Apple and the iPhone X: Imitation or Innovation?
http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/iphone-x-imitation-innovation/310506
This link is to an article, in which one Apple consumer critics Apple, specifically their iPhone X as being an imitation and not an innovation. A topic we discussed last lecture, about technologies that the government and military forces are funding/ producing for Apple who is then taking these features together into one portable piece of technology. The criticism that this is taking previous innovations and therefore, not creating a brand new or original idea. I thought this article was interesting because of the yearly hype around the iPhone that leaves some consumers wowed with new innovation from added features, and others just bored. It seems that they believe Apple has only made minor improvements on previous technology developments in the features of their phones. Thought it was interesting and would love to know your thoughts.
Question for discussion: Do you feel that in some of the recent years (iPhone 6 to iPhone X) have been more imitation than innovation?
This link is to an article, in which one Apple consumer critics Apple, specifically their iPhone X as being an imitation and not an innovation. A topic we discussed last lecture, about technologies that the government and military forces are funding/ producing for Apple who is then taking these features together into one portable piece of technology. The criticism that this is taking previous innovations and therefore, not creating a brand new or original idea. I thought this article was interesting because of the yearly hype around the iPhone that leaves some consumers wowed with new innovation from added features, and others just bored. It seems that they believe Apple has only made minor improvements on previous technology developments in the features of their phones. Thought it was interesting and would love to know your thoughts.
Question for discussion: Do you feel that in some of the recent years (iPhone 6 to iPhone X) have been more imitation than innovation?
Interesting article. I have to say, I both agree and disagree.
ReplyDeleteTo start, I agree that the recent iphone models are far less advanced from the earlier models. However, I think apple does something really unique in trying to come up with innovative ways to design their products. Apple is innovating the entire industry by pushing the limits and boundaries between luxury accessories and usable technology. The IphoneX is an perfect example of this. Introducing a product with a price point almost entirely based on status.
In the end, it really depends on how you look at innovation.
Although this article is arguing that Apple is imitating androids recent models, I believe that in the beginning stages of operation, Apple exemplified innovation. They changed how people communicate and how people live. Apple invented the idea of the smartphone, whereby all of our information is compressed into a handheld device. Apple should not have committed to creating a new phone model every year, as it puts too much pressure on their innovation process and does not give them enough time to develop substantive technological advancements. I believe that Apple has been leaning towards the imitation side of this debate as a result of their fast pace moment and high demands to create and reproduce advanced iPhones. I do agree that few advancements have been made to the most recent iPhone X, other than the camera quality there were not many significant changes that you could notice. Something to note is that iPhones are not built to last, this makes it so that everyone must continuously update their model to the newest one, creating an endless cycle of consumerism and constant demand for innovation.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Apple's unique ability to package and improve existing technologies into its own product and market it as "the next best thing" speaks volumes about their status as innovators. Their presence on the world stage is far too grand to dispute their innovative status. Instead, we should ask ourselves what the value of innovation is and who innovation serves. Every person who bought the new iPhone X saw value in their innovation, which should be enough to prove their innovative genius.
ReplyDeleteControversial article choice. Being a loyal Apple customer, I was really disappointed in their "innovations" this past year. Being someone who has had most generations of the iPhone (not by choice, they usually last about a year), I was extremely disappointed with the iPhone X. As it may have been an innovation within the company; I believe that Facial Recognition, a full display screen and the removal of the Home Button is technology that has already been invented and used with the Android. The amount of software issues the iPhone X has already encountered is also really disappointing. From freezing on the home screen, to unresponsive assertive touch and Facial Recognition bugs that unlock the phone without the users face; I believe with that price point and the explosive marketing pre-release, we did not receive what was promised. Many users have been pleading for a better battery life, faster and flawless hardware and other bug fixes. Instead, they focus on interactive emojis. Their need to put out a new generation/model of iPhone each year is one of their biggest mistakes, as it puts pressure on the company to deliver every time. Capitalizing on new technologies when they surface and taking more time at the chalk board would be the right choice for the company. As I said before, I am a loyal Apple customer and choose them for my computer, phone and TV needs. I don't doubt that they changed the way we communicate and innovated the way we connect. I just hope that for the future, quality comes before quantity.
