Has Apple, the king of the computing hill in recent years, been reduced to playing catch-up with Microsoft’s Windows Phone and Google’s Android operating systems? When Apple debuted the iPhone in 2007, the company changed the smartphone landscape. But today’s announcement of the iPhone 5 and iOS 6 featured a distinct lack of innovation. Where the iPhone was revolutionary, the iPhone 5 is merely evolutionary – and a minor one at that.
The iPhone 5′s biggest selling points are a 4-inch screen and LTE, both of which can be found on hundreds of devices currently on the market. Other improvements include a thinner and lighter form-factor, a slightly new look, a faster processor, a 720p front-facing camera, HD voice calls, an additional microphone, a nano SIM card, and a new proprietary charging cable. The rest of the specs haven’t changed much since the iPhone 4S, including the storage capacity, camera, and battery life. While the specs aren’t bad, they are by no means an improvement over other devices on the market. And with NFC and other exciting features noticeably absent, the iPhone is no longer the killer smartphone it used to be. Even its highly-praised Retina display has been bested by the Nokia Lumia 920, and the new charging cable is almost pointless when wireless charging is brought into the mix.
On the iOS 6 side, things aren’t looking much better. With the iPhone 4S, you could at least count on Siri to provide somewhat of a competitive advantage. Not so with the iPhone 5. Siri is a bit smarter now – she can now provide sports rankings and movie ratings, book restaurant tables, and give turn-by-turn directions – and Google Maps has been replaced by Apple’s mapping solution. Other not-exactly-new features include Passbook (e.g. Windows Phone’s Wallet and Google Wallet), FaceTime over cellular networks, the ability to sync browser tabs between your phone and computer, iMessage sync between devices, better Twitter and Facebook integration, photo sharing, favorite email senders (VIPs), and a few other things. Even the ability to instantly reply to phone calls with a text message isn’t new – Nokia’s older devices used to support this.
Last, but not least, is iTunes 11, which now sports a new album art-centric layout (Zune says hello) and allows you to sync your device over WiFi (again, Zune). Really, the only interesting features are the ability to instantly access music purchases or resume content from any device. And where’s the oft-rumored unlimited music subscription plan?
The iPhone 5 will, more than likely, sell like gangbusters for Cupertino. After all, Apple has enough momentum to keep the snowball rolling downhill for some time to come. But when it comes to innovation, the company is getting dangerously close to becoming stagnant. Looking through today’s announcements, it’s difficult to find a feature that isn’t already found on a competing platform. The iPhone 5 is a nice update for Apple fanboys and those hopelessly entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, but when it comes to actual innovation, look no further than Windows Phone and Android.
The iPhone 5′s biggest selling point isn’t the screen. It’s that it’s an iPhone. Like it or not, the name will sell. And for your average consumer, iOS is better than Android – heck, most people can’t use an iPhone properly even.
As for Windows Phone…any reference to playing catch up is kinda ridiculous when you see the sales numbers. Think the stock market spoke for a lot of people when it buttsmacked Nokia after the lumia announcement
Oh, I don’t doubt that the iPhone 5 will sell well. I even stated that in the original article. But this post was about innovation, not sales. And when it comes to innovation, Windows Phone is light years ahead of the competition, and Apple is rapidly falling behind everyone else.
Light years ahead in a direction nobody seems to have any interest in following, judging by statistics
Yikes Andreas, your severe lack of reading comprehension concerns me!
William was clearly talking about the fact that Apple updates the iPhone in small and evolutionary steps as of late. Gone are the days when the iPhone would upend the industry with some new and revolutionary feature. Lets face it, the big news about the iPhone 5 was the fact it had a 4″ screen. Panorama mode? LTE? All done before and just as good on a different platform.
Maybe you should spend more time reading the article before slavishly jumping down to the comments section to make some contrary point.
I read the article, and am aware that William knows that the device will sell regardless. That still doesn’t make the screen the biggest selling point. It’s the biggest hardware reason to upgrade from an iPhone 4S, but that’s not the same thing as it being the biggest selling point, period. In fact, with cell phone contracts lasting 2 years in the US, there are probably quite a few people who are waiting to upgrade their iPhone 4. In that case, the screen isn’t necessarily the biggest hardware reason to upgrade, as the camera upgrade, Siri, and other things introduced in the iPhone 4S (and hence present in the iPhone 5) will also be new features for such buyers.
The fact you need to bring up iPhone 4S features to sell the iPhone 5 is exactly William’s point.
