What Do You Want to See From Apple in 2017?

[smacrumon]

Huge changes to Apple's business model;
- a move to greater transparency
- transition to a not for profit model
- heavy focus on research and development on technologies that advance humanity
- and greater focus on pure design

In terms of products;
- iMac is in need of a rethink-- kill off all HDD and replace all with SSD, flatten display further, incorporate speakers at top in addition to bottom
- kill the Macbook touch bar and replace with full length touch pad display adjacent to keys, add touch functionally.
- MacOS needs a rethink-- menus, alerts, preferences, these all need iOS simplification and automation
- iMessage for Android
- kill apps in all app stores that haven't been updated 3+ years, display outdated content or no content.
- simplify all product lines and remove "pro" from non pro products i.e. "pro" iPads.
- Apple pencil needs a serious rethink, bland and uninspired
- introduce a new cinema display, introduce a TV i.e. 40", iSight, Siri etc
- advance all versions of Apple software
- new ultra cheap iPod touch as a gateway to the iOS universe
- Apple Watch with camera
- ultra light iPads with extra battery capacity (Apple can do it!)
- fairer, easier and consistent returns/refunds policies around the world
- 3 year guarantees standard on all devices

To sum up, end the stagnation of advancement, innovation and surprise after Steven Jobs passed.

 

[mox358]

I'd like to see a simpler, more focused Apple :

1. Fix the Mac mess - updates across the line, unify the company line on ports, touch bars, Touch ID, etc... in addition to updating CPUs, SSDs, RAM, and Graphics cards. Make machines that people want to buy (mini, pro)

2. Slow down on software, fix QA issues - I'd like to see Apple go two years on all software, with a point release in the middle. So for example iOS 11 comes out in 2017, in 2018 do 11.5 and use that time to fix bugs, improve performance and sand off rough edges. Split iOS and watchOS in one cycle, and macOS and tvOS in the other.

3. Clean up the apps - iTunes on macOS needs redesigned to fit in with how the ecosystem has changed since 2001. Photos needs some serious polishing and UI work. Consistently overall - iMovie, Garageband, iTunes and Photos do not feel like they are made by the same company.

I just want Apple to go back and think about what attracted people to them in the first place - the "it just works" philosophy feels like it has fallen by the wayside. Let the Cars and VR headsets wait until Apple has figured out the pieces it already has on the table.

 

[jwm]

My MacBook Pro order changed from 'Processing Items' to Dispatched, 2-3 weeks my ass.

 

[MetalCores]

We need a updated Mac Pro and Mac Mini. I don't think the iMac is due for a update yet aside from all the people saying it does I think the 2015 model is still a perfectly capable computer. We will probably get a new iPad as well but I also don't think that's needed. The watch and the Apple TV also do not need to be updated yet imo. But I have a feeling the mini and maybe the pro as well will be discontinued.

 

[5684697]

Huge changes to Apple's business model;
- a move to greater transparency
- transition to a not for profit model
- heavy focus on research and development on technologies that advance humanity
- and greater focus on pure design

In terms of products;
- iMac is in need of a rethink-- kill off all HDD and replace all with SSD, flatten display further, incorporate speakers at top in addition to bottom
- kill the Macbook touch bar and replace with full length touch pad display adjacent to keys, add touch functionally.
- MacOS needs a rethink-- menus, alerts, preferences, these all need iOS simplification and automation
- iMessage for Android
- kill apps in all app stores that haven't been updated 3+ years, display outdated content or no content.
- Apple pencil needs a serious rethink, bland and uninspired
- introduce a new cinema display, introduce a TV i.e. 40", iSight, Siri etc
- advance all versions of Apple software
- new ultra cheap iPod touch as a gateway to the iOS universe
- Apple Watch with camera
- ultra light iPads with extra battery capacity (Apple can do it!)
- fairer, easier and consistent returns/refunds policies around the world
- 3 year guarantees standard on all devices

To sum up, end the stagnation of advancement, innovation and surprise after Steven Jobs passed.

Not for profit model? How does that model produce all of the things you want in terms of product enhancements? You think Steve Jobs wasn't about profits? Good grief. Just what we want, less incentive to build stuff that works.

It will be interesting to see if Tim Cook survives the year. He will likely be kept on too long for social reasons, but if Apple and AAPL don't start to perform this year, time for a new CEO.

 

[smacrumon]

Not for profit model? How does that model produce all of the things you want in terms of product enhancements? You think Steve Jobs wasn't about profits? Good grief. Just what we want, less incentive to build stuff that works.

It will be interesting to see if Tim Cook survives the year. He will likely be kept on too long for social reasons, but if Apple and AAPL don't start to perform this year, time for a new CEO.

