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Poll: What should Apple do in the future
- Thread starter hasanahmad
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Apple appears to be it's own worst enemy it seems... Back when smartphones first started coming out the performance jump from one gen to the next was pretty huge, 2 to even 3X performance gains. This was similar in the PC/MAC world before the core I5/7's came out. Now we're seeing very small gains, something like 15-25%, or even less. Tack on a high price tag and support for 5 years and people are starting to wise up. If Apple is going to support my device for 5 years and all I need is a battery replacement during half-life that costs less than a hundred bucks, why pay another 800 to a grand? McDonnell Douglas did this in the past. They made indestructible planes that could fly 30-40 years. Problem was after airlines bought them, they didn't need to buy more for a long time, to replace the ones they already had. Poof, sales drop. The solution Apple really needs is to cut long term support to about 3 years and drop the models down 150-200 bucks across the board to stabilize sales. If they cut support to three years, those who would initially buy a battery replacement would be more inclined to upgrade to a new phone.
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I went with innovate. If you are going to charge premium prices ya might as well have some must have features 
I didn’t vote in this poll. However, I will say, this has nothing to do with ‘innovation’ and ‘Cook needs to resign’, if Apple needs to make any adjustments, it’s with their pricing structure. I think the XR is an excellent phone for what it offers, but the XS is proving to be more expensive for most average consumers budgets. And with the battery replacement program, iPhone customers were deciding to replace the batteries, which had performance increases, therefore they did not see the need to upgrade.
If Apple can create more diversity in their iPhone pricing to accompany the consumer, ‘boosted sales’ will be a result, but how Apple approaches this tactfully, should be reflective before or around the time of the 2019 iPhone keynote with pricing announcements.
If Apple can create more diversity in their iPhone pricing to accompany the consumer, ‘boosted sales’ will be a result, but how Apple approaches this tactfully, should be reflective before or around the time of the 2019 iPhone keynote with pricing announcements.
Cutting it to three years now could also tick off a lot of loyal customers. Five years of iOS updates is a major factor in my buying an iPhone over Android. If they dropped it to three years. I'd put a lot more consideration into a Google Pixel or Android One. Android One phones are nice budget phones with two years of OS updates and monthly security patches. I don't know if the Pixel is two or three years.
I'd say add perks to incentivize more Android users to switch. Rather than punishing your current faithful customers. Improve Windows support for iCloud. Make a Photos app as current Photos integration in Windows is laughable. Make a messages app. Add keychain support. Have mail, contacts, reminders and calendar work with the built in Windows apps since most won't pay extra for Outlook (maybe you can already do this one). Perhaps add support such as CalDAV and CardDAV or port their mail, calendar, &c apps. This would be better and easier integration than Android with Windows. Maybe even make a way for Siri to replace Cortana. You might hurt Mac sales some but the gains in iOS sales would likely outpace any loses in the Mac unit. Since most of the Mac lovers dislike Windows and all of its problems. It may even ultimately spur Mac sales if Windows users got a better taste of Mac software and how it integrates with other Apple devices.
They could also do a better job touting the advantages of iOS. Many people who could afford an iPhone don't because they don't know why they should. Specs are meaningless to them and that $300 Android looks sleek and seems to be fast. If they knew why they should buy an iPhone. Many more would do so. Rather than just the drift of people fed up with Android and heard Apple is better without really knowing why.
- A big one is consistency, especially for many older customers. Their new phone will work like their old one. It's just better and faster. All their data will be moved from the old to the new. So they can just pic up where they left off. I know this is how it already works. But they don't. All they know is that they have to buy a smartphone for the modern world. Then suffer through UI changes and lost data whenever they get a new Android. Apple generally makes small UI changes but those changes are consistent across the board.
- Support life and security are more selling points. Apple provides consistent OS and security updates for a long time. People buying Android outside of a few models get poor support. They don't get regular security patches or OS updates. Most get few if any. Any support they do get is dropped after a couple years.
- They could also tout parental controls and privacy.
iCloud should have a larger included size. Equal to the largest iOS device a user owns. I know iCloud is cheap and many willingly pay for it. When they know why they should. The same problem I see with clients time and again is they aren't backed up. The backup in iCloud is turned on but iCloud is full. They gladly pay for iCloud when I tell them why they need it. Otherwise they wouldn't backup and would lose their data. Simply because they don't know any better. Nearly everyone of them thinks they are backed up until I tell them otherwise.
Make it possible to merge iCloud accounts. I've seen this too many times. A user doesn't know the login info for their Apple ID when they buy an iPhone. The store just sets up a new iCloud account and they start using it instead. Now they have a mess on their hands when they finally do figure out how to login to their original account.
I chose innovate... I honestly don't mind the price but they have to come up with something exciting both on the hardware and software side.... for the first time ever I did not upgrade and held on to my iPhone X. And to be honest I am willing to stand pat again next year if they don't come up with a major redesign and some exciting feature...... Stop slightly tweaking the camera quality and passing it off as revolutionary... You're not fooling anyone anymore.
That being said though I think the iPhone X was pretty innovative so they get a pass this year from my perspective... I just think they made the iPhone X really good and that's keeping alot of people from upgrading like me.
