Apple is in the news for disappointing earnings growth. I wonder if this is due to lack of innovation. I’ve met a lot of folks who are still using their iPhone 5S and aren’t interested in upgrading unless motivated by a device failure. Thus, at least from the point of view of the average user, the company stopped innovating after the 5S was delivered.
I’m reasonably happy with the iPhone X, but am not excited about the XS or whatever Apple calls its latest and greatest. I would switch to Android if any vendor made a superior camera (in practice) to Apple’s. Now that I’ve stopped using ForeFlight, I have no allegiance to iOS (which maybe limits how much profit Apple can extract from people like me?).
People can’t afford $2000 phones if the interest rate is over 0%. Powell needs to get on that.
The camera on the Pixel 3 is widely recognized as superior to any Apple phone’s camera. And for night photography, its Night Sight mode is a revelation.
I just today came from the Apple Store where an alleged genius replaced my broken iPhone 6s screen. He told me that my battery has cycled about 200 cycles past the point where most of them start to fail. I said, “When the battery starts going, it’s time to just get a new phone.” “Nah,” he said, “just bring it in. A new battery is just $49.”
Thought #1: they need to train the geniuses not to undermine new phone purchases like that.
Thought #2, which unfortunately I had only after I was home: should have had them just pop the new battery in today, while they had the phone apart. This iPhone 6s is everything I need in a phone and I plan to use it as long as I can.
I’m still running on an iPhone 6, having replaced my battery before the end of year deadline, but then again I use it less than 10 minutes per day (my primary mobile device is an iPad) nor do I care much about its camera, I only use it to take snaps of flyers or products in stores, not actual photography.
Allegedly the Google Pixel 3’s camera has outstanding results, but much of it is through machine learning trickery and can barely be called photography any more. It does a form of stabilization using the phone’s gyro and accelerometer to allow decent photos in low light with around 1 second exposures, something pioneered at Microsoft, and that’s probably a more meaningful improvement than the diminishing returns in sensor tech as we are approaching fundamental limitations of physics.
Of course, using an Android phone implies consenting to Google’s voyeurism. Until the Google-free LineageOS and /e/ forks of Android are supported on phones more recent than 3 year old, no thanks for me.
Apple is condemned to stagnation: even Steve Jobs would have a hard time finding a hit to match the smartphone. They are reportedly working on Augmented Reality glasses, but it’s hard to see that becoming as big as phones, even if they don’t have the dork factor of Google Glass.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for that tip about LineageOS. I have a Galaxy S4 (2013) that still ticks and I want to try it.
What are you using instead of ForeFlight? Any why?
I’ve never understood why the smartphone was seen as a creative innovation. We had handheld computers and cell phones and everybody was waiting for the two to be combined.
Also, I’ve never understood why you can’t get a tabletphone–or do those already exist? Either way, it would not be the work of creative genius.
Yes, and Palm had been selling a nice handheld computer that was also a cell phone for years. It had a great browser and an extensive library of apps. Apple just took the latest-generation hardware, switched to a touch screen, and added Steve Jobs’s charismatic marketing, and everyone decided that they were geniuses.
“I want thinner phone with a notch, no headphone jack, no fingerprint scannner, less battery, that bends when the slightest pressure is applied, and only links to my PC via iTunes”, said no one ever.
I have no experience with iPhones of any vintage but as an Average User the only reasons I’ve ever wanted to upgrade my Samsung Galaxy S4 (late 2013) are: better camera, better battery life, and a worn out USB port. I can’t do anything about the camera. I bought a new OEM battery and it works like the day I got the phone, which is OK. The USB port can be had for around $10 and replaced by anyone of average dexterity with YouTube videos as a guide. I only hesitate because I’m worried about the provenance of the replacement parts. Should I be?
Other than that, I really don’t need anything else from a smartphone, and I understand why lots of people are happy with the ones they have. I wish the USB connector was made better, or someone engineered a new phone with a really tough port. I want to connect a FLIR thermal camera and I’m concerned about the durability. At some point I guess the thing will stop working for one permanent reason or another but until then – or until I’m forced to upgrade – I’m going to keep it in service.
The last phone innovation I “needed” was a fingerprint scanner. Got one on the Nexus 5X. Great until it boot looped itself to death after 2+ years. Now have Motorola G6. Too big. Slippery as an eel, but good enough.
The last phone innovation I “needed” was a fingerprint scanner. Got one on the Nexus 5X. Great until it boot looped itself to death after 2+ years. Now have Motorola G6. Too big, slippery as an eel, but good enough. Love the Moto Actions, though.
Are you using Garmin pilot? The android version of Garmin pilot is always worse than the IOS version.