I don't particularly care about AAPL, as long as the company is innovating, the rest will fall into place, no one here should give a care about AAPL.

 

[WildGoose]

That's an easy one: TIM CROOK OUT!

This forum needs a thumbs-down. Tim Cook has been doing a fine job.

 

[dominiongamma]

This forum needs a thumbs-down. Tim Cook has been doing a fine job.

With making money for Apple yes but not inventing or making Apple products well anymore, The MacBook Pro touchbar is a good place to start.

 

[intensifi]

MacBook Pros can be configured up 32 GB of RAM with i7. Also have full compliment of ports (USB-C, USB, Thunderbolt, Magsafe, head phone jack, HDMI, SD-Card and Ethernet). Weight and thinness are good enough from mid-2015 models. Return previous keyboard travel.

MacBooks become the thin and light machines. Ports: USB-C, USB, Headphone and MagSafe.

Return headphone jack for iPhone 8 plus.

Mac-mini same config options as MacBook Pro described above.

MacPro- update to current Xeon and Memory standards.

iMac update to current standards.

 

[WildGoose]

Make actual stuff for pros

1. Ditch HFS+ and give us a real file system. I'd pay real money for ZFS
2. A new Mac Pro
3. A MacBook Pro that's really for pros: lightweight and thin is nice, but not at the expense of ram, CPU, and battery capacity.
4. Bring back the 17" display
5. While I'm generally a fan of the one-connector-for-everything, I'd love to have the HDMI connector back

 

[Borddeleau54]

Since I intend to buy a 2017 iPad pro 12.9 here are my wishes:
- Bluetooth 5 enabled
- Chromecast enabled (not a chance)
- Aptx enabled (not a chance)
- At least 12 mp double camera like 2016 iPad pro 9.7
- Siri without having to plug the iPad
- Airplay enabled headphones (what are they waiting!?)
- More iPad pro specific iOS and software and... CDN dollar parity with US dollar
- Better microphones for Siri
- Red color, ... for a change
- 6 or 8 gb RAM
- A10X processor
- A bit lower price (not a chance)
- True Tone

Don't care about bezel free... As for the Macbook pro, pleeze: CUT THE OUTRAGEOUS PRICES!

 

[HiRez]

The TV app is second only to iBooks and Apple Maps as the worst piece of new software to come out of apple in the iPhone era.

What's wrong with iBooks? I've been using it every day since it first came out (both on iPhone and iPad, and occasionally on macOS) and I've rarely had any issue with it (except the very first version where it had trouble syncing my bookmarks). For me, it's been one of the better core iOS apps.

I actually like the macOS Maps app as well, although some of the back-end mapping data is still inaccurate (but steadily improving).

 

[Mikkis]

Reasonably priced iPhones. User accounts, Finder and more pro GUI for iPads. Develop Mac OS GUI in a way that it could be used with both mouse and touch like Microsoft has done -> hybrid devices.

 

[mithion]

Tim cook has done an OK job as CEO. But let's face it, he's been coasting from the momentum built by Steve Jobs. Now is it fair to think he should be as competent as Steve Jobs. I'm not sure it is. Steve Jobs set the bar so high that I'm not sure anybody currently working at Apple has the "Oomph" to walk and talk like Steve did. With that said, I have nothing personal against Tim Cook. In fact he seems like an awesome guy which may be the problem. He needs to be more of an ******* and demand the impossible from his engineers if Apple is to keep its crown.

I think also Apple needs to stop thinking it's customer base is completely uniform. Products need to be be more targeted. Like the new macbook pros, let's be real here. They are fine computers (aside from the battery issue which very well may be a software issue that will get resolved). But they hit sorta of middle ground. They are thin and light which appeals to the standard user, but they are far too expensive for that market. They are pretty powerful which appeals to the pro market, but they compromise on ports so much. What I'm getting at is they need to stop trying to make one single computer to try to appeal to everyone, but make machines that are more targeted to their audience.

Also let's be real here, they are completely neglecting their most loyal user base. That is the hardcore media creation people. Those people have been loyal and have generally be ok with spending more on their computer because Apple computers were worth it. Standard users loyalty will shift so it's pointless to try to cater to them. Instead, they need to focus on that loyal pro user base they've been shafting the last few years. That means make a laptop that is pure performance and functionality. And they need to fix that atrocity that is the mac pro. Kill it and go back to the old mac pros of 2009 with 2017 hardware. If apple looses that market, that will hurt them. Yeah they make most of their money off the iPhone, but we all see iPhone market growth is stagnating. This year Apple got lucky with Samsung dropping the ball with their note 7, but I see tons of people left and right shifting away from iPhones and loving their android devices.

