Apple moving to 3-year 'major' iPhone cycle, adding complex vibrations to 2017 model - report

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 69
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    In a tech industry that is lightning fast moving and highly competitive.. Good luck with that 3 year cycle Apple.. Hope you survive it.
    Yeah, because the most valuable, most successful, most profitable, highest consumer rated company needs your advice. 
    baconstangdoozydozencornchip
  • Reply 22 of 69
    NY1822NY1822 Posts: 621member
    These are the 2 reasons they give:
    "Nikkei suggests two reasons Apple might want to transition to 3-year cycles. First, it says that ‘smartphone functions [have] little room left for major enhancements.’ Second, that as we grow ever closer to global saturation point, the market has slowed. The implication is that Apple would slow its development to match.

    hahaha....
    picture this conversation at Apple HQ:
    Tim Cook to Apple R&D: "Guys, the market has got saturated....we are going to slow development of the IPhone to match the market"
    R&D to Tim Cook: "Ok"
    edited May 2016
  • Reply 23 of 69
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    mac_128 said:
    If that's true, then there's no need to remove the 3.5mm Jack, and that would certainly be a major strike against the phone sales, which offers little more than a speed bump over the previou model. 
    Mmm ...

    The removal of the 35 mm jack, likely, would be to improve water resistance.
    Absolutely inconsequential. Many of Apple's competitors are sufficiently water resistant with 3.5mm jacks.
    baconstanglarryadoozydozencornchipjonl
  • Reply 24 of 69
    ericthehalfbeeericthehalfbee Posts: 4,485member
    blastdoor said:

    The 6s, on the other hand, is not nearly as impressive relative to the 6. The camera quality is virtually identical, 3d touch is not nearly as compelling as TouchID, and the CPU improvement, while impressive on paper, is less meaningful in terms of user experience. 


    Say what? The 6S is, by far, the biggest upgrade in any iPhone cycle.

    - A9 processor, which was a huge jump from the A8. Also allows always-on Siri without having to be plugged in.
    - 2GB RAM from 1GB (this is a huge deal).
    - NVMe storage controller (worlds first and is why the iPhone 6S has the fastest storage system around).
    - 12MP 4K camera which also adds 1080P at 120 FPS (the only smartphone in the world fast enough to do this).
    - 3D Touch.
    - New, smoking fast Touch ID.
    - New 5MP front facing camera.
    - Retina Flash that not only overdrives the screen for more light, but even color matches the light.
    - Bluetooth 4.2.

    lord amhranpacificfilmdoozydozencornchip[Deleted User]
  • Reply 25 of 69
    ktappektappe Posts: 823member
    It actually makes perfect sense.
    Not from a monetary standpoint. Apple stands to lose billions of $ a year from lost upgrades from users who want the latest and greatest iPhone.
  • Reply 26 of 69
    thewhitefalconthewhitefalcon Posts: 4,453member
    blastdoor said:

    The 6s, on the other hand, is not nearly as impressive relative to the 6. The camera quality is virtually identical, 3d touch is not nearly as compelling as TouchID, and the CPU improvement, while impressive on paper, is less meaningful in terms of user experience. 


    Say what? The 6S is, by far, the biggest upgrade in any iPhone cycle.

    - A9 processor, which was a huge jump from the A8. Also allows always-on Siri without having to be plugged in.
    - 2GB RAM from 1GB (this is a huge deal).
    - NVMe storage controller (worlds first and is why the iPhone 6S has the fastest storage system around).
    - 12MP 4K camera which also adds 1080P at 120 FPS (the only smartphone in the world fast enough to do this).
    - 3D Touch.
    - New, smoking fast Touch ID.
    - New 5MP front facing camera.
    - Retina Flash that not only overdrives the screen for more light, but even color matches the light.
    - Bluetooth 4.2.

