Is the Magic of Apple Fading or Are We Just Chasing Nostalgia?

[throAU]

What world 🌎 are you living in?

The world where I have a portable machine that is more responsive and usable than any device I've owned since the mid 1980s.

One that's actually pleasant to use. One that just crushes any workload I throw at it. One that has better battery life doing my regular work day than my body has.

 

[theluggage]

Tell me you haven’t owned an Apple silicon machine without telling me.

I have a M1 Max Studio.
It does exactly the same things as my 2017 i7 iMac 50% faster and with less noise - which is nice.

Don't get me wrong - as I've said in another post, Apple Silicon is a very important step forward with industry-changing implications, but in terms of "magic", once you've pulled the MacBook Air out of the brown envelope and shown it has enough battery life to be useful, making it a bit lighter and thinner and adding a few hours to the battery life each year is going to have diminishing returns.

Apple silicon is the biggest leap in performance and efficiency I’ve seen in at least 30 years, possibly since I’ve been alive.

I got an Acorn Archimedes in 1987. That's the first personal computer to have an ARM chip. It left my previous Atari ST (which itself was pretty fast c.f. 8-bit stuff) choking on its fumes, and its speed opened up completely new possibilities.

...a more international example would be the Commodore Amiga, which did things that you just hadn't seen on a personal computer before - like (what seemed at the time) photo-realistic images, 3D animation, digital audio...

486 to the original Pentium would come close but they were literally melting on release and had a lot of teething issues.

Well, yeah, that's x86 for you - or, more specifically, that's DOS/Windows still running the x86 in pseudo-16-bit legacy mode. the Wintel monopoly made 1981 last until 1996 if you were stuck in the PC ecosystem. The first time I laid hands on the much-vaunted IBM PC was the most shocking technological disappointment I can remember. Mac, Amiga, Atari, Acorn etc. were always head and shoulders better in terms of functionality - but DOS compatibility ruled. Best use I found for a 486/Pentium was as a floating point accelerator for the ARM 700 in my RiscPC (yeah, you could do that)...

Even with PC though, there were transformative, game-changing (hah!) things like the aforementioned hardware floating point, 3D graphics accelerators, hardware codecs... E.g. there was a cheap plug-in module for Matrox graphics cards which - overnight - let you capture, play and edit video full-screen, 50/60 fps better-than-VHS quality instead of quarter-screen, compressed-to-oblivion 12fps. Sure, Apple Silicon now means that you can do 4k where you'd previously have had to slum it with 1080p - but it's not the same as that point in the mid 90s when it changed from "can't edit usable video" to "can edit usable video".

 

[dk001]

It is an interesting time in the PC market. The hottest segment is the mini PC. The CPU/GPU combination is now fast enough for most things for most people. The M4 mini is actually overpowered for most tasks. The M1 is enough for most things, and my desktop (a Ryzen box running Linux) is barely faster, and it's fine too even though I do the "real work" on that.

On that track the Ryzens are snapping at the heals of the M4, and Intel's newest is right behind. Apple's problem is finding something to do with all that CPU power for the 99% of the population that doesn't do video editing. AI isn't going to give Apple a competitive advantage because everyone else is doing it too.

And Apple is still over priced too. The competition is putting dual M2 slots in the machines as well as a TB of storage and often 32 GB of RAM and coming in well under Apple's price for equal capacity. Thunderbolt is a non-issue for most people, those ports will be used for USB 3 hardware.

So Apple has not so much lost their magic as they have unbalanced the ecosystem, if you like. More CPU Power isn't doing most people any good. More RAM? Well, honestly 16 GB is fine, 8 would be cramped on the Linux box, and I suspect that it will be cramped if I were to try to use AI on the M1. More storage? Definitely. 512 GB should be the base, and there should be an M2 slot for a TimeMachine drive. Every cheapskate Chinese miniPC has two M2 slots.

Also, strong-arming people into using iCloud isn't appreciated either. Why can't my iPad be a Sidecar screen when it's connected to the M1 by a cable without logging both of them into iCloud? (pet peeve).

On laptops Apple's M-series is still the best because battery life matters. The competition will catch up soon enough. On the desktop I really couldn't recommend a Mac unless you were video editing nearly exclusively.

