Has Apple arrived at a point where it cannot innovate any further?

[ghazi52]

......................................................................................................
Has Apple arrived at a point where it cannot innovate any further?

The fact of the matter is that Apple is not reinventing, it is merely revamping. It has become part of the mainstream, although it is continually performing well.

Apple’s at it again. Yet another array of Apple’s sleek, sharply presented devices was released a few days ago for the viewing pleasure of an audience in San Francisco. Apple has introduced the new iPhone 6S along with the iPad Pro, which will be available to consumers in a couple of weeks.

Although there is significant debate regarding the vitality of Apple’s product features, there is no doubt in its unparalleled success in recent years. Apple rose to eminence back in 2007, all thanks to its iPhone, the device that revolutionised the phone industry forever, paving the path for the era of smartphones. No one could have conceived that a company which had to be rescued by its rival and whose own co-founder was fired would one day amass so much success that it would eventually surpass the wealth of America’s government.

Also, there should be no doubt that as the CEO, Steve Jobs rightly upheld and implemented the beliefs of the company; the belief to produce reinvented, revolutionary products and as he phrased it,

“Put a ding in the universe.”

The iPhone along with the iOS, and later even the iPad, were true innovations, something the world had never experienced before. So the question now remains, is Apple still the pioneer of revolutionary products?

At first glance, it is almost impossible to tell the difference between the new iPhone 6S and the former iPhone 6. Take a peek inside and none of the specifications would surprise anyone in this age, except maybe for the A9 processor.

Let us talk about the innovation. What does Apple have in store for us?

Frankly speaking, nothing.

It’s playing the same catch-up game with the higher-end Android devices in terms of features.

Force touch has been re-introduced as 3D touch, a technology which existed in the BlackBerry Storm.

Photo: Crackberry

Live photos? Already exists in the Lumias and HTC.

.............

 

[ghazi52]

........................................................................................................

Photo: Macworld

Siri? Present in almost every Android device with Google Now.

The list goes on, but I am merely pointing out that instead of being the game-changer, Apple has taken an unusual turn in recent years. It is losing the race in terms of innovation. Perhaps it has gotten too comfortable at the top.

Has Apple arrived at a point where it cannot innovate any further?

Or perhaps it doesn’t feel the need to innovate, given that it rakes in huge profits every year.

It could be argued that Apple devices do not really need such an accelerated hardware. They work smoother than most Android devices, albeit having lower grade specifications. To put it simply, imagine a Rolls Royce compared to a Toyota Crown. The Crown, despite having an abundance of cutting-edge technology, would still not come close to the renowned quality of a Rolls Royce. However, this does not account for the absence of innovation.

Furthermore, Apple’s newest tablet graced the audience as well. The iPad Pro, an enlarged, business-oriented tablet, brings the familiar name of Microsoft’s Surface Pro to mind.

It seems that Apple is now borrowingideas from other companies. Perhaps they’ll fare much better than Microsoft in terms of sales of their new tablet. Their stocks have been predicted to rise by 33 per cent in the next 18 months, given the quite marvellous reputation of the previous iPads.

So, what does this new iPad have in store for the user?

Well, it’s bigger, lighter, and faster. That’s all that matters now, right?

Among Apple’s most remarkable qualities is its marketing capabilities; it can rename the oldest, most useless of technologies and the common man will perceive it as a technological breakthrough. Take for example the Apple Pencil, which brings to the mind a rather natural feeling of literally working with a pencil on your iPad, although it is after all just a fancily named stylus.

Another example might be of the previously mentioned 3D touch. These names automatically create a good first impression in the minds of the audience, no matter the usefulness or pragmatism of the technology itself. Perhaps this is the reason why Apple receives exceedingly high numbers of pre-orders every year.

The fact of the matter is that Apple is not reinventing, it is merely revamping. It has become part of the mainstream, although it is continually performing well. The questions that remain are that without the introduction of new inventions and innovated products, what does the future hold for Apple? Can it continue to relish in success by simply adopting older technologies and features?

The answer is not so clear, but if I were to take a guess, I would say that Apple would still be among the stars in the coming years. However, to remain at the very top, it must reintroduce its lost and outstanding qualities.

Muhammad Usama
A student with a wide range of interests including technology, current affairs, history and writing. He tweets at @gadgetmaniah

........

 

[nForce]

Ohh..they are innovating alright, finding new ways to kick in the stomach of those companies which earn revenue from ads.

Enabling of Ad Blocking in Apple’s iOS 9 Prompts Backlash

 

[Karan Gulati]

Even though we give all credit to apple for revolutionizing phone industry, the fact is they just marketed already invented product well. They don't need to invent or innovate anything. There are many less popular technologies available, they can just market these technologies well and fool people into believing they are some revolutionaries.

 

[BATTLE FIELD]

APPLE=
android=



windows (which i own 535 DS)=

 

[RazorMC]

Jobs and Apple aren't great innovators, just great salesmen.

They sold us the idea that iMacs, iPhones, iPods and iPads revolutionized our lives when the reality is far from that. Everything they brought forward, was already employed by another years ago. But we still buy that garbage, and that is their real strength.

