The Lack of Innovation at Apple

Ten years ago, the world grieved the loss of a man who many consider to be one of the most important visionaries in history. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple and inventor of many different technologies including the iPhone, iPad, and Macintosh computer, was known as one of the greatest innovators in the technological world. His ideas and the products that he came up with were always unique and groundbreaking. His slogan for Apple, Think Different, truly represented himself, his visions, his company.

However, a decade after his death, it seems that Apple has forgotten his path. New products put out every year by the company seem extremely similar to previous ones, and nothing really new or revolutionary has debuted since the unveiling of the Apple Watch back in 2015. The new iPhones all look the same, as do the new laptops, desktops, and iPads. It’s almost as if Apple has lost the innovative touch that the company possessed while Steve Jobs was in charge. Could it be that Steve Jobs’ death also brought about the death of innovation at Apple?

Tim Cook, the CEO who took over for Jobs, has done an excellent job at expanding Apple economically and financially. Apple became the first company to reach a one trillion dollar valuation on the stock market on August 2nd of 2018 and, to this day, remains the biggest company on the planet with their 2.66 trillion dollar market cap. Along with this, Cook has also ensured that Apple improves its environmental impact on the world by recycling their materials and by being 100 percent powered by renewable energy, which was always Steve Jobs vision though it only became a reality in 2018. Under Cooks lead, Apple has also created software accessible for people with mobility, hearing, vision and cognitive disabilities. In terms of the devices that have been produced during this time, the only real notable improvements from model to model have been slight increases in software performance, battery life, screen resolution, and camera quality. Of course, from time to time, some truly remarkable feat of technology has taken place, such as the introduction of the Apple M1 chip, which revolutionized the inner workings of a computer and multi-lense camera units that have become a staple of almost every smartphone available. Even the software user interface on Apple devices has steadily improved over the years.

Unfortunately, in the past decade, Apple has not released any product that feels truly revolutionary, the way the first iPhone or the Macintosh Computer did. According to a Forbes article written by Greg Petro, Apple is not innovative anymore across any category. Apple is failing to bring anything new to the table in smartphones, apps, smart devices, or even their retail stores. But there is still hope, as Apple has been known to be a very secretive company. Perhaps behind locked doors and blinded windows, Apple engineers are developing on unique projects related to augmented reality or even holographic avatars we can project to our friends. Only the future can tell if we will ever see another mind blowing innovation from Apple. I for one am hoping that Tim Cook will restore the legacy of Steve Jobs.

Sources

Petro, G. (2019, June 8). At its core, Apple is no longer innovative. Forbes. Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregpetro/2019/06/07/at-its-core-apple-is-no-longer-innovative/?sh=5beb7d9e196d.

Apple now globally powered by 100 percent renewable energy. Apple Newsroom. (2021, December 2). Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/04/apple-now-globally-powered-by-100-percent-renewable-energy/#:~:text=Apple’s%20new%20headquarters%20in%20Cupertino,by%20100%20percent%20renewable%20energy.