I understand people want more out of a device. But this thread is asking if Apple can somehow "catch up" to the hardware on the s6. I'm sure Apple if they wanted could all a sudden add boatloads of new things that on paper would satisfy the people in this thread. But that's not how Apple does things. They've always moved at their own pace. My point was that people all a sudden felt like Apple "needed" to do these things now, when there's absolutely no evidence to show they do. Samsungs marketing for the last several years has been exactly what I read here: all the extra things it can do iPhone can't. Yet I don't see Apple suffering at all. In fact it was Samsung who lost with their s5.
Again can Apple do it? Sure. Do they need to like some say? I don't think so, and evidence shows they're doing well and not "suffering"
Okay, I think we're finally getting somewhere. Take a breath and try to follow me:
You truly see nothing wrong with the fact that Apple, as you say, don't need to do this? The fact that they don't need to even though they can. Because I agree with you; they totally have the power and resources to add the things some of us are asking for. In fact, I've said pretty much the same thing many times over. That it is not so much that they're adding "just the right amount" each time but that they can get away with not adding as much as they can. In other words,
they are not competing to the same level others are.
Hang on. Stay with me...
In fact, I agree with you that they don't need to do much if you're looking solely at their profits. Again, I've argued that Apple is far from doom.
But don't you see that that's exactly the problem? I said this a gazillion times before: if all you want to see is money/profits, then of course Apple can do whatever the heck they want. But therein lies the danger and problem! Can you look beyond money/profits, and look to the user experience and everything relating to how that user experience can get better?
Let me help you some more:
Try to imagine if the branding wasn't there for Apple, if the loyalty wasn't there, do you think they'd be doing things differently? (Serious question). Do you?
Do you think they might be doing things at a different pace (read: faster)? Try to think about that and then try to understand why it's a concern that when some people are discussing wanting more hardware/software features, all we get in response is "Apple is making tons of money; they don't need to add any of these hardware/software features you want."
Really, try to think about that and why some argue that's not the way it should be.
Again, if it's hard to imagine, I gave you and others a scenario where it's a bit easier to fathom what I'm saying: just reverse the roles. Imagine if it was Apple that was offering new hardware features, screen sizes, near desktop-like capabilities on a smartphone, etc. etc.! And then imagine it was the other OEMs that stuck with a 4" screen for multiple years or stuck it out with minimal RAM or refused to allow for customizations, or refused full email attachments, etc. etc. etc. Where would those companies be today?
This is precisely why I argue that Apple's success is largely due in part to their brand and their customer base loyalty, and not because they are competing at the level others are competing. You've said as much yourself, except you think there's nothing wrong with it!
That is the fundamental difference between our two schools of thought.
I really hope that helped you see our side of the picture.
