IBM, as you all might remember, is one of the oldest companies which is related to computers and software related to them, but it’s something which comes in terms of history to the ongoing generation; apple, on the other hand, is a type of fruit, which keeps the doctor away if you eat it daily, but in our case, we are talking about a leading technology company with a logo of half-eaten apple, which updates its devices almost every six months, but the question here is does it truely update them?
Apple – as an example of innovation:
To make you familiar, we will start with a bit of history. Let us go back to the ’80s in California. A young college dropout with his friend had few ideas about completely revolutionizing the computer industry through innovation. So, he did that and brought things like iMac, MacBook, iPhone, iPad into the market.
The main thing is he worked on the concept of bringing new things into the market instead of promoting the things that were already there, and that was the reason he hated big corporates of that time like IBM which were centered on just selling the products. Apple just focused on bringing out new technologies in the market. Once, Steve Jobs said that Apple would also see a downfall when it started working how IBM does.
Steve Jobs died in 2011, and Apple has seen the growth. But the question that comes to mind of most people is whether the company still is the hub of innovation, or just finding a new way to bring out the existing technologies.
Apple’s current position:
As you all might know Apple just launched its iPhone 13, but I am having a hard time differentiating between a 12 pro and 13 pro; both have three cameras, both are based on the design of iPhone5. They say in their newsletter that they have the best camera, best battery ever in an iPhone and all other things which you can’t say is there until you open it up and verify.
It is okay for any other company to repackage, but since we are talking about Apple, we are paying around one lakh fifty thousand for this thing. Secondly, Apple has a reputation for bringing something into the market that we didn’t know we couldn’t live without. Like see when apple brought the concept of the iPhone, we didn’t think we needed a touch screen phone; the same case was with the iPad, a big touch screen phone.
But see now, the company with the motto of thinking different is following the design of its old models – like getting back those square edges of iPhone 5 in iPhone 12 and still keeping it in the latest model iPhone 13. On the other hand, there is already a leap in technologies that other mobile manufacturing companies have brought in the market, like folding mobile phones from Samsung and Huawei are dragging attention in the market. Companies like Motorola with Moto Razr are becoming part of popular culture, whereas Apple doesn’t seem to get over using multiple cameras.
Apple is a company that was built on the concept of change and innovation. But with its launch of the “new” iPhone 13, it seems like Apple has lost track. It is no doubt that Apple iPhones are still something that provides a good user experience, but the thing is, it’s the same experience it has been providing for years. If supplied with 1.5 lakh rupees to buy a phone, I would rather buy a foldable phone instead of an iPhone.
Why it is still on top then and what is the future:
The most common reason Apple is still on top when it comes to tech companies is observation. Notice people around you, the ones who just bought an Apple iPhone, would tend to show it whenever they get a chance; most of the photographs they will click will be in front of a mirror. In short, having an iPhone brings a certain image out of you; it gives you bragging rights, and why shouldn’t it? You are spending one lakh fifty thousand on that thing.
Another reason why I think iPhones are still on top is because of the user experience that it provides which is very different from an android. I mean, seriously, I have used both the interfaces, but the level of satisfaction you get after using an iOS device is a lot better than an android. The aesthetic appeal of an Apple device is still good, I mean better than those companies when they think one thing is working, so they put a lot of it in there. With Apple, a certain amount of attention is given to each device component.
So, the above reasons and the support of hardcore Apple fans might keep the company alive for a decade or so. Still, to keep up with its reputation as a hub of innovation, they will have to bring something new in the technology market, and that too should be done quickly because things are changing at the fastest rate now.
They could also try bringing out their products in a longer period because the next time I see that apple newsletter in the mail, I want to feel that there is something “really new” that they have brought in the market. Otherwise, if they kept improving on that advertisement part of their products, there will be a time when the term innovation will come into the history of Apple, and they will have to play those big-ticket games like IBM to keep themselves alive.
