Last Year’s Model: Fine for the Rest of Us
With the launch of the iPad this Friday and millions of people reported to have pre-ordered one, I've come to ask myself: how many of those millions of people actually need the iPad? Is the latest and greatest really all that amazing and necessary?
It's clear with the iPhone. Back in 2009 when the iPhone 3GS was released, many people upgraded from their existing iPhone 3G to the 3GS, despite the fact that they were merely paying a premium for slightly faster speeds and voice control. It seems like people were upgrading simply for the sake of upgrading. With the possibility of multitasking, iChat cameras, and a new sexy design for the new iPhone rumored this summer, one must ask: will it be really necessary?
More often then not the answer is no. Our current iPhone 2G/3G/3GSs are perfectly fine and can handle our everyday tasks just great. With constant firmware upgrades, many of the new features are built into all models, which is great. Jailbreaking and hacks from the iPhone community allow for many of what we've been asking from Apple (multitasking, customizations, etc.). But it's that one feature, that new design that just itches us to upgrade, so we update for the sake of updating because we must have the newest technology.
Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy the latest, cutting edge products and cool gadgets, but I also want to be thoughtful in the products I buy. My gadgets are meant to last me years, and upgrading simply because there's a newer version out simply doesn't make much sense. My 17" MacBook Pro, a 4 year old laptop that outperforms the current MacBook, has lasted me since Mac OS X Tiger and Windows XP. Sure, it doesn't have a unibody aluminum casing or a incredibly glossy screen, but it's so amazingly fast considering its age, I'm in no rush to upgrade.
As for the iPad, I'll be sticking to my barely six-month old netbook.
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Comments
Agreed.
I’m not buying the iPad until it gets a webcam. For me this is a glaring omission. The iPad is the perfect travel companion (and I travel a lot) but without a webcam to support Skype then it fails. Can’t understand why Apple missed this off the list - other than to artificially generate additional sales for v2 of the iPad released at the end of the summer.
When Alexander Bell tried to introduce the telephone in England, the response from businessmen was, “I don’t need it. If I want to tell somebody something, I get a boy to deliver a message.”
“Horse-less carraige?”
“Need” isn’t the operative word.
Some geeks will say “I’m not buying the iPad until it gets a webcam”.
Soon after Apple ads one, another geek will say “I’m not buying the iPad until it gets a rear-facing photo camera”.
Soon after Apple ads that, another geek will say “I’m not buying the iPad until it gets a physical keyboard”
And on and on and on .....
Perhaps of the Simpson episode where Homer gets to design a car and bankrupts the company in the process.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Brother,_Where_Art_Thou?
I agree with Steve that the iPad will not be driven by “need.” Sexy consumer gadgets don’t work that way.
I also agree with Albert that the problem with the iPad as the long ballyhooed Mac tablet is that it isn’t a Mac tablet. We expected scaled down Mac, not a bigger iPod Touch. It doesn’t run OS X. It has no multi-tasking. No real inputs (without expensive add-on dongles). It has nothing that would make it very useful as a real tool for producing things.
It’s almost purely a consumption device. Which is fine I suppose. That’s what an iPod is. And that’s what this is, a big iPod Touch. But it’s not a tablet the way we thought when we heard of an Apple tablet. So I won’t be getting one anytime soon.
I completely agree. Frivolous spending because of our material ways and the desire for something bigger and better has got us in a lot of trouble over the years as made apparent by our current economy.
On the other hand however. If you truly can afford a new device, I see nothing wrong in purchasing one. Computing for us is just as much pleasure as it is work. A new device is fun and brings an enjoyable experience.
When the iPad first came out, my initial response was “So what! It’s just an oversized iPod touch. What’s the big deal? It doesn’t do anything my current iPhone won’t do. So why pay $500 for something that pretty much is the exact same device as what I current have, only bigger?” I didn’t really see the point in it. But I ended up caving in and buying one for my partner. He’s always reading news in bed or on the couch with his iPod touch. I figured an iPad would be better suited for this purpose. Necessary? No. But more enjoyable? Yes.
Your current iPhones are great because Apple will sell you one. For those with the wrong providers, iPhones are useless.
What has ‘need’ go to do with anything, it is a case of ‘want’?
No ‘needs’ and iPad, but many ‘want’ one.
There are many things on sale in the world that people don’t need.
Not sure I agree with you there Khürt Williams, nor like your characterization of me as a geek. Having a built-in webcam is hardly a luxury item these days for a mobile computing device. In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen a laptop or netbook without one in recent years. It’s integral to mobile computing. I take your point that there will always be those who won’t buy one until some obscure feature is added, but a webcam for video chat hardly falls into that category. Furthermore, I’m happy to go on record as predicting that iPad v2 will feature a webcam, include a mobile version of iChat that is marketed as the most significant innovation since the telephone and that Apple fans throughout the blogosphere will instantly forget how unimportant the webcam is and simultaneously be ready to rave about how innovative Apple was to include one. I love Apple products, but do find it very tiresome how so many fans are unable to think outside of the box Steve Jobs last gave them.
The addition of Netflix streaming may have changed the game a little for me. It’s not quite there yet, but it got a lot closer.
The main reason I upgrade iphones whenever released is that…they are free. Whenever I upgrade thru att, I am able to sell my current model for more than I am paying for the new one. That’s the beauty of apple products: they are the only technology with true intrinsic value. Long may they run…
RayCon, I second that! I’d like to stop the Spam too! I go through and delete it as often as possible, but never often enough.