Good point when the margin on most iPhones is around 50%-60%.

 

[throAU]

...a more international example would be the Commodore Amiga, which did things that you just hadn't seen on a personal computer before - like (what seemed at the time) photo-realistic images, 3D animation, digital audio...

I had an amiga.

 

[Matt2012]

MacOS scaling makes people buy Apple monitors with their desktop Macs for a good display experience.

This is my other problem with Apple. Yes the XDR is a very good screen but in almost 2025, Its overpriced and too small for my needs after using Ultrawides for years now.
Buying x2 XDR's means a 5 figure expense and even then, a dual monitor setup doesn't really work for me as ultrawide layouts mean you get almost 3 screens and you can look into the centre with the bezels in the way.

I now have a 57" Samsung Neo Ultrawide which is nice but guess what, my Macbook Pro M1 laptop doesn't support the native 7880x2160 resolution so it becomes unusable with the monitor yet other much older graphics cards do support 7880x2160.

Another wish of mine is for Apple to bring out a new, bigger monitor but I don't hold out much hope.

 

[Papanate]

Yeah, Steve could definitely do a keynote, and I think he was a visionary, I'm not sure why Tim gets so much hate.

Because Cook has no vision no outlook - he sees money as the only good technology - Jobs had a vision - made Technology - and it came with money - Cook is just a rich a**hole who couldn’t give a crap about the look or feel of any
of the products.

 

[Ctrlos]

Because Cook has no vision no outlook - he sees money as the only good technology - Jobs had a vision - made Technology - and it came with money - Cook is just a rich a**hole who couldn’t give a crap about the look or feel of any
of the products.

Thats clearly not true though. Since Ive left there has been something of a design renaissance at Apple with form and function getting an overhaul. This wasn't his fault, just without Steve there was nobody to taper his excesses.

Since 2020 Apple have moved all their products to a common design language, haven't jacked their prices up much and in 2024 have been uncharacteristically generous on the base models. The M4 Mac Mini and the iPhone 16 are the two best base products Apple have ever made.

 

[dasmb]

This is a goofy question.

First: Apple was never THAT exclusive. Apple devices have always been more expensive (even in the bad times, when a Mac mostly sucked compared to the competition) but never THAT expensive. Maybe 15-20% more?

Possibly the only alternative was the iPhone. It was around 3 times expensive as what people were paying for a cell phone at the time -- but even this wasn't a clear cut premium, as devices with comparable abilities were often more expensive and required more expensive cellular plans. The $99/month AT&T unlimited data plan was as much an innovation as multi-touch.

The magic of Apple for me has always been the streamlining of user interfaces and the quality of integration. Apple has never been afraid to remove features, even features people love or consider essential, if they believe it would make the overall experience stronger. Think the original mac, arriving without a terminal interface. They've also never been afraid to focus on improving quality in areas that competitors are comfortable to simply live with. Think the incredibly low latency between touch and response on an iPhone Pro, the obsession with size and weight of devices, the ever increasing battery life and power efficiency.

I don't care about what is "cool." Cool is usually useless within a year. Check out the UI for setting the behavior of your action button -- it's very cool, but the second time you change behavior of the action button you'll probably prefer a drop down.

Useful beats cool. Most Apple products are useful, and continue to be. The problem with the Vision Pro isn't that it isn't cool -- it's incredibly ****ing cool. The problem is for most of us it isn't useful -- and this may always be true.

 

[macbug]

That 'we' in the title of this thread is pulling an awful lot of weight.

 

[Ian79]

Tech doesn't need to exciting or magical. Boring is fine.

... and being stable is critical.

