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Apple Used to Be an Inventor. Now It’s Mainly a Landlord

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Re: Apple Used to Be an Inventor. Now It’s Mainly a Landlord

#31

Post by adamrezich »

hunta2097 wrote: post #16
adamrezich wrote: post #4

You could say the same or similar things about other companies with similar business models today who rose to prominence because of repeated innovation yet have since become seemingly stagnant: Google, Valve, ...

I wouldn't say Google is stagnant... Apple users can thank them for forcing Apple to make their phone OS better (and vice-versa with regard to hardware). Google's problem isn't innovation, it's supporting and following-through on their innovations past the honeymoon period.

They keep making new messaging apps that compete with each other instead of providing users with one great messaging app. Gmail's getting objectively crappier and they're killing off the much better Inbox interface. I'm not saying they make unilaterally bad decisions and I'm decently happy with my cheap Android phone but ten years ago Google was making new and exciting stuff and I haven't felt that way about them in years.

Re: Apple Used to Be an Inventor. Now It’s Mainly a Landlord

#33

Post by reacharavindh »

May be people are disappointed with innovation in iPhones compared to previous years' or for the last few years, but every time I use my AirPods, I can't but feel good about the innovation it took to make it as easy to use and comfortable.

* If I open the case near my phone, it automatically pairs and shoes battery levels.

* They sound decent for earbuds (not in-ear plugs which I hate)

* Lasts reasonable amount of time on its battery and quickly charges while in case.

I could not get this experience ever before and honestly, even after I have had it for a year. I don't know of a better competition to it.

But, letting the Mac lineup vanquish with old internals for years and gouging prices on soldered SSDs and memory - no excuse, that's just shitty.

Re: Apple Used to Be an Inventor. Now It’s Mainly a Landlord

#35

Post by bloorp »

Two months ago, Apple announced an ECG sensor for your wrist. A year before that, they announced face detection for the purposes of identity with enough accuracy that it can be used for financial transactions. Also, AirPods are incredible. I'm not saying Apple has a monopoly on invention, but to say they 'used to be an inventor'? That's weird.

Re: Apple Used to Be an Inventor. Now It’s Mainly a Landlord

#36

Post by lisper »

Nokinside wrote: post #34

This partially explains why Berkshire Hathaway is now largest stock holder in Apple. They prefer companies with 'moat'. Ability to innovate is unpredictable.

Of course they do. Moats are great for investors. Not so great for consumers.

Re: Apple Used to Be an Inventor. Now It’s Mainly a Landlord

#37

Post by bsimpson »

solidrake wrote: post #29

What has Apple invented? As far as I'm aware, they have patents of re-purposing other inventions, or design patents. But cannot think of anything they "invented" that didn't already exist before.

They were the first to mass market capacitive touch/multitouch. I believe they acquired many of the underlying technologies, but so far as I know, they were the first to ship a multitouch user interface with a capacitive touchscreen.

Re: Apple Used to Be an Inventor. Now It’s Mainly a Landlord

#38

Post by izzydata »

reacharavindh wrote: post #33

May be people are disappointed with innovation in iPhones compared to previous years' or for the last few years, but every time I use my AirPods, I can't but feel good about the innovation it took to make it as easy to use and comfortable. * If I open the case near my phone, it automatically pairs and shoes battery levels. * They sound decent for earbuds (not in-ear plugs which I hate) * Lasts reasonable amount of ti…

All those terrible things would be fine if people stopped buying them. You vote for what you want with money and if people are willing to buy terrible things then they will continue making it.

Re: Apple Used to Be an Inventor. Now It’s Mainly a Landlord

#39

Post by devwastaken »

askafriend wrote: post #15

I think people in the mainstream media and even most people period just don't understand innovation cycles. They expect novelty every year, but they don't realize that revolutions are created by consistently great evolution over a long period of time. We're nearing the top of the S curve with regards to the smartphone business. Upgrade cycles are getting longer. Phones are getting as powerful as laptops and people ar…

It doesn't have to be every year. Every 4 years could be it, but it isn't. Apple's recent 'innovations' are the expected outcome of large amounts of money and demand for higher performance. When Apple released the first Iphone, that was innovation. The watch, innovative but ineffective. Apple hasn't made anything innovative enough to trump the lineup of Macbooks and Iphones. It's the same thing as saying the Intel I9 series is 'innovative'. It's planned release of better performing features, there is no big gap being crossed.

Re: Apple Used to Be an Inventor. Now It’s Mainly a Landlord

#40

Post by tnecniv »

askafriend wrote: post #15

I think people in the mainstream media and even most people period just don't understand innovation cycles. They expect novelty every year, but they don't realize that revolutions are created by consistently great evolution over a long period of time. We're nearing the top of the S curve with regards to the smartphone business. Upgrade cycles are getting longer. Phones are getting as powerful as laptops and people ar…

> I think people in the mainstream media just don't understand innovation cycles. They expect novelty every year, but they don't realize that revolutions are created by consistently great evolution over a long period of time.

In 1900, Lord Kelvin famously gave an address at a physics conference in which he stated: "There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more and more precise measurement."

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