ReplyDeleteI personally think the answer resides somewhere between the two, it is both imitation and innovation. In my opinion, Apple’s most innovative invention was the creation of the first iPhone. Yes, Apple reworks and produces new innovative technologies in effort of creating a more efficient and better functioning phone but they do so in a way that merely builds upon the preexisting technologies of the original iPhone. Therefore, newer models of the iPhone can be considered imitation refined through innovation. It is also important to note that everything should be approached in moderation. To further elaborate, introducing drastic forms of technology can not only alienate iPhone users but users of technology in general. It is in the companies best interest to introduce technology at a rate in which consumers can absorb such a paradigm shift. Changes that are to drastic can be counterintuitive and result in adverse effects.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, we always want the newest technologies because we are intrigued by their ‘newness’ as well as the more advanced systems that they seemingly have to offer. With regards to the article that is provided, I found it interesting when Palmer noted how Apple promises a new iPhone every year but there is nothing in their agreement that promises innovation or to lead the industry or make something great, but rather all they must do is make a ‘new’ iPhone and offer it to their customers. With this said, I agree with Palmer's argument that "imitation is not innovation" because each iPhone that Apple has made may include new qualities but they are not as ‘brand new’ as they are marketed to be.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I think everyone can relate to the dilemma about needing a new phone and whether we should buy the newest version or an older version that works just fine and costs much less. Unfortunately, we get dragged into the ideologies of the newer versions of technology by believing that they really are more 'amazing'. As Wesley pointed out in his comment, the iPhone X is definitely a great example of a product created by imitation and not innovation as it is not an entirely new product.
In sum, after reading this article and learning about the similarities with Samsung, I think that the iPhone X is not an innovation as it functions in many similar ways as earlier iPhones and therefore it is not a completely new or different creation.
This is a very interesting piece, and one that has received a ton of publicity of late, as Apple has long been accused of crediting imitation with innovation. I would both agree and disagree with this notion of imitation. Innovation has no concrete, single definition, and thus, any improvements made to Apple's previous models can be credited to innovation. This includes Touch ID, Face ID, improvements to the screen, the software, and so on. With that being said, I feel that the improvements Apple makes between designs is typically quite insignificant, making them fall under the category of imitations. The iPhone X is no different, as it has undergone tons of public scrutiny for its lack of improvements. Overall, after reading your article, partnered with my own thoughts regarding the iPhone X and its similarities to previous models and Samsung devices, I would agree that this phone falls more under the category of an imitation than an innovation.
ReplyDeleteLook Apple is a power and money hungry corporation so it makes sense they no longer innovate. They want to sell their products and destroy the environment, while they continue stating they are making better products for us. We don't need or even use 90% of the things that our phones are capable of, yet we insist to buy newer tech. It's a wonderful marketing scheme and data gathering one as well. The improvements that are made in the iPhone are minor thus they are just imitating. I would even say that since the first iPhone to now, everything has been an imitation as small improvements have been made over the course of 10 phones in 10 years. Talk about the waste produced in that. But there is no new creation of technology that Apple has designed since the iPhone and all their products in the future will follow the line of imitation.
ReplyDeleteI agree that in recent years the iPhone has become more of an imitation rather than an innovation. I say this because of the way they sell each phone each year. Every year they pitch the new iPhone as though it is brand new, and thus justifying the hike in price. The phones do not seem that much different than the previous years, but the price always seems to be higher and higher. I think that the features of the phones are innovative and they do push the technology further, but I think that they are promoting innovation for price rather than the progression of the technology.
ReplyDelete