    Some of those are really, really reaching. Also, that wasn't the first NVMe storage controller, the Retina MacBook had one. 
  • Reply 27 of 69
    techprod1gytechprod1gy Posts: 838member
    The pace of technology will continue.  There are so many great companies and new ones on their way.  To think any technology company can go to a 3 year cycle is crazy talk from my perspective.  There are just too many ways to evolve the phone for it to stand still that long.
  • Reply 28 of 69
    noivadnoivad Posts: 186member
    In a tech industry that is lightning fast moving and highly competitive.. Good luck with that 3 year cycle Apple.. Hope you survive it.
    I think you misread the article. New models will be released yearly, but major outer design changes will be carried out once every 3 years rather than once every 2 years, as Apple’s current iPhone practice. This will also mean Apple will most likely expand their naming scheme to N, Ns & possibly Nse, if the 5se is any indication. Since a “generation” of CPUs is 18 months, then Apple’s switch could be meant coincide with more apparent technology improvements, and thus avoid the curse of the “it looks the same & isn’t much faster than the previous #s’. It also means that the “se” models might be on par with the next gen “s” models. This would give Apple a 3 phone lineup that were differentiated between cutting edge, new look and cutting edge & new look, and deflate arguments about the lack of options beyond Flash memory & color that critics use to deride Apple Hardware.
    edited May 2016 radarthekatbanchobaconstangcornchip
  • Reply 29 of 69
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    Everyone will move to longer hardware cycle for major design changes. Intel moved from tick-toke to whatever schedule the market determines. .Now, this does not mean not adding few smaller enhancements every year like processor speed. Most yearly changes will be on software side.
    edited May 2016
  • Reply 30 of 69
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    I'm impressed with how narrowly people define a major update versus an S update.  As if the shape (industrial design) is what defines a major new release.  Yes, Apple has been on a two-year industrial design cycle that coincides with its numbering scheme, but that doesn't automatically imply that the significant technological or UX advancements are tied to the industrial design of the phone.  Touch ID, 3D Touch, the 64-bit processor, all came on S cycles.  If holding over an industrial design for a third year means we'll get more of the really significant stuff in that third year, then it's hard to say that implies a slowing of advancement of what a smartphone really is.  In fact, it might be an acceleration, one year of minor cosmetic advancement followed by two years of major technological advancement is faster overall advancement of the important bits versus one year followed by one year.  
    edited May 2016 cornchip
  • Reply 31 of 69
    slprescottslprescott Posts: 765member
    Actually, calling today's iPhone, a phone is a misnomer -- it is a very personal accessory ...

    Yes.  In fact, the one feature that people under 30 never use is... the phone.

    Whenever I suggest that my 17 year old daugter actually call someone for info, she rolls her eyes at my archaic suggestion.  Times moves on!
  • Reply 32 of 69
    slprescottslprescott Posts: 765member
    One benefit of 3-year HW refresh cycle = shifting customer focus to services.  i.e., lose your fixation on the annual hardware gadgetry and focus on the new value-add services that are available for your "Apple Services" subscriptions.  (This is pure speculation, of course!)
    cornchip
  • Reply 33 of 69
    mvigodmvigod Posts: 172member
    Why do apple fans think that there will be years, if not decades, or iphone improvements keeping the massive cash cow going? One only needs to look to other devices in our lives to see what the future holds. How often do we upgrade: 1) TV sets 2) Computers 3) Monitors 4) tablets 5) DVR's etc, etc, etc At some point innovation leaps are far and few between. The iphone was a huge leap when it launched. It was new so plenty of new low hanging fruit for innovation was laying around to implement over the last 10 years. However today almost a decade past the difference between releases grows far smaller. Sure I can buy a PC today that smokes the one I bought 3 years ago but it won't do anything better or faster than the real world usage it is for everyday. If you are a video editor or heavy photoshop user it will pay but anyone else not a chance. I don't see how apple shareholders and fans can't simply look out 3, 5 and 10 years and think every year apple will release some must have reason to pay up 100% or more for a new iphone as compared to any other android phone which BTW also has fewer breakthroughs in the mature market. If apple has a 3 year cycle it's going to be a slide down in sales and profits. Apple is not going to disappear. But it may go from a 500B market cap to half of that in the next 2 to 5 years as a result of declining iphone sales and lower average selling prices (ASP's). Also apple may be spending huge dollars for cars and other initiatives which could possibly not pan out. Remember these are all done now without the very genius that made Apple what it is today (steve jobs). Without him I fear the success rate of any new initiatives shall be at great risk.
  • Reply 34 of 69
    19831983 Posts: 1,225member
    No its not...
  • Reply 35 of 69
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    lkrupp said:
    In a tech industry that is lightning fast moving and highly competitive.. Good luck with that 3 year cycle Apple.. Hope you survive it.
    Nonsense. As one pundit summed it up, what’s left to do in the smartphone arena? What hardware features would truly be game changers? What else besides better batteries,  better glass, better antennas, better water resistance? Because that’s ALL we’re seeing right now from manufacturers. Samsung puts out a “new” model every six months and its sales are slumping along with everyone else’s. 