Don’t forget: the ability to access music purchases across any device instantly? Oh yeah, that’s called Google Play Music.
I also disagree with Android doing any sort of innovation. Can’t say that much has happened in that department since gingerbread, which is why I’m still on gingerbread on my phone. Device manufacturers add the odd incremental update there too, but nothing really innovative. The S III is perhaps the biggest Android name right now, and it’s just a slight upgrade to the previous phones.
That’s the way it should be though. Don’t need to reinvent the wheel if the one you have works just fine. Especially not if you end up making it square just to stand out from the crowd.
I think that Google Now and Project Butter are huge innovations on Android – Google Now is what most end users will recognize as awesome, but Project Butter’s optimizations are really quite revolutionary from a behind-the-scenes perspective.
Seconded, what is Andreas smoking! Google Now makes Siri look and sound like the original Dragon software from the 90′s! LOL! And your argument is moot, just because Britney Spears and Pit Bull sell like gangbusters doesn’t make it good music? Or does it, muaahaahaahah!
Using Fanboy in an article equates to using Hitler in a forum discussion, all done.
Maybe WP8 will change the game, but so far it’s not really getting much traction.
Apple is catching up to themselves, ask any U.S. Samsung jury member.
People will buy the Iphone because it’s going one of the few topline items that you don’t need 2 hands to operate.
Fanboy? I thought we had adults writing articles here. Your thoughts mean nothing when you use this high school phrase. Maybe put on your big-boy pants next time you have some thoughts.
Sorry those thoughts were aimed at little billy
Been able to Wi-Fi sync with iTunes for a while now, nothing new (Just an FYI).
Otherwise everything else is just an update.
I don’t think it’s entirely fair to compare the single phone that Apple releases each year (6 in a row now) with all phones that every other manufacturer releases – as there is often more then one model.
By that I mean most other manufacturers have a variety of phones, so each manufacturer can have feature rich devices and also more basic devices.
I think Apple is aiming in between the two markets (“high end-everything included” and “basic needs met”) of smartphones.
It is obviously paying off for them, so why change that formula? That is their business strategy, and it is working.
In other news, the iPhone 5 basically isn’t worth the materials its made out of.
That won’t stop people from mindlessly buying into a device that has been outclassed by a damn Galaxy SII.
I’ll be interested to see how changing the plugs after years of sticking with their own thing to another thing is an improvement.
No real opinion on this yet, have a Applehead friend who I trust looking into why some of the changes are good things.
Yes…..
The Amazon factor can’t be discounted in this, even though Amazon’s publicity blitz was about tablets, not phones. Amazon beat Apple to the punch and flooded the tech news space with the first major mobile ecosystem announcement of the post-holiday season. They paraded a breakthrough repositioning of their business model. They wowed punters with dazzling media and cool new devices. And now, Apple, even if it does bring in a mini-iPad announcement in time for Christmas, is reduced to playing catch-up with Amazon as well. Leave aside the fact that some of Apple’s much-trumpeted “improvements”, like the new dock, are going to work to Apple’s benefit while penalizing their users. Of course this doesn’t signal Apple’s demise. But it does suggest that we can stop looking at them for market-redefining innovations like the first truly usable smartphone or the first truly usable tablet. Apple has begun its gradual decline into the next Microsoft. Hell, even Microsoft will be releasing more innovative and exciting technology than Apple before the year is out.
Apple releases just enough new features on its hardware to satisfy it’s followers. It’s a great plan. They release a major software update once a year to nearly all phones and ipads. Their products hold their value better than any other devices. Anyone that thinks apple is playing catch up is mistaken. They have a plan and they follow it. Windows phone? You are joking, correct?
It does seem to be a “ain’t broke, don’t fix kinda development.”
However, though I disagree with copeys – Apple isn’t aimed as a mid-range device. It is sold as the best. Not that long back people wrote articles about whether such and such a phone took the crown from iPhone. The fact they were written suggested in their eyes, the iPhone was the king of phones. I didn’t hold that view for myself, but understood for the average Joe this might of been true. As Andreas said, I know people who find the iPhone complicated – can’t add apps etc. Don’t even realise that they can.
However iPhone is a single phone and is aimed to be top of the pile. Yet nothing spec-wise or software wise is new or better than the competition. It is simply playing catch-up instead of leading. As a total package it may be compelling, especially if you are already using iTunes, used a previous iPhone and bought apps. I think my Galaxy Note is far superior in every aspect. It isn’t as small or light – nor does my Note have LTE, then again I can’t use LTE yet anyway. Everything else the Note does better and more of. I found the Note 2 a bit of a let down, but actually fairly expected. Now that Full HD has entered tablet space with the Fire HD and Transformer Infinity it will filter down to the larger phones and then smaller ones. LG Optimus G is probably the best newly announced phone for spec-wise. If it comes to UK with Jelly Bean then I will probably upgrade to it.