 

[sleeptodream]

For something to be cool, it has to be different from the norm. Apple is the norm now, for better or worse

It’s good for developers, and good for shareholders, but the community has been watered down significantly

Even if their lineup was exactly the same, if only 10-15% of people had iPhones, it would feel more special. It still feels somewhat special to use a mac, but not like it did when I was in college and there were only a handful of us mac users

 

[sleeptodream]

Concerning the iPhone and iPod though, there was also something cool about paying more for a phone/music player with stripped back features, that only did so much but did it perfectly. You knew you were paying for the high design and engineering that went into it, the amazing user experience, and not just a bunch of half-assed features thrown in to add to a spec sheet like everyone else was doing

iPhones now have added so many features to appease everyone, it just feels like a tool now, and less like a piece of art expressed through product design and software engineering

Part of me (the part not thinking about my own 401k, but the artistic/spiritual side) wishes apple would go private and just do their own thing, rather than trying to appease shareholders every quarter, but it’ll never happen

 

[Andrey84]

Let me start by saying this: I am an unapologetic Apple fanatic. I’m talking all in — products, design, marketing, stores, history, the whole ecosystem. If it’s Apple, I’m interested. And if you’re here on MacRumors, I’m guessing you might feel the same way.

But as we approach the end of 2024, I can’t help but ask a question that’s been on my mind for a while:

Is the “Apple magic” gone? Or are we just chasing the nostalgia of the old days?

I’m talking about the era of Steve Jobs’ keynotes, Jonny Ive’s “aluminum unibody” monologues, and Tony Fadell’s iPod magic wheel. The era of “Hello, I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” commercials and overnight campouts outside the Apple Store to get your hands on the newest product. Back when seeing someone with a clamshell iBook (shoutout to Elle Woods in Legally Blonde) was like spotting a unicorn in a sea of dull, black, plastic IBMs.

Back then, Apple felt exclusive. It had this it factor — a cultural cachet that was hard to put into words. To own an Apple product was to signal that you got it — that you saw something others didn’t. You weren’t just using a “computer,” you were tapping into an experience, a lifestyle. MacBooks, iPods, and iPhones were cool in a way that was undeniable.

But where do we stand now?

Apple is still a leader in design, functionality, and that coveted hardware-software integration that just works. Their products are arguably better than ever, with the M-series chips blowing minds, AirPods becoming a cultural icon, and the Apple Watch quietly dominating the wearables market. From a technical perspective, you could argue the magic is still there.

But is it cool anymore?

I’m not so sure. Seeing someone with an iPhone 15 Pro doesn’t feel the same as spotting someone with a first-gen iPhone in 2007. AirPods used to be instantly recognizable (and a bit of a flex), but now, every other tech company has its own knockoff version. The “cool factor” that used to come with owning an Apple product feels… commonplace. Ubiquity has its downsides.

Have we reached “Peak Apple” culturally?

Maybe it’s just me being nostalgic, but it feels like Apple is less of a “rebel brand” and more of an industry mainstay — the safe, dominant choice. It’s become expected that people have an iPhone. MacBooks aren’t revolutionary anymore; they’re just good laptops. Nobody’s camping outside stores anymore (well, maybe for an iPhone launch, but even that’s more spectacle than necessity now). And where are the “I’m a Mac” ads of today? Tim Cook doesn’t have the same showmanship as Jobs did, and while Craig Federighi is fun, he’s more “likable uncle” than “cult-like visionary.”

Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying Apple is bad. In fact, I think they’re putting out some of the best products they’ve ever made. But the feeling of owning an Apple product is different. It used to feel like you were part of a movement. Now it just feels like… you own a phone.

So, I’m putting it to the MacRumors family:

• Do you think the “Apple magic” is gone?

• Are we just being nostalgic for the Steve Jobs days?

• If you were an Apple fan in the ’80s, ’90s, or early 2000s, do you feel like the “vibe” is different now compared to the era of 2018 and beyond?

• Is it possible for a company this successful to ever feel countercultural again?

I’d love to hear your thoughts — especially if you grew up in the Apple golden years and have watched the shift happen in real-time. Are we living in Apple’s best era yet, or have we lost something intangible along the way?

Nothing lasts forever.

I think it's naive to think that any company can produce groundbreaking products for 30 years straight.

 

[jayryco]

They’re tools to get things done.

As far as the things they can do go, they are faster and more powerful than ever before.

We’re peak apple right now, and i don’t think they’re in decline at all.

Exactly. It's the best it ever been. We are living the dream.

