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The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

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Re: The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

#261

Post by jimmyspice »

rigidglobe wrote: post #230
interlocutor wrote: post #173

Apple's problem is that their rate of innovation has slowed down. iPhone generates over a 100 Billion dollars in revenue. Per year. If any company has the resources to innovate it is Apple. Apple, here are some free ideas. Some of these ideas go beyond the phone and into cell networks. If Google can do that ( https://fi.google.com ) why can't Apple? - Improve cellular reception. We are now heavily reliant on our cell…

I would have switched to android this year due to high iPhone XS price had it not been the “need” to stay in iMessages. When most of your friends are having a blue chat bubble, you don’t want to be “that guy”. iMessages is apples secret weapon and I’m surprised android hasn’t done their own iMessages api where all android can interoperable. Or at the very least why hasnt Samsung done their own? Finally, other secret…

> I’m surprised android hasn’t done their own iMessages api where all android can interoperable

Google have tried this at too high a level (allo and duo). I guess the reason why it wasn't made for AOSP and instead put on the play store is because they want the masses to be using a Google product. A bit of a shame, since given android ownership rates a 'free' service like that over IP would be cool. Maybe the real problem with that is deciding who controls the servers handling this data or something.

Re: The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

#262

Post by Gigablah »

saurik wrote: post #246
jakobegger wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And they even fixed the biggest UX blunder of the iPhone, which is placing the volume buttons and sleep button on opposite sides of the device, just to make it look symmetrical. Symmetry is the worst for user experience. It's a bit embarrassing when you are trying to turn the volume of your headphones down, and accidentally trigger the "emergency SOS" feature which makes a loud claxon sound, which you can't hear beca…

I find this confusing, as to me having the buttons on different sides of the device ensures that I never make a mistake as the buttons are nowhere near each other.

If you’re holding the phone with one hand, trying to click a button on one side tends to cause an accidental, simultaneous click on the other side.

Re: The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

#263

Post by ricardobeat »

rhn_mk1 wrote: post #226
tabs_masterrace wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about some more sensors. No phone can tell me the temperature, without checking weather online. What if I want to know the room temperature. Could put humidity, atmospheric pressure sensors in there too, IR cameras, all kinds of cool stuff. Think of the software applications, right know my "smart" phone has no way of knowing if I'm outside or inside. Then, voice mail. Why doesn't this still not work locally? Ther…

> How about some more sensors. No phone can tell me the temperature Electronics get hot when operating, and even more so when they are sitting in the pocket. Typical temp sensors are attached to 30cm long cables. Nevertheless, I'm sure phones can do that already if you install a weather station in your house.

Someone figured out how to measure ambient temperature based on _battery temperature_ a long time ago, with high reliability!

Re: The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

#264

Post by criddell »

interlocutor wrote: post #173

Apple's problem is that their rate of innovation has slowed down. iPhone generates over a 100 Billion dollars in revenue. Per year. If any company has the resources to innovate it is Apple. Apple, here are some free ideas. Some of these ideas go beyond the phone and into cell networks. If Google can do that ( https://fi.google.com ) why can't Apple? - Improve cellular reception. We are now heavily reliant on our cell…

> Voice and text should go over data

That's what Facetime and Messages are, no? If you need to call non-Apple users, then Skype should work.

Re: The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

#265

Post by xfitm3 »

llampx wrote: post #208
TheOtherHobbes wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Considering Sinofsky's record, I wouldn't necessarily consider him a credible authority on this. There's an obvious difference between "a cheaper phone" and making the range as affordable as it was five years ago - instead of relying on so-called luxury branding while offering very little extra and annoying customers with product issues (missing headphone jack, BatteryGate, etc) and mediocre software updates. Apple d…

I used to love going to the Apple Store and playing with the new iPhones, iPads and Macbooks, especially soon after a new product launch. Maybe its just me getting older but it doesn't have the same appeal anymore.

I avoid apple stores at all costs. It’s crowded, long lines, and always located in a busy area or dense shopping mall.