That being said though I think the iPhone X was pretty innovative so they get a pass this year from my perspective... I just think they made the iPhone X really good and that's keeping alot of people from upgrading like me.
Reduce prices first and formost.
Simplify the product line.
Introduce a product for home automation. Like a google home mini. Tie in all of your products into a seemless product which they are great at doing. Make it really cheap, with AirPlay and apple tv, air quality monitors etc on each unit. Really start to push Siri to be usable and penetrate the home automation market. Its going to be a big business.
It will add value to the entire product line, strengthen your ecosystem and pave the way for selling more content via Apple Music, iTunes etc
Simplify the product line.
Introduce a product for home automation. Like a google home mini. Tie in all of your products into a seemless product which they are great at doing. Make it really cheap, with AirPlay and apple tv, air quality monitors etc on each unit. Really start to push Siri to be usable and penetrate the home automation market. Its going to be a big business.
It will add value to the entire product line, strengthen your ecosystem and pave the way for selling more content via Apple Music, iTunes etc
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There’s many sides to this problem. One could be that our consumption-driven economy is not sustainable and that devices that last 5+ years are actually a good thing. Cutting long-term support is such a bad idea in that regard.
Now I don’t know the solution, but it should be a way to replace iPhone hardware sales as the main source of income by something else. Either a new product category that will be in demand for the next ten years, or maybe expanding the subscription-based services trend to make more money off of software products.
Meaning their current business model is unsustainable. Five years of support is too long in the smartphone business. You're loosing so many potential upgrade customers when you support a product for half a decade. Apple needs to shorten it's long term support, while reducing initial purchase costs on it's products. The market is too saturated and competitive with cheap phones not to make that move.
I can see that it could be a solution, I just don’t think that it should be. They should move on from iPhone to something else. It’s the big question mark that’s been around for years. iPad didn’t do the trick, Watch is merely an iPhone accessory. What’s next?
Apple is in a mess and has been for some while under Cook. If you focus on and place revenue/profit over everything else this is where you end up. Add an enormous dose of hubris and a misplaced belief that by making things thinner you are innovating you can see the results. In the short term you make loads of money which seems to be all that he wants to do.
Cook needs to go, as does much of the management/design team. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should and just doing something isn’t a good plan when you should be doing the right thing. I managed to ditch pcs for personal use more than 15 years ago and for business 8 years ago. I’ve been a strong Apple supporter throughout that time but I am struggling to see why I would go on much longer down this route.
My Mac Pro needs replacing, but there’s nothing to replace it with from Apple and if it ever arrives it will be over priced. I’ll not replace my MacBook Pro with another one as I don’t want a lighter more flexible cased laptop that I can’t add ram to nor change the SSD. I won’t pay Apple’ss extortionate over pricing for extra of either items either.
We don’t need a new OS each year, especially one that doesn’t innovate yet one that locks out older hardware. As for Apple’s pricing, it’s bordering on ridiculous. You can’t sustain a high premium brand pricing structure AND hit the mass market with the same product. Something has to give and in my opinion Apple is now at this point. There are some big choices to make and I don’t see Cook as being capable of making the right ones.
It’s unsustainable as things are. The law of diminishing returns has well and truly kicked in. Can’t see me ever changing my iPad Pro 10.5 nor Air 2 for a new model as I can’t see what I need that I can’t already do. I won’t be buying a new iPhone to replace my 8 as I don’t need it do do anything more, I don’t want it lighter, thinner nor do I want it to be more expense. I’d love better battery life but that won’t happen.
All rather sad really.
Cook needs to go, as does much of the management/design team. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should and just doing something isn’t a good plan when you should be doing the right thing. I managed to ditch pcs for personal use more than 15 years ago and for business 8 years ago. I’ve been a strong Apple supporter throughout that time but I am struggling to see why I would go on much longer down this route.
My Mac Pro needs replacing, but there’s nothing to replace it with from Apple and if it ever arrives it will be over priced. I’ll not replace my MacBook Pro with another one as I don’t want a lighter more flexible cased laptop that I can’t add ram to nor change the SSD. I won’t pay Apple’ss extortionate over pricing for extra of either items either.
We don’t need a new OS each year, especially one that doesn’t innovate yet one that locks out older hardware. As for Apple’s pricing, it’s bordering on ridiculous. You can’t sustain a high premium brand pricing structure AND hit the mass market with the same product. Something has to give and in my opinion Apple is now at this point. There are some big choices to make and I don’t see Cook as being capable of making the right ones.
It’s unsustainable as things are. The law of diminishing returns has well and truly kicked in. Can’t see me ever changing my iPad Pro 10.5 nor Air 2 for a new model as I can’t see what I need that I can’t already do. I won’t be buying a new iPhone to replace my 8 as I don’t need it do do anything more, I don’t want it lighter, thinner nor do I want it to be more expense. I’d love better battery life but that won’t happen.
All rather sad really.
So about your iOS devices, with iPhone being Apple’s main source of income, is the problem that new device don’t offer enough new features, or is it actually that the older devices hold up great over time because hardware and software support are great?