1000 songs in our pocket? NO, WE HAVE ALL THE SONGS IN OUR DAMN POCKET, and the entire internet and a fully functioning computer and even 'AI' ChatGPT since 18.2.

MacBook Pro is the best laptop on the planet BY FAR, it just needs OLED and then it's literally the laptop perfected - and maybe AAA game support as a norm going forward would be great.
MacOS simply runs Pro apps better than Windows - anyone using both systems would understand this deeply.

iPad destroys every tablet and it's not even close.
The App Store is mature and has a brilliant selection of premium apps, although the subscriptions epidemic can be annoying but it's been improving with more once off payments.

Apple Watch is the best fitness tracker and smartwatch BY FAR.
AirPods have matured and become incredible, especially the PRO.

HomePods should definitely be better, no doubt, they slacking on that.

I also kinda miss iTunes for sure, towards the end it was pretty clunky but it was ONE app and they should of done right by it instead of killing it altogether but beyond that -

COME ON - every product they sell is premium as heck. They can't realistically be selling colorful translucent plastic computers anymore.

PEAK APPLE and it's only going to get better, the competition is and always has been playing catchup. Period.

If Apple is 'losing the magic' then the competition never had any to begin with. Apple products are currently the most effective and simple at allowing us to get things done. I will concede that sometime there are small things they do which are weird and make no sense, such as recently the mail app getting the smart categories in 18.2 but its not available on MacOS and that is certainly absurd.
In any case, its likely that the beast of consumerism has you thinking Apple lost the magic but technology are tools and Apple create the best in class.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I think the “magic” of Apple is starting to come back.

After Tim Cook took control and Jony Ive had his influence, things got shaky. The future of the Mac was uncertain and iOS was a mess.

Then, M series chips came out and that spark came back.

Vision Pro was a swing and a miss.

AI features as of 18.2 are meh. But once the context-based and deeply personalized version of their AI hits devices, I think even more of that Apple magic will come out.

Is it like the old days? No. But you work with what you got. Giving up entirely means certain failure.

M series is a development of A series, which goes WAY back to SJ still being around

AVP, as you said .. swing and a miss

AI -- same, so far at least

I'm not sure what you're using as a gauge here that "the magic is starting to come back"?

 

[dk001]

Thats clearly not true though. Since Ive left there has been something of a design renaissance at Apple with form and function getting an overhaul. This wasn't his fault, just without Steve there was nobody to taper his excesses.

Since 2020 Apple have moved all their products to a common design language, haven't jacked their prices up much and in 2024 have been uncharacteristically generous on the base models. The M4 Mac Mini and the iPhone 16 are the two best base products Apple have ever made.

Not true? TC has moved Apple into a more commodity mode streamlining the supply chain - something he is good at and shareholders like. Margin.

The few new/visionary products have pretty much been … meh.

 

[rappr]

Not true? TC has moved Apple into a more commodity mode streamlining the supply chain - something he is good at and shareholders like. Margin.

The few new/visionary products have pretty much been … meh.

Idk that I’d pin that on Tim Cook. It’s not like we’ve seen revolutionary new product catagories from any companies in consumer tech. Even as a mature product category, the smartphone is hard to beat. Developing a true “next big thing” is a really tall order for all tech companies.

 

[Barcamatic]

I remember

Let me start by saying this: I am an unapologetic Apple fanatic. I’m talking all in — products, design, marketing, stores, history, the whole ecosystem. If it’s Apple, I’m interested. And if you’re here on MacRumors, I’m guessing you might feel the same way.

But as we approach the end of 2024, I can’t help but ask a question that’s been on my mind for a while:

Is the “Apple magic” gone? Or are we just chasing the nostalgia of the old days?

I’m talking about the era of Steve Jobs’ keynotes, Jonny Ive’s “aluminum unibody” monologues, and Tony Fadell’s iPod magic wheel. The era of “Hello, I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” commercials and overnight campouts outside the Apple Store to get your hands on the newest product. Back when seeing someone with a clamshell iBook (shoutout to Elle Woods in Legally Blonde) was like spotting a unicorn in a sea of dull, black, plastic IBMs.

