A decidedly cool reception to new iPhones
Users and investors have given a cool reception to Apple’s unveiling of the latest versions of its top-selling iPhones.
As has become customary for the American tech firm, enormous hype accompanied the introduction of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which were showcased along with a new smart watch, the Apple Watch. While the new smartphones have additional features, the most immediate difference are their larger screen sizes, the iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch screen and iPhone 6 Plus with 5.5-inches.
But that alone wasn’t enough to convince users, many of whom lashed out on social media at Apple – previously considered a design and technology innovator during the reign of the late Steve Jobs – of playing catch-up with rivals instead of coming up with exciting new features. Many other major phone makers, such as LG and Samsung, have long had screens larger than earlier versions of the iPhone.
Indeed, some have pointed out that apparent innovations that Apple touted at the launch of its new models are already available on rivals’ smartphones, such as technology allowing users to make payments using their phones, a service Apple calls Apple Pay.
Taiwan’s HTC, maker of the popular One series of smartphones, mocked Apple on Twitter by saying, “Happy to congratulate Apple on joining the world of big screens!” Others pointed out that features Apple revealed with its new phones have been available in other devices for several years, such as widgets and third-party keyboards.
But regardless of the criticism, some analysts noted that Apple seems to be going after South Korea’s Samsung, a leader in big-screen smartphones. At a time when online content is becoming richer and more and more people are experiencing it with smartphones over PCs, laptops and tablets, having larger screens that enable better consumption and functionality is desirable.
As for that all-important battery that keeps letting iPhone users – and indeed all smart phone owners – down, with its new models, Apple promises improved performance: up to 16 hours with the iPhone Plus, compared to 10 for the iPhone 5s.
