a gesture of good will, and so that people can continue to use their docks.
Especially on the release of the first device to use it.
I know what will happen now, all the defenders of apple will come out and say otherwise, but it would only cost them a couple of bucks to produce, and it should be included with a $1000 device.
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Yeh, the power adapter for the new mac book pro is pretty cheap, and given away free with the cinema display as well.
I wonder if they wanted to make sure that the cost of the new lightning cable was going to be less than buying an old cable and adapter.