Back then, Apple felt exclusive. It had this it factor — a cultural cachet that was hard to put into words. To own an Apple product was to signal that you got it — that you saw something others didn’t. You weren’t just using a “computer,” you were tapping into an experience, a lifestyle. MacBooks, iPods, and iPhones were cool in a way that was undeniable.

But where do we stand now?

Apple is still a leader in design, functionality, and that coveted hardware-software integration that just works. Their products are arguably better than ever, with the M-series chips blowing minds, AirPods becoming a cultural icon, and the Apple Watch quietly dominating the wearables market. From a technical perspective, you could argue the magic is still there.

But is it cool anymore?

I’m not so sure. Seeing someone with an iPhone 15 Pro doesn’t feel the same as spotting someone with a first-gen iPhone in 2007. AirPods used to be instantly recognizable (and a bit of a flex), but now, every other tech company has its own knockoff version. The “cool factor” that used to come with owning an Apple product feels… commonplace. Ubiquity has its downsides.

Have we reached “Peak Apple” culturally?

Maybe it’s just me being nostalgic, but it feels like Apple is less of a “rebel brand” and more of an industry mainstay — the safe, dominant choice. It’s become expected that people have an iPhone. MacBooks aren’t revolutionary anymore; they’re just good laptops. Nobody’s camping outside stores anymore (well, maybe for an iPhone launch, but even that’s more spectacle than necessity now). And where are the “I’m a Mac” ads of today? Tim Cook doesn’t have the same showmanship as Jobs did, and while Craig Federighi is fun, he’s more “likable uncle” than “cult-like visionary.”

Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying Apple is bad. In fact, I think they’re putting out some of the best products they’ve ever made. But the feeling of owning an Apple product is different. It used to feel like you were part of a movement. Now it just feels like… you own a phone.

So, I’m putting it to the MacRumors family:

• Do you think the “Apple magic” is gone?

• Are we just being nostalgic for the Steve Jobs days?

• If you were an Apple fan in the ’80s, ’90s, or early 2000s, do you feel like the “vibe” is different now compared to the era of 2018 and beyond?

• Is it possible for a company this successful to ever feel countercultural again?

I’d love to hear your thoughts — especially if you grew up in the Apple golden years and have watched the shift happen in real-time. Are we living in Apple’s best era yet, or have we lost something intangible along the way?

Let me start by saying this: I am an unapologetic Apple fanatic. I’m talking all in — products, design, marketing, stores, history, the whole ecosystem. If it’s Apple, I’m interested. And if you’re here on MacRumors, I’m guessing you might feel the same way.

But as we approach the end of 2024, I can’t help but ask a question that’s been on my mind for a while:

Is the “Apple magic” gone? Or are we just chasing the nostalgia of the old days?

I’m talking about the era of Steve Jobs’ keynotes, Jonny Ive’s “aluminum unibody” monologues, and Tony Fadell’s iPod magic wheel. The era of “Hello, I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” commercials and overnight campouts outside the Apple Store to get your hands on the newest product. Back when seeing someone with a clamshell iBook (shoutout to Elle Woods in Legally Blonde) was like spotting a unicorn in a sea of dull, black, plastic IBMs.

Back then, Apple felt exclusive. It had this it factor — a cultural cachet that was hard to put into words. To own an Apple product was to signal that you got it — that you saw something others didn’t. You weren’t just using a “computer,” you were tapping into an experience, a lifestyle. MacBooks, iPods, and iPhones were cool in a way that was undeniable.

But where do we stand now?

Apple is still a leader in design, functionality, and that coveted hardware-software integration that just works. Their products are arguably better than ever, with the M-series chips blowing minds, AirPods becoming a cultural icon, and the Apple Watch quietly dominating the wearables market. From a technical perspective, you could argue the magic is still there.

But is it cool anymore?

I’m not so sure. Seeing someone with an iPhone 15 Pro doesn’t feel the same as spotting someone with a first-gen iPhone in 2007. AirPods used to be instantly recognizable (and a bit of a flex), but now, every other tech company has its own knockoff version. The “cool factor” that used to come with owning an Apple product feels… commonplace. Ubiquity has its downsides.

Have we reached “Peak Apple” culturally?

