Apple has millions of fans around the globe. Something that is relatively unique to Apple, with its fanboys following its every move and analysing every action until it’s dead and irrelevant.
I’m not denying I’m part of the fanboy community, in fact I appreciate Apple’s work a lot. I have an iPhone, Mac and an iPad in my household. However, there’s a problem for the fanboy community and Apple: what happens when Apple goes way off the mark with one of its products? What if something changes, that the committed followers of Apple don’t like? The answer – I think – is mayhem.
This is why I think that Apple won’t completely overhaul its operating system when this years WWDC comes around. Apple has got itself into a position where any (supposed) wrong move will be heavily publicised and shot down instantly by the Apple community. We have seen it before with the iTunes 10 icon and more prominently, the massive iPhone 4 problem dubbed ‘antenna-gate’.
Let’s face it: iOS is getting old. It has those 2007-esque bubbles that otherwise would have been thrown out years ago and the glossy app look has been replaced with minimalistic simple designs elsewhere.
Apple is very selective with its PR, so much so that it’s whole marketing techniques are legendary — after all if it’s not the marketing that wins people over what else is it? The customer service and tidbits reported on sites from the Apple world: it’s all part of the strategy. The point I’m making is that Apple has built up this empire of techniques that could backfire at any point and if it does, it’ll be seriously damaging.
I have faith in Apple and I think that ultimately they’d make the right decision. But they shouldn’t be scared of the reaction that a newly designed OS would be could trigger. It’s a growing phenomenon that people move to competitors because they are simply bored of the OS. Kevin Robinson, one of our writers, ditched his 3GS for a Windows Phone 7 device last year. The reason: because he wanted a change. It’s happening all over and it will become more and more common. It’s only going to stop when Apple start re-thinking their design and bring it into 2011, something needs to be spruced up.
So the message? Fanboy-ism is dangerous and Apple needs to re-think the design of iOS, otherwise they will suffer the consequences. Go on Apple, do the right thing.
