Apple's September 10 Announcement -- So What?
It’s common on the social media and tech journalism airwaves these days to hear Apple pegged as declining due to a “lack of innovation.”
Let’s assume that’s true. The question can then be asked, “If that’s the case, what difference does it make and to whom?”
I wonder about that since, as an iPhone 4S user, I often discover new and different features that have been added or which — and this is just as likely — I’ve just discovered.
As far as I’m concerned, these are “new features” to me. The fact that they may have existed for some time is irrelevant. What’s important to me is that I now find these features and functions useful and they contribute to my personal productivity and enjoyment.
I think about this whenever this company or that company is described as having “lost its edge.” As far as I’m concerned, the shape that edge takes is pretty personal.
I’m less interested in what the pundits say than what the new product or service actually means for me and my family. Plus, I’m on a Verizon phone plan so I’m not ready to walk away just because I want the “latest and greatest,” no matter who supplies it. And as I’ve suggested elsewhere we may have already entered a “post-smartphone era” where we must look elsewhere for innovation.
I’m not suggesting that Apple can afford to never innovate again. I am finding the negativity about Apple — some of which is sincere, some of which is just link bait — reminds me of all the times Apple has been written off before. Even with Jobs gone I seriously doubt that Apple’s competitors feel it’s safe to ignore what comes out of Cupertino.
So, yes, I am curious about what Apple announces on Sept. 10, just as I’m interested in announcements from any of the tech vendors of products I use regularly, and that includes not just Apple but Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. I care less about “new,” “cool,” or “innovative” than I care about “easy to use,” “fun,” “hassle free,” and “useful.” And I think that Apple understands that about me better than most companies.
Copyright (c) 2013 by Dennis D. McDonald, Ph.D., a Washington DC area consultant specializing in project management, digital strategy, and technology adoption. His clients have included the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the US Environmental Protection Agency, Jive Software, the National Library of Medicine, the National Academy of Engineering, Social Media Today and Oracle, and the World Bank Group. Contact Dennis via email at ddmcd@yahoo.com or by phone at 703-402-7382.