 

[Defactomonkey]

If only this were actually true. *sigh* tbqh Microsofts "innovations" are grossly overhyped. There isn't really any substance to the claims MSFT out innovated anyone for that matter. Tbqh the AirPods were the most innovative thing to come out of 2016. It was the one piece of tech I loved instantly.

It's easy to just say there isn't any substance but my claims are backed up by multiple tech review sources. AirPods are just wireless headphones which have been around in some form or another forever. The surface dial is a completely new computing accessory. Granted the audience is slim, but that audience benefits immensely from the accessory. How can a re-skin of old technology (wireless headphones) be considered more innovative than an entirely new and unique accessory?
[doublepost=1483306978][/doublepost]

Tim cook has done an OK job as CEO. But let's face it, he's been coasting from the momentum built by Steve Jobs. Now is it fair to think he should be as competent as Steve Jobs. I'm not sure it is. Steve Jobs set the bar so high that I'm not sure anybody currently working at Apple has the "Oomph" to walk and talk like Steve did. With that said, I have nothing personal against Tim Cook. In fact he seems like an awesome guy which may be the problem. He needs to be more of an ******* and demand the impossible from his engineers if Apple is to keep its crown.

I think also Apple needs to stop thinking it's customer base is completely uniform. Products need to be be more targeted. Like the new macbook pros, let's be real here. They are fine computers (aside from the battery issue which very well may be a software issue that will get resolved). But they hit sorta of middle ground. They are thin and light which appeals to the standard user, but they are far too expensive for that market. They are pretty powerful which appeals to the pro market, but they compromise on ports so much. What I'm getting at is they need to stop trying to make one single computer to try to appeal to everyone, but make machines that are more targeted to their audience.

Also let's be real here, they are completely neglecting their most loyal user base. That is the hardcore media creation people. Those people have been loyal and have generally be ok with spending more on their computer because Apple computers were worth it. Standard users loyalty will shift so it's pointless to try to cater to them. Instead, they need to focus on that loyal pro user base they've been shafting the last few years. That means make a laptop that is pure performance and functionality. And they need to fix that atrocity that is the mac pro. Kill it and go back to the old mac pros of 2009 with 2017 hardware. If apple looses that market, that will hurt them. Yeah they make most of their money off the iPhone, but we all see iPhone market growth is stagnating. This year Apple got lucky with Samsung dropping the ball with their note 7, but I see tons of people left and right shifting away from iPhones and loving their android devices.

Tim Cook seemed to slide in as a top lieutenant of Steve Jobs who when given the latitude to truly shape the company lacked the stones to make an incredible product and instead focused on quarterly profits releasing one half baked product after another. Waiting for the new iPrinter.
[doublepost=1483307126][/doublepost]

MacBook Pros can be configured up 32 GB of RAM with i7. Also have full compliment of ports (USB-C, USB, Thunderbolt, Magsafe, head phone jack, HDMI, SD-Card and Ethernet). Weight and thinness are good enough from mid-2015 models. Return previous keyboard travel.

MacBooks become the thin and light machines. Ports: USB-C, USB, Headphone and MagSafe.

Return headphone jack for iPhone 8 plus.

Mac-mini same config options as MacBook Pro described above.

MacPro- update to current Xeon and Memory standards.

iMac update to current standards.

Windows laptops already support 64gb and the claim that Macs last longer hasn't been true for about a decade.

 

[tech4all]

I stop in now and again to see how Tim's future successors are holding up.

And while they've never said they would be the new CEO, they all think they could do a much better job. And I would love to see them try.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the over 3 year old Mac Pro starting at $3,000 is pathetically long over due for an update.

 

[Cigsm]

Why do you arbitrarily want more RAM in iPhone and iPad when they both outperform devices that have much higher ram?

Agreed.

Improved Airport routers.

iCloud - 10gb storage

Improved battery for all - at least 16 hours.

32gb ram for MacBook (without touchbar).

4gb ram iPhone rimless - home button to the side like Sony.

8gb ram iPad rimless - home button to side like Sony.

iOS - dark theme, files system app, able to use Chrome Stick or Roku without the need of third party apps, able to upload files via safari, add ringtones without iTunes, able to modify songs for example start time/end time like in iTunes, password for individual apps, guest login, able to use external hard drive, able to access dmg password protected folder, backup idevice on hard drive without the need of the iCloud - needs to be more similar to macOS.

 

[4tune8chance]

We've covered what we expect to see from Apple in 2017 based on the rumors that are circulating so far in our recent What to Expect post.