Re: The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

#266

Post by lsc »

marbletiles wrote: post #257
lsc wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>So how else can they differentiate? Making a small phone won't really fly - while I'd love an SE-sized XS, the Chinese market they need to win back wants its phones big. Do you remember, back in the day, when the smallest IBM thinkpads were way more expensive than the less-small IBM thinkpads? I understand big phones are king if you only have one device. If I wasn't carrying like five devices all the time, I'd also…

I agree totally. But this is partly Apple's bind: a phone like you're describing appeals to rich Westerners with multiple primary devices and that's just too small a market for them now. Their pressing corporate need is to make a device that will help them grow in China, maximising their take from the billions who don't have multiple devices. In the olden days, when Apple was much smaller, they were ironically freer…

too small a market? The US still has a staggering share of world GDP, and the per-capita GDP (remember, PPP doesn't matter from Apple's perspective) is much higher in the USA. I mean, the per-captita GDP in China is under $10K/yr. Not a lot of those people are gonna spend a grand on a phone.

I think this is one of those situations where you count dollars rather than heads.

My understanding is that the "next billion users" push that all the big companies are doing is a bit like putting macs in schools. It is a long-term plan 'cause yes, the developing world is poor right now. maybe those people who are poor now won't be poor in the future, and if they know how to use your ecosystem, that's great for you. It certainly seems like a good idea, but I don't think it's where you make your money today.

I really think if you were serious about that plan, you'd come out with a giant low-end phone; You remember the thinkpad W series? something like that. big and clunky and cheap. Apple needs an iphone 5c level cheap plastic reskin of last year's big phone for that.

Re: The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

#267

Post by zozbot123 »

londons_explore wrote: post #228

I recently got a Umidigi A3 Pro [1] as my main phone. It's an iPhone X clone for $85. Is it as good? No. But it's nearly as good, and has the flexibility of Android (tethering when the carrier doesn't allow it, side loading 'dodgy' apps, multi-sim so I can always get coverage even indoors, hackable headphone volume, call recording without hassle). Overall, I'd value the iPhone and fake iPhone the same for my uses. An…

Umidigi is one of the crappiest brands you could pick, though. Why not spend a few dollars more than that and get a phone with a real development community.

Re: The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

#268

Post by londons_explore »

zozbot123 wrote: post #267
londons_explore wrote: post #228

I recently got a Umidigi A3 Pro [1] as my main phone. It's an iPhone X clone for $85. Is it as good? No. But it's nearly as good, and has the flexibility of Android (tethering when the carrier doesn't allow it, side loading 'dodgy' apps, multi-sim so I can always get coverage even indoors, hackable headphone volume, call recording without hassle). Overall, I'd value the iPhone and fake iPhone the same for my uses. An…

Umidigi is one of the crappiest brands you could pick, though. Why not spend a few dollars more than that and get a phone with a real development community.

I chose it because they seem to have zero developers to write bloatware. It's literally the demo firmware from mediatek.

Every other brand seems to feel the need to "Value Add", which I don't appreciate.

Re: The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

#269

Post by michaelt »

bshoemaker wrote: post #221
simonh wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, apart from the latest iPhones having the best screens ever, the quickest most convenient and most secure unlock mechanism ever, the best computational photography ever, the fastest mobile CPUs ever released and overall being 2+ years ahead of their nearest competition, that was all a few months ago. Old news. What have Apple done for us just now?

Oh wow, the best unlock mechanism. What a feature!

The unlock mechanism is probably the most-used feature on my phone :)

Re: The Phone That’s Failing Apple: iPhone XR

#270

Post by d4rti »

avar wrote: post #182
allenleee wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Summary of the tweets of Steven Sinofsky(1): 1- Pricing not only says who can afford your product but also establishes a brand, determines channel, & more. 2- The first key to having low priced offerings is that you have to have a set of partners who are willing to compete on thin margins in order to bring the product to market. 3- When people say Apple needs a cheaper phone there are many questions to answer beyond…

Re #5: You can already walk into an Apple store and buy an iPhone that costs 3-4x as much as another iPhone they sell in the same store.

And similar for the MacBook (Pro) range. Without customisation: MacBook Air £1,199.00 Macbook Pro £2,699.00

2.25x multiple

With customisation you can easily reach 3x.

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