Why Apple made the "Best Phone Ever" NOT the "Best Phone Ever"

[OCOTILLO]

This may be obvious to most of you, buy it just occurred to me. There are many new features that everyone seems to want added to the iPhone. Most can be added by software or firmware updates. Others only by changing or adding hardware, 3G and GPS or example. But, only Apple can add these features, and only when they want to.
Apple's marketing strategy is to upgrade their product lines periodically as interest in the product starts to lag, thereby inducing repeat business. The iPhone is different than Apple's other products. Judging from user satisfaction polls, people love their iPhones. Incremental upgrades would not be enough for current owners to buy a new iPhone. Major upgrades would, in my opinion, promote that repeat business as well as new sales. So, don't look for major software and firmware updates on the current iPhones, incremental updates yes, major no.

 

[plumbingandtech]

Could be right.

On the other hand this is incorrect:

periodically as interest in the product starts to lag, thereby inducing repeat business.

Jobs and apple have made repeated comments about they themselves trying to outdue their own products, because if they don't, their competitors might.

 

[bmustaf]

Like anything else, I think this only works to a certain extent.

I don't think anyone can go into this straight faced and say the current batch of iPhone users will accept not having MMS, Flash, video recording, etc -- features OTHER smartphones already have. They will need to retrofit these onto the existing iPhones or risk having a serious feature set exposure and setting a very bad market precedent.

This may be obvious to most of you, buy it just occurred to me. There are many new features that everyone seems to want added to the iPhone. Most can be added by software or firmware updates. Others only by changing or adding hardware, 3G and GPS or example. But, only Apple can add these features, and only when they want to.
Apple's marketing strategy is to upgrade their product lines periodically as interest in the product starts to lag, thereby inducing repeat business. The iPhone is different than Apple's other products. Judging from user satisfaction polls, people love their iPhones. Incremental upgrades would not be enough for current owners to buy a new iPhone. Major upgrades would, in my opinion, promote that repeat business as well as new sales. So, don't look for major software and firmware updates on the current iPhones, incremental updates yes, major no.