I hate to say I told you so, but in the wake of Tuesday's relatively unimpressive media event I don't know what else to say. Perhaps the bigwigs at Apple should spend more time reading iPhone Life; we seem to have some really spot on ideas of how they might recapture some of their magic. When our Editor in Chief, Alex Cequea, posts something like this kind yet critical analysis of what Apple could have done better, that's another sure sign Apple loyalists are unhappy with the direction the company is headed.
After the iPhone 5C and 5S unveiling, the Internet lit up with both criticism and ridicule toward the tech giant. Many feel that Apple has had a drought of innovation and has turned a deaf ear to what global consumers are begging for. On September 10, Apple had the world's attention and we were all eagerly waiting for something unique, something that harkened back to the days when Jobs was at the helm.
We hoped for a cheaper iPhone, a larger-screened iPhone, an iWatch, or maybe an iTV. Instead of a breakthrough innovation, we got an incremental update to the iPhone 5 in the iPhone 5S and a rehashed iPhone 5 with colored plastic backs. Honestly, any number of innovative product introductions could have helped Apple regain some of the "Wow" factor that Steve Jobs always brought.
As I said on the day of the unveiling, the highlight of the show was iOS 7. I wish I could say I was surprised, but alas, the product leaks were accurate and we got what we expected. And speaking of product leaks, what’s with Tim Cook commending the leaks! Wasn't this the same person who just a short while ago vowed that Apple was going to aggressively shut down a leaky supply chain?
So now Apple’s stocks have tumbled, and the company is the butt of one joke after another online. The sad part is that many of the jokes are right on and quite funny, especially some of the ones from Apple’s competitors—who I'm sure were quite thrilled by Apple’s lackluster performance yesterday.
I said it before Apple’s event on September 10, and I'll say it again with even greater emphasis: Now more than ever, Apple needs an innovative home run. The rumors are swirling about a fall event in which Apple will debut its new iPad lines, so Apple has another chance to remind us what made it not just the most profitable tech company, but the most beloved tech company. To me, and millions of others, Apple is synonymous with products that make us feel an emotional connection to them, products that fill a need we didn't even know we had until Apple showed us its inventions.
Don't get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that Apple is about to go bankrupt or close its doors, but there are endless competitors nipping at its heels. At this rate it's just a matter of time before it's not Apple but the competition that surprises us all with "the next big thing." Then again, maybe we wouldn't be surprised after all...