Apple’s Magic Is In The Turn, Not The Prestige
MG Siegler’s explanation of what makes the iPhone an extraordinary product. Put me in the group of people who thinks there’s an elegance to the fact that the new iPhone always looks a lot like the one you already have, but is better in many substantial ways. You get this massively different product that looks almost the same on the outside. I appreciate that.
September 14, 2012 at 4:41 pm
I wouldn’t go quite as far and say you get a “massively different product”. Slighty improved hardware under the hood is probably a little more accurate. Vertical screen size notwithstanding, after the forthcoming upgrade to iOS 6, my iPhone 4S isn’t going to be that different is it?
September 14, 2012 at 5:44 pm
New CPU/GPU, bunches of new networking capabilities (new controller and a different antenna), new camera, new lens, new lens cover, substantially new case (aluminum versus glass), new, thinner form factor which means a reengineered battery, and probably other things as well. Completely different screen technology. I would be curious to know how much hardware the 5 and the 4S have in common.
September 14, 2012 at 5:54 pm
My problem with the iPhone is that their focus is on making each release incrementally better, but unlike software, where an incremental update usually doesn’t incur any surcharges, Apple charges a hefty premium for each update.
My other problem is that, for me at least, the new iPhone isn’t a compelling upgrade over competing phones: – Small screen (4″ but tall rather than wide, so not really an improvement), – a slippery design that’s hard to hold (but beautiful to look at), – A dated UI that’s becoming more and more cumbersome to use, compared to Windows Phone or even Android ICS. – No NFC (Apple pushed USB and Firewire forward, but they’ve become complacent in the last several years, WRT to NFC and other hardware and/or communciations standards)
In the meantime, Nokia delivers stunning industrial design (and an amazing camera) with their N920, the first phone since the iPhone 4 that I want to buy just on the marketing alone. And the Galaxy S III and Note deliver beautiful large screens (I just wish Samsung would kick their craptastic TouchWiz and use stock Android).
I’ve been waiting for 6 months for the new iPhone, putting up with crappy flip phones and embarassingly subpar Sidekick 4G (released this year with Galaxy S hardware and Froyo. Wha?), for the faint hope that the iPhone would be a compelling purchase.
I guess I can stop waiting now :-), and go buy a Galaxy Nexus or Galaxy S III. But oy, all those months of waiting.