Sure, back in the day of the iPhone 4 there were big advancements to be made with a new generation. But as most have pointed out by now, the market is saturated and tech is now quite advanced overall. I can’t name a big leap that I would need for iPhone right now, like you said, iPhone 8 was already quite great. (BTW, better iPhone battery life can be found in XR)
So then for Apple, the problem would be that devices hold up too great over time like @darksithpro pointed out. I personally don’t think that’s a problem, I think it’s great. Apple might be raising pricing because people are upgrading less often. An iPhone may be worth more to customers if they last longer.
In my opinion, the first (and easy) thing they should start with is to increase the overall quality of the components.
For instance, MacBook webcams should have better sensors. The batteries should not only have more capacity but also better cycle endurance. I've been witnessing other phones and laptops keeping the capacity over the years better than Apple equipments: the iPhone battery exchange program was a success but the problem is still there.
Don't remove high quality /premium features such as magnetic chargers, battery level LEDs: while Apple does not have those anymore other companies still offer them (e.g. Surface line).
If Apple want to charge premium prices it needs to offer premium products with premium components.
For instance, MacBook webcams should have better sensors. The batteries should not only have more capacity but also better cycle endurance. I've been witnessing other phones and laptops keeping the capacity over the years better than Apple equipments: the iPhone battery exchange program was a success but the problem is still there.
Don't remove high quality /premium features such as magnetic chargers, battery level LEDs: while Apple does not have those anymore other companies still offer them (e.g. Surface line).
If Apple want to charge premium prices it needs to offer premium products with premium components.
As I said, premium high cost brand and too many updates that offer little innovation and at IMO too high a price. I totally get it that Apple has found a way of making huge profits but for me it’s all a bit of a shame. Market forces will dictate either way.
Didn't vote..
Although i hate for Apple to go in a different direction, i think that is already happening with iOS...
I think Services is the best big thing. Microsoft did it, and now Apple's doing it... It's the only reason they push it onto the user this much... Microsoft "recommend" using their OneDrive service, while Apple reckons everything should be stored in the cloud.
This way its safe-keeping, but clouding the fact you must trust someone now as well... Sadly, everything is moving to Services..
Won't change the way I think though
Although i hate for Apple to go in a different direction, i think that is already happening with iOS...
I think Services is the best big thing. Microsoft did it, and now Apple's doing it... It's the only reason they push it onto the user this much... Microsoft "recommend" using their OneDrive service, while Apple reckons everything should be stored in the cloud.
This way its safe-keeping, but clouding the fact you must trust someone now as well... Sadly, everything is moving to Services..
Won't change the way I think though
They can't do this as it would infuriate their user base, especially those millions who still run iPhone 5S or 6 similar. Secondly, it would also hurt their reputation as a company who gives value in form of support, something Android historically hasn't been able to offer. Thirdly, the smartphone market is saturated which basically means it is harder to compete with cheap alternatives. Going with more aggressive tactics in this market would come back and bite them.
What Apple needs to do, and they are doing it, is focus on the future. They have a lot of products in their pipeline but they are yet not ready for market. Apple has huge piles of cash, I hope no one thinks they sit there and says: "now what?"
Potential products that Apple is working on is more wearables (they already have the Airpods and Apple Watch) like AR glasses. Also, they have their self-driving cars project called Titan. So Apple is working, but no new products are yet ready.
Apple has always been bad at supporting their products. That’s why I am always reluctant about buying their products. Just look at Siri and HomePod. Great products but I have no idea when will be the next time they actually improve them. Apple needs to seriously improve iPhone’s interface user experience as phones are reaching their physical design peaks.
I think Cook is trying to make profit from services, which is great to the Wall Street. But to the consumers, we are not seeing anything new.
Jobs revamped the phones. I think Apple could revamp mobile computing with a solution that replaces laptops. I really hate traveling with the laptop going through the security gate. With the coming of 5G, hopefully Apple could redefine/tie the phone, the laptop, and cloud computing together. If I could carry my desktop/laptop with me on the phone, it would save me so much trouble.
However, from the business perspective, I highly doubt Cook would risk developing such tech because that would put the MacBooks in jeopardy, which I personally think, is the future if they execute it correctly.
But for years, I still don’t get it. iPhone 7, 8, and XR are so much alike. Why are they still selling all three phones? They need to discontinue 7 and 8.
I think Cook is trying to make profit from services, which is great to the Wall Street. But to the consumers, we are not seeing anything new.
Jobs revamped the phones. I think Apple could revamp mobile computing with a solution that replaces laptops. I really hate traveling with the laptop going through the security gate. With the coming of 5G, hopefully Apple could redefine/tie the phone, the laptop, and cloud computing together. If I could carry my desktop/laptop with me on the phone, it would save me so much trouble.
However, from the business perspective, I highly doubt Cook would risk developing such tech because that would put the MacBooks in jeopardy, which I personally think, is the future if they execute it correctly.
But for years, I still don’t get it. iPhone 7, 8, and XR are so much alike. Why are they still selling all three phones? They need to discontinue 7 and 8.
