Welcome to our Apple Breakfast column, which brings together all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy summary. We call it “apple breakfast” because we think it goes great with a morning cup of coffee or tea, but it’s great if you want to read it during lunch or dinner as well.
money color
Video games have changed in many positive ways since I was mad at them in the 1990s, from improved graphics to a broader look that caters to both hardcore and casual gamers with a bit of acrimony. But one thing that has undoubtedly gotten worse is the growing dominance of downloadable content (DLC) culture, with studios shamelessly launching half-finished games and then milking their most dedicated fans with years of subscriptions and paid add-ons. It makes me nostalgic for the time when a timeless masterpiece like Cannon Fodder or Sensible World of Soccer only had to be paid once.
Why are you thinking about DLC, David? Because this week, Apple repeated its annual stunt by releasing a new color mid-generation iPhone, wowing fans with the excitement of the yellow case. I feel about delayed color launches much the same as DLC. I don’t approve.
“Yellow” is not a shiny new invention that Apple engineers have been working on for the past six months. The company could have very easily released a yellow iPhone 14 along with other colorways last fall, but chose not to do so for one simple reason: launching a new color is a smart way to grab attention and boost product popularity when sales are down. . It’s a cynical way to grab a few headlines and flog a few extra blocks.
Where does the customer figure in all this other than as a source of income? Hardly. Apple is not trying to provide the best experience for most people, but is trying to limit their choices in a way that is designed to maximize profits.
If you bought the iPhone 14 last September and you particularly liked the color yellow, you were faced with a choice between two compromises: either buy the phone in a color you don’t like, or wait, hoping that Apple favorably chooses yellow as a bonus. color this cycle and then buy a new phone at a less convenient time. The same choice faced green-loving iPhone 13 buyers in 2022 and pro-purple iPhone 12 buyers in 2021; compromise on color or compromise on time. And the same may apply to those loyal early adopters who bought a second generation HomePod earlier this year, but, as with the HomePod mini, may look longingly at the additional color options that appear midway through the product’s lifespan. All this is deeply disappointing and is the complete opposite of putting the customer first.
But this policy of deliberately holding back compelling product elements so you can sell an upgrade down the road is tied to a broader strategy that Apple is often suspected of. Why has it taken Apple so long to release a large screen for the iPhone or a stylus for the iPad? Why did widgets and night mode appear on iOS much later than on Android? Maybe it’s because the company knew it could sell its devices without these features in the short term, and that they would be useful later on when it needed to convince customers to buy the next generation. Every Apple product competes with its predecessor as much as it competes with contemporary products from rival manufacturers, which means the company has a vested interest in leaking useful features as slowly as possible: release the perfect iPhone tomorrow and you’ve just killed a goose. who lays golden eggs.
I don’t expect Apple to change its approach, just as I don’t expect video game publishers to stop selling DLC. Too many financial incentives; the market spoke. But it makes me frown every spring when a new iPhone color comes out and we should all be happy. What’s the use of that, Tim Apple? What should I do with this stupid blue phone that I’ve been carrying with me for six months now? Do you think I’m made of money?
Foundry
Trending: breaking news
Mac is about to enter performance supercycle like we’ve never seen.
Ads are everywhere on Apple devices and that’s not a good viewMacalop says.
If an apple loves music very muchWhy can’t it translate correctly?
Apple Music Classical will go on sale March 28. “the world’s largest” directory.
From Charging to Face ID Michael Simon Reveals 3 Recent iphone myths.
Apple Music Classic finally appeared in the App Store… but it’s still in “pre-order”.
rumor mill
Whether there is a yellow iphone confirm that there will be no Apple spring event?
Rumor has it that Apple $700 price increase for the iPad Pro is as ridiculous as the rumors.
Latest iPhone 15 leaks confirm major updates for all four models.
A HomePod with screen It is reported that the launch will take place in the first half of 2024.
Apple spring surprise may be an early appearance of the M3 MacBook Air.
A new imac may finally appear later this year.
Podcast of the week
IN Episode 831: Your hot views on the yellow iPhone, green energy charging, and the upcoming new Macs.
You can watch every episode of the Macworld podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our own website.
Software updates, bugs and issues
Apple has released tvOS 16.3.3, which includes a fix for a long-standing Disabling Siri Remote problem.
That’s where we ended up this week. If you would like to receive regular news updates, subscribe to our newsletters. You can also follow us on twitter or on Facebook to discuss the latest Apple news. See you next Saturday, enjoy the rest of the weekend and stay Eppley.