Nokia shot themselves in the foot, both with their dishonesty about the video capabilities, using the Pureview marketing and failure to provide microSDXC.
Of course the other question is: How realistically could Apple improve the 4S?
They have numerous problems in increasing the resolution and so also the screen size. This is why they have this botched size, otherwise they cripple their App Store. I would have considered increasing the resolution by half so 1440 x 960. This keeps the ratio identical. The problem is the phone gets fatter. Changing the resolution to 16:10 they could have moved to 1280 x 800 This increases the length by a third but the width only by a quarter. This should actually have been easier to implement for their App store than the resolution they chose. But some may have argued that the phone is too big and too similar to other phones. The final size change they could have gone for was 1600 x 960. This is basically 16:9 with 60 pixels left over. This is also known as HD+. Surely better than HD in other phones. This is two-thirds longer and half wider. This would have a high Retinal display especially if the screen is about a quarter longer in the diagonal or about 4.35 inches. This would be a sweet spot in my opinion. Both keeping to their own resolution mix for App store and achieving a close to 16:9 for video viewing.
They should have increased the base memory from 16 to 32.
They could have done something more exciting with the camera.
They could have left the phone almost as thick and so have a truly awesome battery instead of one that is just good – especially considering it isn’t user replaceable.
They could have also included NFC and wireless charging, to keep the premium feel instead of the, this is the thinnest appeal.
HI guys,
iPhone is a medium-class device for the medium-class consumer, aka the majority. And it seems to me that the iphone 5 looks more and more like a Samsung Galaxy. Maybe Samsung could sue Apple for copying…
Well thought out original answer.
I think you are right when you say it is a medium class device, aimed for everyone to be able to use, but they want people to think that it is the best phone available. The thinnest, longest lasting, best display, best OS etc. When they first launched they made things simple and smartphones took off. The question is now – is what they offer enough for old users to upgrade, and to entice new users? Or has it been surpassed by other offerings from the competition. Where has the “wow” gone?
If Apple want me to pay more, then I EXPECT MORE. There is more than the 4S, but I don’t see more than the competition, so I won’t be getting a 5.
check the sales numbers. Iphone5 is selling faster than anything android has ever made. Still, competition is good.
I admit I don’t follow sales numbers. Some people do. I think the iPhone5 doesn’t challenge the competition. The “retina” display was a challenge. Other aspects of iOS and iPhones have been a challenge which has led to innovation and development. The iPhone5 doesn’t bring anything to the mobile party. This I think was at the heart of William’s article. What from this says to HTC or Samsung or Sony or Nokia or whoever “Apple is better than what you are offering, you need to improve in this area, just to match the iPhone.” This is what is lacking. Many who were ready for an upgrade held off from buying a 4S and they will almost certainly see that the 5 is better than the 4S and will buy it. It is better as I stated in a previous post. Just not enough of a challenge in the smartphone world.
There are riding on the tails of past success with good marketing. This is the second year of doing this. Next year…
Very well written article. I like how you level set all the new enhancements and focus on the fact that there is no more innovation coming from Apple. I am an Android fan but at the same time was hoping to see something NEW from Apple. Seeing new things from competition only drives the market and technology forward. I hope we are not at a point where we have done all we can and there is no more “revolutionizing” the cell phone. Or, maybe we just need to wait another year or so…
I completely expected this.. part of the reason that i have been with Android for so long. Watching the evolution of Apple is just that, evolution. rather than REVOLUTION.
certainly your comment is evolutionary vs revolutionary
I spotted the apple fanboy miles away when i first read this. The 1st guy to comment lol.
As I recall I don’t remember Apple claiming that the iPhone 5 was suppose to be a truly revolutionary product…I say this before I continue I love Google and my HTC and no iProduct will ever make me switch. but let’s be honest here, they didn’t really need to innovate that much. Alot of people love there iPhone and where content with it. There were only a few complaints like ” the screen is too small”,” I want LTE”, “I can’t take panoramas…” little things and Apple fixed those things. What else do you really want them to innovate? Yes they sell because of there name and Yes there are better phones out there, but as long as they keep there customers happy who cares about heavy innovation?….now they did heavily innovate there iPods and I will admit that the changes were quite impressive for an MP3 player.