With the departure of a visionary like Jobs, Apple is reaching a plateau wrt to new technologies. Even die-hard Apple fans disapproved of the excessively self-congratulatory keynote, indicating a change in consumer mood.

 

[Tiger Genie]

Forget the past. If you believe that really smart and intelligent people with a lot of talent are the ones that will innovate, then Apple has no problems - because they have so much cash and hire so many of these people, they cannot but help innovate.

Management just has to make sure they are not in the way.

 

[SQ8]

The fact remains that Jobs forced a culture that he believed in. A Practicality by his perspective and ideals which not everyone believed in.
His greatest strength was focusing on minimalist design coupled with quality that connected with many of those who wanted to use computers as daily tools for their lives without indulging in too much of other ancillary ideals such as coding or gaming(ironically, Macs are actually very good at gaming with VM setups).

That fact remains that by far, Apple products are still much more reliable than the more open source androids. I have both a Galaxy edge 6 and the Iphone 6 and have no tweaks or anything in them. The former get stuck, loses battery life like no one's business despite minimal usage of apps.. while the latter has survived multiple falls, 14 apps open at the same time.. and every abuse thrown in daily usage to still have a battery that lasts beyond 24 hours of daily usage of network and web.

 

[Secret Service]

android and samsung ..forever

 

[Tiger Genie]

I have both iphone and android (HTC); will note:
1) both have been dropped multiple time and both survived - I credit the phones AND the jacket I bought for them
2) neither has had ANY security problem, data loss or performance issues - I do video calls and email on both a lot
3) both have hung exactly once each in the past two years.

I don't remember what I paid Verizon for the iPhone (I think may be $90 with a 2 year contract); I do remember paying $50 for the HTC with the same contract. The HTC does have more memory and a larger screen.

The HTC shoots better pictures. The iphone connects faster to wifi (by a few secs).
Very little difference in battery life; though I think the HTC charges a bit faster than the iphone.
iPhone touch is a bit more sensitive I think.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BUT the innovation we are discussing is not limited to phones which are commodity nowadays.

I think Apple can come up totally new products - if they don't very soon, they may be in trouble

 

[Hurter]

Apple is not offering something which they should offer as compared to Samsung Galaxy Edge 6. I am an Apple fan btw. Disappointed this time.

 

[Donatello]

The fact remains that Jobs forced a culture that he believed in. A Practicality by his perspective and ideals which not everyone believed in.
His greatest strength was focusing on minimalist design coupled with quality that connected with many of those who wanted to use computers as daily tools for their lives without indulging in too much of other ancillary ideals such as coding or gaming(ironically, Macs are actually very good at gaming with VM setups).

That fact remains that by far, Apple products are still much more reliable than the more open source androids. I have both a Galaxy edge 6 and the Iphone 6 and have no tweaks or anything in them. The former get stuck, loses battery life like no one's business despite minimal usage of apps.. while the latter has survived multiple falls, 14 apps open at the same time.. and every abuse thrown in daily usage to still have a battery that lasts beyond 24 hours of daily usage of network and web.

Quality is there in Apple products, but you are paying through the nose for the same hardware capability, whether it is desktop or tablets. The problem is, going from A7 to A8 to A9 chip is not innovation. It is an accepted evolutionary process of the technology, not revolutionary. And Apple is stuck there. The new Apple pencil is as retarded as the stylus despised by Steve Jobs many years ago.
Siri, for example, was not an Apple effort, but rather a research done by SRI international. Apple is always on the lookout for small, innovative startups whose technology they can absorb into their own products.

 

[I S I]

Quality is there in Apple products, but you are paying through the nose for the same hardware capability, whether it is desktop or tablets. The problem is, going from A7 to A8 to A9 chip is not innovation. It is an accepted evolutionary process of the technology, not revolutionary. And Apple is stuck there. The new Apple pencil is as retarded as the stylus despised by Steve Jobs many years ago.
Siri, for example, was not an Apple effort, but rather a research done by SRI international. Apple is always on the lookout for small, innovative startups whose technology they can absorb into their own products.

Well Apple pencil is really cool though but very costly b/c it have sensors, battery & chips inside it.

What're you expecting from Apple?Revolution every year? It happens once in a decade & Apple is climbing the stair one by one. Yes jobs was a visionary & his death will always be a great loss for the whole tech world.
That guy was a genius businessman. You should read biography of him, very interesting read. Steve gave Apple a 10 year road map before his death. Now their next quest is, Apple Car. Health & wearables like virtual reality stuff.




Edit: & lol OP, Siri came before the google now & they're totally different things. One is an intelligent AI personal assistant & the other is a smart search which is integrated in google eco system.

Apple haters don't know sh!t

 

[ghazi52]

..........................................................................

............

 

[Gauss]

Companies dont really develop technologies and bring them to the market straight away. Technologies already exists but with very narrow and specialized utility due to high cost, or special rare function etc. Companies find a way to make them common and relevant to everyone. There are many techs already developed in labs around the world but people will only see them in the market over the next ten or twenty or thirty years.