Maybe it’s just me being nostalgic, but it feels like Apple is less of a “rebel brand” and more of an industry mainstay — the safe, dominant choice. It’s become expected that people have an iPhone. MacBooks aren’t revolutionary anymore; they’re just good laptops. Nobody’s camping outside stores anymore (well, maybe for an iPhone launch, but even that’s more spectacle than necessity now). And where are the “I’m a Mac” ads of today? Tim Cook doesn’t have the same showmanship as Jobs did, and while Craig Federighi is fun, he’s more “likable uncle” than “cult-like visionary.”

Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying Apple is bad. In fact, I think they’re putting out some of the best products they’ve ever made. But the feeling of owning an Apple product is different. It used to feel like you were part of a movement. Now it just feels like… you own a phone.

So, I’m putting it to the MacRumors family:

• Do you think the “Apple magic” is gone?

• Are we just being nostalgic for the Steve Jobs days?

• If you were an Apple fan in the ’80s, ’90s, or early 2000s, do you feel like the “vibe” is different now compared to the era of 2018 and beyond?

• Is it possible for a company this successful to ever feel countercultural again?

I’d love to hear your thoughts — especially if you grew up in the Apple golden years and have watched the shift happen in real-time. Are we living in Apple’s best era yet, or have we lost something intangible along the way?

When my dad brought home the Apple II when I was in early elementary school (70s 😬) Then the first Macintosh early 80s. It was MAGIC back then, to all of us. Well, maybe not mom. Anyway, in college I bought the “Bundi Blue” iMac. It was the most beautiful computer I’ve ever seen. Genius! Later on got my first GIANT wheel 🤭 iPod (classic) a few years after the Napster debacle. What can I say? Game changer product for the entire industry. And then, (NO AND THEN!! 😂 - dude, where’s my car?) sorry. Anyway, I heard Steve say an iPod a Phone and an Internet Communicator …. 🤨 and when I got it… 😱🤯🫠 Scotty, beam me up! Yes, it was like I was living a Star Trek episode WTF??!! And to get a hold of one?? Good luck. Then the iPad came along. Verizon with all the antenna gate breaking the ATT exclusivity iPhone 4, and SIRI (which then it was HAL9000, but now a doorstop 🫤) I’m skipping an immense array of revolutionary products. And I’m all over the place. But ultimately, yes, it is not what it used to be. And I’ve been disappointed (HomePod / SIRI!!! 🤬) Apple Intelligence is the rare demonstration of a failed attempt. For now. And yes, now have an iPhone is like having a pair of shoes. But I know that is what Steve was aiming for. Total market domination. He was ruthless and competitive like no other. Well maybe Gates 🙄 And it stopped felling unique, special and incredibly powerful. The overall experience has changed dramatically. The customer service and tech support, another epic topic, for another day, is a completely different experience. Sometimes you just feel like a number. I still have my entire home and family immersed into the Apple ecosystem. It is still the standard, a model to follow.

 

[Jorda D]

This topic really resonates with me! I think you are onto something. Yes, Apple has lost it's shine IMO.

 

[Jorda D]

Idk that I’d pin that on Tim Cook. It’s not like we’ve seen revolutionary new product catagories from any companies in consumer tech. Even as a mature product category, the smartphone is hard to beat. Developing a true “next big thing” is a really tall order for all tech companies.

khm. Elon Musk khm.

 

[Jorda D]

Let me start by saying this: I am an unapologetic Apple fanatic. I’m talking all in — products, design, marketing, stores, history, the whole ecosystem. If it’s Apple, I’m interested. And if you’re here on MacRumors, I’m guessing you might feel the same way.

But as we approach the end of 2024, I can’t help but ask a question that’s been on my mind for a while:

Is the “Apple magic” gone? Or are we just chasing the nostalgia of the old days?

I’m talking about the era of Steve Jobs’ keynotes, Jonny Ive’s “aluminum unibody” monologues, and Tony Fadell’s iPod magic wheel. The era of “Hello, I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” commercials and overnight campouts outside the Apple Store to get your hands on the newest product. Back when seeing someone with a clamshell iBook (shoutout to Elle Woods in Legally Blonde) was like spotting a unicorn in a sea of dull, black, plastic IBMs.