I think the key point that a lot of people seem to be missing is that Apple is no longer innovating. This isn’t about sales or whether or not the device needs to be improved. It’s about how, when it comes to creating new and exciting technology, Apple is no longer the gold standard it once was.
Android was heavily influenced by Apple, but the manufacturers have done a great job of trying to be on the cutting edge with crazy new hardware. Even with something as simple as NFC. And then there’s John’s point as well.
As for Windows Phone, it’s definitely not a market leader, but you can’t deny that Microsoft has something uniquely different on its hands. It has taken a while to get to this point, but every indication is that the improvements will start coming out at a faster clip once Windows Phone 8 is available.
I agree that nokia and microsoft are coming up with new exciting things. but what must be said is that all of the major innovation that is flaunted is related to the hardware of the device. When you take the software into consideration, the ios is still hands-down the innovator here. Android and windows have taken all the concepts conceived by apple and made into their own adaptations.
I’m not sure about that. Android and (in particular) Windows Phone have some very innovative software improvements. Live tiles, for example, immediately come to mind.
but the app ecosystem is apple’s brainchild. moreover, like i said, live tiles in windows and widgets in android are just features that simply had to be put in place to distinguish themselves from apple.
Having Apps isn’t Apple’s brainchild. Having a central store with a simplified method of installing them was Apple’s development of an already existing possibility. I installed Apps on my PocketPC when running WM 5. I used a Psion in 1993 and would get software for that from the internet and then put on a disk and then install. Apple made this simpler – and this was what differentiated them for a while.
They couldn’t patent it and so aren’t suing anybody for copying their idea as it wasn’t.
Apple keeps on trying to get the new things on their iPhonies. To me iPhones ar a BIG waste of money. AND im not a Android fanboy. You ask me, I like WP8, BlackBerry, webOS, AND even brewOS. Apple is just trying to be a showoff. Combine the Galaxy S III, Nokia Lumina, the pre 3 AND you got a phone BETTER than the “new” iPhone. Everyone is spending too much money on iPhones. Buy the new iPhone. I dare you. And then lets see how many people start conplaining about”the new” iPhone 5
ok i will
iPhones are all hype. New 4″ screen…wow…The LTE has almost a full inch on them.
You guys are correct. Nobody is buying any of the new iphone 5′s. Everyone is seeing that the android phone is the way to go.
I truly believe they are in some ways playing catchup. Being the only makes of iOS devices, forces them to only release phones every so often. This in turn makes them fall behind.
You don’t have to fall behind if you only release once a year, as long as what you release is ahead at the time of its release. Then the competition is playing catch-up. However in the iPhone5′s case they are releasing a phone with specs that are less than the competition except maybe thinness. So there catch-up device is actually behind the times. There new iPad had a resolution which was ahead of the game (and still is) Others are releasing phones which are ahead of the game to.
Apple’s problem is their own success and the constraints they introduced many years ago.
You don’t have to fall behind if you only release once a year, as long as what you release is ahead at the time of its release. Then the competition is playing catch-up. However in the iPhone5′s case they are releasing a phone with specs that are less than the competition except maybe thinness. So there catch-up device is actually behind the times. There new iPad had a resolution which was ahead of the game (and still is) Others are releasing phones which are ahead of the game to.
Apple’s problem is their own success and the constraints they introduced many years ago – as envisioned by Jobs.
I guess the new iphone release has a lot to do with the psychology of the human mind. I still remember the rumours that were spread like wildfire just after the iphone 4s release. People were terming the iPhone 5 as an Android killer. but when you get something nowhere near those expectations, a good and evolutionary product can be seen in a bad light.
Yes. And consumers don’t care.
Yes they are playing catch up, but will continue to sell like hotcakes to the isheep.
I am still not completely sold on Android, IOS, or WP8. They each have their pros and cons. But I must say, the marriage of software and hardware in Apple devices is amazing. Hardware and software support each other and work together. Apple spent a lot of time talking about the new A6 chip. Even if it’s specs aren’t as good as other phones, you can bet it will work seamlessly with ios 6.
Looks to me they are playing catch-up. The Samsung Galaxy S III Seems to be the better phone and OS
I must say the build quality on the iphone 5 is great. It’s really light and I love the aluminum back.
I have an EVO LTE which also has aluminum back (partly anyways) but it feels heavier than it’s OneX counterpart. same hardware almost but it feels heavier
I agree, I believe the “Biggest thing” would have been the Iphone 4, it brought the largest upgrades, since then its just been catch up with the latest phones