When was the last time we were impressed by a presentation of hers Apple; For too many it was the distant January 9, 2007, when Steve Jobs unveiled the first smartphone in history, the first-born iPhone, with the “prodigal” founder monologuing on stage: “This is a day I’ve been looking forward to for two and a half years.”
Others still remember the surprise of the launch of the first iPad in 2010, when few had “believed” it, and now tablets are ubiquitous.
Before the loss of its barefoot Buddhist CEO, Apple may have been a smaller company, but it was finding a way to create new consumer needs, something that can’t be said as easily for its era. Tim Cook.
Waiting for the presentation of the iPhone 16 on Monday, September 9after difficulty we remember something memorable about his own leadership, beyond the obvious financial figures. After all, few were interested in the hastily launched Apple Vision Pro, for which the company’s engineers fought and lost the battle with management and were forced to present a product that was not ready in terms of technology and materials of manufacture.
The Void by Jonathan Ivey
Many argue that there’s little room for innovation in just a year in smartphones, which of course is true, but iPhones have been stagnant here seven years after the introduction of facial recognition on the iPhone X in 2017, while Apple’s rivals are experimenting with the form and bring back foldable devices by “playing” with flexible screens.
On the contrary, a key factor in the slowdown seems to be the shift of the company’s interest from innovative devices to subscription services. The result is that every year we see clones of the previous year, without even a design refresh – here is also confirmed the void left behind by the company’s irreplaceable head of design and vice president sir Jonathan Ivey.
Steve Jobs’ one-time right-hand man was behind almost every Apple design masterpiece – the iMac, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. When he decided to leave the company in July 2019, he “left Apple to the accountants”, as the New York Times playfully commented in 2022, when the absence had already become more than noticeable, almost annoying.
“Leaps of Faith”
For years Apple has taken “leaps of faith” in developments in functional pieces that its competitors considered unimportant or doomed to fail. When the then CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer, was asked on camera about the first iPhone, he burst out laughing: “500 euros? (…) This is the most expensive phone on the planet and it doesn’t appeal to professionals because it doesn’t have a keyboard, which doesn’t make it a very good machine for email.”
Eventually the competition followed Apple, even in the material philosophy. The same happened with the “mandatory” wireless headphones, who walks around with a cable in their pocket anymore?
Finally the competition followed Apple, even in the philosophy of materials – more durable metals instead of cheap plastic, glossy glass. The same thing happened with the “obligatory” wireless headphones, when the jack was removed, consumers were ready for the bluetooth lice, who walks around with a cable in their pocket anymore?
However, as much as Apple pulled its competitors “upwards”, it seems that it began to be affected and slow down its creative momentum. Even “loyal” users of Apple devices, who enjoy the incomparable, admittedly, software ecosystem (for those who are not gamers at least), know that on the day of the presentation they can save two hours of their lives and, instead of seeing the slow presentation live from Cupertino, to simply come in at the end of the evening and read the slightly improved technical characteristics of the new iPhone generation.
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So can we expect anything interesting at this year’s presentation? Judging by the digital invitation and the Apple logo “wrapped” in colorful borders, we can assume a hint of an upgrade of Siri, Apple’s digital assistant that when activated emits corresponding waves on the screen.
And given the integration of Artificial Intelligence (in California they call it Apple Intelligence) that the company presented at WWDC this summer, it is certain that we will see AI features in the next iPhone. Perhaps the renewed perception of Siri and its ability to execute commands, even within independent applications, will be a pleasant surprise. However, it will not create late-night queues outside the shops.
The news iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max they are expected to have a new 48 Megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens and, according to Bloomberg, among the new features of all four models will be, unexpectedly, a separate button for “clicking” photos. The frame around the screen will be imperceptibly thinner and a new shade of titanium will be added to the existing palette.
According to leaks, before the iPhone 16 the unveiling of two new Apple Watch models, Series 10 and Ultra 3, respectively, without ruling out that a new Apple Watch SE will also take the stage. New AirPods are also expected, but not a Pro model.
*Main photo: AP Photo/Andy Wong
2024-09-06 16:29:27