Back then, Apple felt exclusive. It had this it factor — a cultural cachet that was hard to put into words. To own an Apple product was to signal that you got it — that you saw something others didn’t. You weren’t just using a “computer,” you were tapping into an experience, a lifestyle. MacBooks, iPods, and iPhones were cool in a way that was undeniable.

But where do we stand now?

Apple is still a leader in design, functionality, and that coveted hardware-software integration that just works. Their products are arguably better than ever, with the M-series chips blowing minds, AirPods becoming a cultural icon, and the Apple Watch quietly dominating the wearables market. From a technical perspective, you could argue the magic is still there.

But is it cool anymore?

I’m not so sure. Seeing someone with an iPhone 15 Pro doesn’t feel the same as spotting someone with a first-gen iPhone in 2007. AirPods used to be instantly recognizable (and a bit of a flex), but now, every other tech company has its own knockoff version. The “cool factor” that used to come with owning an Apple product feels… commonplace. Ubiquity has its downsides.

Have we reached “Peak Apple” culturally?

Maybe it’s just me being nostalgic, but it feels like Apple is less of a “rebel brand” and more of an industry mainstay — the safe, dominant choice. It’s become expected that people have an iPhone. MacBooks aren’t revolutionary anymore; they’re just good laptops. Nobody’s camping outside stores anymore (well, maybe for an iPhone launch, but even that’s more spectacle than necessity now). And where are the “I’m a Mac” ads of today? Tim Cook doesn’t have the same showmanship as Jobs did, and while Craig Federighi is fun, he’s more “likable uncle” than “cult-like visionary.”

Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying Apple is bad. In fact, I think they’re putting out some of the best products they’ve ever made. But the feeling of owning an Apple product is different. It used to feel like you were part of a movement. Now it just feels like… you own a phone.

So, I’m putting it to the MacRumors family:

• Do you think the “Apple magic” is gone?

• Are we just being nostalgic for the Steve Jobs days?

• If you were an Apple fan in the ’80s, ’90s, or early 2000s, do you feel like the “vibe” is different now compared to the era of 2018 and beyond?

• Is it possible for a company this successful to ever feel countercultural again?

I’d love to hear your thoughts — especially if you grew up in the Apple golden years and have watched the shift happen in real-time. Are we living in Apple’s best era yet, or have we lost something intangible along the way?

I agree with you 100%.

Sorry for a very short message, but I dont even know what to add. If you want to write more, please do, I'd like to read more. You are spot on. Apple is NOT AT ALL Apple that we fell in love.

It was both exclusive, and super advanced, in all the posible ways. It was more than a computer. It was ambition, to create excelence.

And look at the Apple AI adds now. Insulting to users, calling them dumb idiots literally. So, yes - you are spot on. Apple has not only changed, bud did a 180.

(apple super fan here. apple sucks now)

 

[Ctrlos]

Not true? TC has moved Apple into a more commodity mode streamlining the supply chain - something he is good at and shareholders like. Margin.

The few new/visionary products have pretty much been … meh.

We could say the same about the rest of the industry and not just Apple. Christmas morning was over long ago. It’s Turkey Sandwiches on Boxing Day here on in.

 

[Jorda D]

Apple is still a leader in design, functionality, and that coveted hardware-software integration that just works. Their products are arguably better than ever, with the M-series chips blowing minds, AirPods becoming a cultural icon, and the Apple Watch quietly dominating the wearables market. From a technical perspective, you could argue the magic is still there.

I really dont agree with this. Apple is actually not a leader in design, especially not a leader in functionality. apple USED to be a leader. It is not any more. Apple devices are very unfunctional and hard to use (you know - it just works? well, it just doesn't work now.). They are - hardware wise very advanced, but, the reality is that they are failing on all fronts. Windows has touchscreens, and generally better everything - so does Android with flipphones. Apple is stagnant now. It might be harder to see that the grass is greaner, since both win and android also have very budget devices - that apple doesnt have, so it might be harder to percieve how much better the flagships are at the other side. But I dont agree with this. Apple is not even a leader in design anymore (it used to be a spaceship compared to rest. Today the rest are at least as good - sometimes better) -- and in terms of functionality - it is failing bigtime in all the areas. Apple is actually very hard to use IMO. no ease of use at all.