    “Complex vibrations?” Pfffftttttt! People already look like weirdos talking to their invisible friend on their Bluetooth headsets. AI? “Siri, how do I wipe my ass with only one sheet of toilet paper?”
    Exactly. There aren't groundbreaking innovations in smartphones every year. Basically it's better cameras and for some OEMs moving to all metal design or glass back. Maybe faster charging. Where I think Apple needs to make the biggest improvements is with the camera. I don't consider the iPhone camera to be best in class any more. It's still very good but not better than the competition.
  • Reply 36 of 69
    bwinskibwinski Posts: 164member
    'Complex vibrations' ??? WHAT ?? WHO CARES ???

    Give me NEW, complex features that will help guide me thru the nexr few tech tsunamis insted of junk I'll NEVER USE !!! Complex vibrations isn't innovation...it's sliding down a 10,000 foot rock face with no grip.... You'll be done soon if this is all you got.
  • Reply 37 of 69
    macarenamacarena Posts: 365member
    This only means that the physical specs stay the same for 3 years. And the guts change every year. There's only so much that can change as far as guts too. We will soon reach a point where the changes will be really cosmetic. And largely in the OS.

    This is basically an attempt to lower costs enough to lower prices. And to attract more customers to the Apple ecosystem. Apple is recognizing that people will anyway stretch their upgrade cycles, so Apple might as well plan for that - and make more money from more customers. Also, at lower price points, maybe someone who didn't plan to upgrade would still consider doing so!
  • Reply 38 of 69
    latifbplatifbp Posts: 544member
    I could well be proved wrong. But I just don't buy these rumours despite multiple sources backing these claims. 


    Agreed.

    I suppose I could see Apple reserve some of the juiciest features for a 10th anniversary version of the phone, but I think the likelihood of moving to a consistent three year cycle is remote, if for no other reason than the Apple upgrade programs are still based on 24 months or less.

    Exactly! Why unveil the iPhone Upgrade Program just last September so people can upgrade their iPhone every year then only provide minor updates? It doesn't make sense.
  • Reply 39 of 69
    ericthehalfbeeericthehalfbee Posts: 4,485member

    Say what? The 6S is, by far, the biggest upgrade in any iPhone cycle.

    - A9 processor, which was a huge jump from the A8. Also allows always-on Siri without having to be plugged in.
    - 2GB RAM from 1GB (this is a huge deal).
    - NVMe storage controller (worlds first and is why the iPhone 6S has the fastest storage system around).
    - 12MP 4K camera which also adds 1080P at 120 FPS (the only smartphone in the world fast enough to do this).
    - 3D Touch.
    - New, smoking fast Touch ID.
    - New 5MP front facing camera.
    - Retina Flash that not only overdrives the screen for more light, but even color matches the light.
    - Bluetooth 4.2.

    Some of those are really, really reaching. Also, that wasn't the first NVMe storage controller, the Retina MacBook had one. 

    Are you implying the 6S was NOT the largest upgrade in iPhone history? If not, then which one do you think would qualify?

    This list is hardly reaching. They are all significant updates (except maybe Bluetooth). For example, Retina Flash. I personally never do selfies, but I know lots of people that do and this is a biggie for them. And I forgot a few others:

    - LTE advanced.
    - Improved WiFi with MIMO.
    - Jump from 43 to 63 MP for panorama pictures.

    As to NVMe, this is not a new technology (at least not for PCs). However, for something as small as a phone this is a big deal. The fact that it's an Apple designed component is all the more impressive.
  • Reply 40 of 69
    mike1 said:
    In a tech industry that is lightning fast moving and highly competitive.. Good luck with that 3 year cycle Apple.. Hope you survive it.
    It actually makes perfect sense. The business is more stable and there are fewer ground-breaking improvements each year. We are in the phase where the changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
    Completely agree. The updates being made now are minor relative to preceding version. Stopping the S variation would be the best thing. Look at the 6, 6S and what we know about the 7. There's almost no reason for the average person to even go from the 6 to the 7 let alone from the 6S to the 7.
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