14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has to convince users that it is innovating. When the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7Plus come out in about two weeks, they will probably look exactly the same as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. This would not have been such a big issue if the same design wasn't used in 2015's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
Apple is not at their first attempt to deliver a similar-looking device for the third time in a row. After all, the Macs and iPads are doing that since their inception. On the other hand, the iPhone 5 design was sold as iPhone 5s and iPhone SE, and nobody had anything to complain about.
Are the internals good enough?
Apple is going to play it big on internals and software in 2016. The new iPhone 7 (or maybe they will call it iPhone 6 SE in the end) will have a redesigned camera. There are rumors about the iPhone 7 Plus having a dual-camera system combined with lens that will make a DSLR jealous.
The iPhone camera is already the most popular one on photo sharing websites like Flickr, even among pros. Even Samsung phones took over Nikon, Canon or Sony's professional DSLRs, so playing that card is going to be a sure win. But this is not enough. Hardware must be matched by software, and when it comes to photos and videos, the device needs more space.
I am pretty sure we saw the last of the 16GB iPhones last year, and the new devices will start at 32GB. Shooting 4K video and DSRL-like photos with an iPhone can fill it up pretty quickly. Besides, Google has already made fun of the iPhone in their commercials for Google Photos by tackling the same subject.
How can a new iPhone be more attractive? Color is what comes to mind. If the design is the same, just by releasing a Dark Blue or Black iPhone, Apple can appeal to a newer audience. The new line may include devices in Space Grey, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Dark Blue, and Space Black. The guys from Cupertino should really work on the material used on the new iPhone and add grip to the device itself. The iPhone 6 and 6s were so slippery that more and more users had to go change their screens after they broke.
And let's not forget that the headphone jack is going away this year. Sure enough, we will get a headphone to lightning adapter, but this is just a new annoyance for the users who want to use their good old headphones. Having to explain that to an iPhone owner is pretty difficult.
In conclusion, the hardware will look the same and add new functionality. Nothing spectacular, but good enough for a 3-year-old iPhone 5s user who wants to upgrade.
Still, having to explain to a user that their future iPhone will look the same but will lack some functionality while adding just a better camera and a dongle for their EarPods takes more than one hour and 42 minutes, while the Keynote lasts.
iOS 10 looks like it is half baked
Software-wise, iOS 10 looks like the most advanced jump from iOS 7. Still, the new operating system does not help iPad users work with their devices as a true laptop. iOS needed to go back to the drawing board, but not necessarily to get more complicated.
With the current state of iOS 10, it really feels like Apple is getting ready to add new functionality to a future device (maybe the one from 2017), and they do not want to spoil the surprise.
Betting on the Watch. Again
The Apple Watch is the new winner in that space. It proves that Apple can revive a two-year-old device and make it fresh again just by rethinking the operating system. The fact that a device as old as the iPhone 5 will get to work with iOS proves that Apple learned something from their experience with iPhone 4 and 4s. One can only hope that iPhone 5 will not be a really slow device, just as iPhone 4 proved to be on iOS 7.
Sure, we will see a new Apple Watch soon, but the fact that the old one is not getting forgotten really helps. Especially for users who paid upwards of $10,000 for the Golden Edition.
Again, Apple may have trouble explaining to users why they were not able to fix the Apple Watch problems for almost two years, but now it all works.
The MacBook Pro, postponed?
And there is one last thing Apple needs to offer an explanation for: how come there is no new MacBook Pro? Sure enough, the users who have been expecting a new device for some time now can blame it on macOS Sierra. Apple will probably have another conference to introduce the new software (and hopefully, hardware) later this fall.
All in all, the iPhone it is going to be sold in the millions, Apple will end up having the best quarter ever, and consumers will enjoy the new colors and cameras. The good news is that Apple will have a great lineup in 2017...