Will Apple follow Microsoft down the Rabbit Hole?
In the evolving world of the internet, we are presented with an obtuse flow of information, technology, software and online utilities to make our lives easier and as some companies would claim, lives more fulfilled than if we were without the World Wide Web and its many realms.
Keeping up with the online community, I have various feeds downloading almost continuous streaming notifications on latest tech-bytes, film and TV updates, DVD & music releases, almost anything I could deem relevant and sufficient to be entertained and on the forefront of whats going on in and around the film making and photographic industries, new trends and current gadgets.
The iPhone 5 was big news and then bigger news for not being big news. The pomp and fanfare of Apples bi-annual announcements showcasing its technological advances fading away. An attitude shift toward Apple caught my attention; the increased focus of the community towards its diminishing title as ‘world leader’ in advancements in technology and products.
I decided to run with a question “Did the fire go out with Steve Jobs?”, by no means a new question, that it had been bashed around so frequently by various website feeds only sparked my interest to dig a little deeper to understand what had the tide turned on ‘Apple’ or had the world simply grown accustomed to Apple’s achievements and now has an expectation in delivery. It’s easy to say, we, the world, are hungry for more, but when is more every going to be enough. Humans are evolving at the same pace as technology and with that hand in hand is our need for more more more.
Searching Google Reader returned a large amount of news, iPhone updates, blog entries and independent authors, giving a “True and Un-biased” review, also to be taken with a grain of salt considering the at times ‘variable’ content and each persons opinion is exactly that, their own opinion.
Top 5 results matching my criteria:
As I had anticipated after hearing the reviews and the light backlash, Best Tech and CNET gave the iPh-5 a ‘3 Star / Pass ‘ rating, with it’s larger screen size and it’s faster processing speed as its savior, while MAC Rumors, leaning toward the positive, as a MAC centric forum can be, 4 out of 5 stars, advising iPh-5 and a new CEO, mark a change in direction for Apple and hope for continued growth.
The new ‘Mini Connector’ announcement reigned high in the list of peoples minds, and particular attention aimed at Apple’s nonchalant toned statement ‘Don’t worry customers, YOU can purchase the new Mini Connector Adaptor along with your iPh-5 to enable you to connect the iPh-5 to your existing devices and equipment. If I were a sheep to ‘Best Tech’ and ‘CNET’, I would be following the advice ‘If your iPh-4s ain’t broke, don’t upgrade it’ / ‘Wait in vain for the iPh-6 in April’.
Not one to make decisions solely without first-hand experiences, I tuned in to the Apple announcement via YouTube and was curious to note my perception of the Presenters ease and candeur to the audience that iPh-5 customers will need to expend additional expense to enable the latest iPhone version to be compatible with a multitude of devices by no less than 100 million customers.
Forbes and Time however, used an approach offering questions and intelligent, almost factual reflections on the questions they themselves pose. ‘Who do Apple think they are?’, ‘Do Apple seriously expect their customer’s to buy an ‘adaptor’ just to make the iPh-5 work on existing devices?’ and what is often a frequent question in my mind, ‘Has Apple reached the ‘Microsoft’ peak and so begins the fall?’.
In searching for a discussion or view to my question, Forbes and Time made specific references to the idealogy that Steve held the brains by printing ascertain statements like ‘Steve Jobs took the spark with him?’ and Time’s religious;
“Eve bit the Apple, but Steve produced the seeds”
I am undecided on the iPh-5 and though it would appear the ‘Apple Bubble’ has begun to leak, I find I am looking for the same inspiration, ideas and technological breakthroughs.
I am a ‘SmartPhone Enthusiast’, not a follower of a ‘tech companies’ dedicated flock
2 years sleeping in the iPhone bed, I will, as most of us do, jump to whichever device suits us best, regardless of the brand
(additional reference links outside of Google Reader RSS feed research)
Forbes – Without Steve Jobs, Apple Has All The Appeal Of Dell
TechInsights – iPhone 5 parts total $168
doubleplusgood. 