On the horizon are a new iPhone 8 with a radically redesigned body and an edge-to-edge display, a revamped iPad Pro also potentially with an edge-to-edge display, long-awaited iMac updates, and new software, but there's always the chance there's a wildcard update or new product in the works that will surprise us all.

A redesigned Apple TV, a new home hub, and augmented reality smart glasses are all products that are rumored to be in the works with no prospective release date. We want to hear from the MacRumors community -- what are you expecting or hoping to see Apple release in 2017?

Are there specific features you're hoping Apple will implement in iOS 11, tvOS 11, watchOS 4, or macOS 10.13? Popular wishlist items from last year included a dark mode for iOS, home screen widgets, and a customizable control center.

Let us know what you want to see in the comments, and make sure to check our our What to Expect post for the latest rumors. Apple's plans for 2017 will likely become more clear in the early months of the year, and as always, we'll be covering all of the rumors in-depth here at MacRumors.

The MacRumors forums are also always a rich resource for talking about upcoming products and rumors, and with the biggest iPhone change in years set to happen in 2017, our forums are the place to be for lively discussions.

We'd also like to thank all of our readers and our forum members for making MacRumors the absolute best source for Mac news and advice on the web. We wouldn't be here without you, and we look forward to another rumor-packed year.

Article Link: What Do You Want to See From Apple in 2017?

ios, fix the 'documents and data' problem in the podcast app. Fix the stupid need to double press of the home button.

 

[diamornte]

In 2017, I just want Siri to not crack stupid jokes and actually answer my questions intelligently instead of "Here's what I found in Safari"

 

[Santabean2000]

The problem is not about Cook himself, it's that without the strong mind and personality of Steve, who has created Apple, the company is now controled by stockholders like every other. The founder of a company is probably the only one that can resist the attacks and demands and greed of stockholders. Apple will never be Apple as it was. You can replace Cook, it won't change. Apple is here to make money now. End of the story.

Sad but true

 

[AdonisSMU]

It's easy to just say there isn't any substance but my claims are backed up by multiple tech review sources. AirPods are just wireless headphones which have been around in some form or another forever. The surface dial is a completely new computing accessory. Granted the audience is slim, but that audience benefits immensely from the accessory. How can a re-skin of old technology (wireless headphones) be considered more innovative than an entirely new and unique accessory?
[doublepost=1483306978][/doublepost]

Tim Cook seemed to slide in as a top lieutenant of Steve Jobs who when given the latitude to truly shape the company lacked the stones to make an incredible product and instead focused on quarterly profits releasing one half baked product after another. Waiting for the new iPrinter.
[doublepost=1483307126][/doublepost]

Windows laptops already support 64gb and the claim that Macs last longer hasn't been true for about a decade.

Yeah with some notable compromises.... sorry but the downsides outweigh any potential upside to having 64gb of ram. Engineering is a weighing of the positives and negatives associated with an engineering decision. You are not just going to say ohhh well Windows does it without an accounting of the downsides of having done it.
[doublepost=1483310887][/doublepost]

In 2017, I just want Siri to not crack stupid jokes and actually answer my questions intelligently instead of "Here's what I found in Safari"

Well tbqh I prefer the here's what I found in Safari because the information may or may not be correct.

 

[4jasontv]

I think your being unfair, your trying to go off stories and anecdotes flying around like they did with Jobs obsessing about stuff. Just because you may not hear about it doesn't mean he doesn't do it, it doesn't mean that he isn't working hard. There is one anecdote about Cook, that he is in the gym and at work for 4 in the morning. He spends most of his time working and is in fact just as hard working as Steve Jobs was. But these are all anecdotal stories, Cook isn't Jobs and he never will be, Jobs is gone and has been for the past 5 years, times change and things move on.

I'm not questioning if he works hard. I'm questioning who he cares about: stockholders or customers. I think it's stock holders. My issue is that we moved past what made apple apple. Why doesn't the CEO care about the quality of his products? Working hard isn't caring. Does he not use them?

 

[Dave245]

I'm not questioning if he works hard. I'm questioning who he cares about: stockholders or customers. I think it's stock holders. My issue is that we moved past what made apple apple. Why doesn't the CEO care about the quality of his products? Working hard isn't caring. Does he not use them?

Who's to say he doesn't care? I think he does. Apple still produce great products.

 

[Osxguy]

I'd love to see more apparent innovation. Would also like a total Redesign of Apple Music. Maybe regress back to what worked when iTunes was in its hay day.

Apple has done a lot with things we don't see but that doesn't sell products.

 

[Savor]

An Apple that listens to people better than Siri.