I’m not so sure. Seeing someone with an iPhone 15 Pro doesn’t feel the same as spotting someone with a first-gen iPhone in 2007.

not at all. iPhone in 2007 ( I had it , first saw an iPod touch from a friend ). Well that touch was magic!! OMG!!! I was thinking about it for like two months every other day. Everytime I saw my friend I would ask him to show me the touch, I think he was suepr bored of it xD lol. iPhone was the same. If you had it, everyone wanted to see it, it was like a Ferrari, not a Honda.

The “cool factor” that used to come with owning an Apple product feels… commonplace

It is - it is commonplace.

Maybe it’s just me being nostalgic, but it feels like Apple is less of a “rebel brand” and more of an industry mainstay — the safe, dominant choice

You are right. Tim has really made it a safe kindergarden sort of brand.

• Do you think the “Apple magic” is gone?

YES.

• Are we just being nostalgic for the Steve Jobs days?

We are, but not without a good reason.

• If you were an Apple fan in the ’80s, ’90s, or early 2000s, do you feel like the “vibe” is different now compared to the era of 2018 and beyond?

I do. I started with apple in 2004 maybe, or 2006. With the iPod. That was my first apple device. It was indeed very inovative, and very different than anything else on the market. It felt premium, so premium. It was easy to use, and in many ways magical, and more than anything - it was extremely advanced and ahead of its time.

Is it possible for a company this successful to ever feel countercultural again?

yes, with a different leader.
think - Elon Musk.

I’d love to hear your thoughts — especially if you grew up in the Apple golden years and have watched the shift happen in real-time. Are we living in Apple’s best era yet, or have we lost something intangible along the way?

no, we are living in Apples demise. If they dont change Tim Cook soon, apple will go down badly. I think Tim has done a lot of good things, but its time for him to go. He did everything he had in himself, and now Apple needs to find a new visionary - Apples Satya Nadella to lead the company forward. Tim did a lot of good things, he was a good and catious stewart of Apple, and he kept it in good shape. In fact, if Apple manages to find a new visionary to take the company forward - the amazing very safe and secure base - that Tim created, is going to allow the company to skyrocket! Again.

 

[dk001]

Idk that I’d pin that on Tim Cook. It’s not like we’ve seen revolutionary new product catagories from any companies in consumer tech. Even as a mature product category, the smartphone is hard to beat. Developing a true “next big thing” is a really tall order for all tech companies.

adding @Ctrlos

New is a big thing. It is the life blood for a company to thrive and survive. One can only rest on its’ reputation for so long. What items Apple has come out with have been “meh” from a general user perspective or have been so costly that most will not put out the cash/credit.

Take a hard look at Chinese smartphones. There are some really interesting things coming out or evolving. Foldables (2 and 3 panel), Flips, super fast charging, Specialized cameras, Specialized features, Super thin, etc…. The design environment over there has really picked up the last few years. The iPhone is pretty much the same over the last few years and sales have stagnated at or below 2015 levels (globally).

Then there is AI. Apple is really lagging behind. ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok are all way ahead. They can easily evolve. Apple is going to need a bit more to evolve. When it is finally fully launched. 😔

Apple has become service driven. That is not the environment / mindset needed to propel it forward (from a hardware perspective).

Apple can absolutely turn things around. They need a visionary to kick it off and TC to allow it.

 

[maxoakland]

There wasn't the dearth of Rumour websites and people micro analysing every component

I think a big part of why the Apple magic seems to be less and less is because, back in the day, Apple would be first to bring technologies such as Retina displays and Touch ID to the masses.

Nowadays, even once Apple brings OLED to more of its products, or even foldables, people have already been exposed to those technologies before in one way or another, so the "magic" won't really be there.

It's part of how Apple, for the most part, has been playing things too safe lately and doesn't take much risks.

and they also charge too much for the freshest features. Most people will hear about the newest feature a decade before they actually get to use it

Apple is sooo slow with everything these days