Apple. The tech giant that’s more dependable than a Dubai summer.
Every year, it drops a new iteration of its prized possession – the iPhone. And every year, we’re treated to a cacophony of moans about the supposed “lack” of innovation. It’s as ritualistic as my annual pilgrimage to IKEA for that one item, and then coming back with a cart full of candles, and napkins, and meatballs, and daim.
But every snide comment and cynical tweet (X update?) reveals an insatiable craving for radical change, even if no one is quite sure what they’re asking for.
This month, it’s the iPhone 15 Pro. Made of titanium, this device isn’t just a phone, it’s a testament to man’s obsession with invincibility. It’s made of the same material that survives on the Mars rover. That’s right, it survives space. And yet I am reading opinion pieces about how it will scratch when it tumbles off the sofa.
The new iPhone has given us Action Buttons, the next in line after the now-obsolete ringer switch. Oh, did I mention it’s customizable? Indeed it is. However, I have no doubt that the world will find a way to complain. “Why isn’t there an action for making my coffee?” or “Can it action my toddler into a nap?” Inevitably, the answer is no.
These days, every time Apple announces a new phone there’s this expectation for monumental change. But please tell me, dear reader, what happens when it does change? Remember when Apple had the audacity to remove the headphone jack? Or when it dared to introduce, heavens forbid, a notch? Let’s be candid: you don’t want drastic change, you just want to moan about the lack of it.
The thing is, Apple is making changes. They’re just not the changes some of us might’ve fantasised about, like an iPhone that can teleport you to Ras Al-Khaimah on a Saturday morning. Instead, they’re changes that matter. They’re changes that gradually improve the device until it’s light years ahead of where it began.
The Super Retina XDR display, for example, brings visuals to life with stunning clarity, brighter than my future and sharper than my girlfriend’s tongue. The camera system, with its array of lenses and features, is more intricate and multifaceted than ever before. Add to that ProRes video capabilities, making it not just a phone but a veritable arsenal for creators, filmmakers, and anyone with a penchant for capturing the world in high-definition. Apple’s not just giving us a phone; it’s handing us Spielberg’s dream device in pocket-sized form.
And yet, Apple often finds itself in the line of fire. But when you’re the king of the hill, criticism comes with the crown. “Hardly any innovation!” we shout, and yet every product release sees Apple’s inventory shrink quicker than an ice lolly in Dubai’s blazing sun.
What does that say about us? It says we’re slightly hypocritical and entirely predictable. But above all, it means Apple is doing something right.
We moan about the minor changes, but our actions tell a different story. Every iPhone launch sees a global rush. We vote with our wallets, and each year, we cast our ballot in Apple’s favor (even if our words say otherwise).
So, the next time Apple drops a new iPhone, before you go and pull out the torches and pitchforks, maybe take a moment. Appreciate the innovations, however incremental they might seem. After all, it’s easy to complain when you’re not the guy making stuff that can survive a trip to Mars.
But Apple, dear Apple, between us adults: could you maybe, just maybe, not make the next version a hundred dollars more expensive? We might want to go to Mars with our phones, but my wallet is still very much on Earth.
