LETTER OF THE MONTH
Apple products are life changing. I buy Apple products because I need them but also because I love them. Other brands can make similar devices to Apple but there is something special about the way Apple does its thing; you don’t need instructions, it is intuitive. Every year the products are that bit better, so of course you want them. I resisted buying the Apple Watch when it came out, since I already had a nice gold Cartier that I loved, but then Apple came up with the Hèrmes watch and I had to have one. Then I upgraded it to the waterproof model, and now I have just bought the Apple Watch Series 4, which should be here soon. As you can tell, I love Apple products and I cannot live without them. My grandchildren inherit old stuff when I upgrade, which I think is a good deal. Cecilia Schultz That’s the thing with Apple tech. While its products might not be vastly superior to the competition, nobody can match that Apple experience. Our best analogy is the difference between buying a Mercedes versus buying a Ford. They both do the same thing, but you enjoy the journey in the Mercedes that much more.
Double standards
I’m a tech enthusiast who really enjoys my Apple devices, but I’m starting to get annoyed with some of the Apple bashing comments I keep seeing. Yes, Apple has moved to USB–C. Yes, it’s removed the headphone jack. Yes, it’s moved to FaceID, and yes, prices have gone up. But the thing is, the competition has more or less followed the trend, yet Apple is the one that seems to always get blasted. When the competition does something similar the world goes silent, which leads me to believe there really is an ‘Apple hate cult’. Honestly, it gets kind of old. Steve Philpot We’re with you on this one — to a point. Sure, we’re not fans of Apple bashing either, and yes there are a lot of manufacturers out there that imitate Apple (thankfully not as well, we think), so in theory you could blame everyone when something changes in a way that the public don’t like, whether it’s the design of its products or the constantly inflating prices. But the thing is, people will naturally point the finger at the one paving the way, and ultimately Apple is responsible for its decisions — good or bad. Personally, we still lament the loss of the headphone jack every day.
Bigger isn’t better
I agree completely with Matt Bolton (ML #149). Quite a few people, not just women, have no use for a large screen and awkward–sized phone. I’m glad I moved fast when the SE model was brought out as I have no room when working for anything bigger. If Apple proceeds to produce only the big screen phones I will not update — and may even give up smartphones if this one packs up. That would be a shame, as map apps are very useful, but size and weight are vital when carrying a loaded rucksack all day. I can’t see logic in the direction Apple is going; I think it’s due to desk–based designers who don’t understand their full market. Mike Durrans We’re pleased Matt’s column struck a chord. The iPhone size each of us picks is a personal decision, often about more than just hand size. It can seem strange to hear Apple talking about how personal devices like iPhone and Watch are, yet making decisions like killing off the (relatively) compact iPhone SE and alienating some customers. It’s a shame there’s nothing comparable to the SE in Apple’s current line– up. Some people didn’t like even the relatively modest vertical size increase introduced on the iPhone 5 back in 2012. Even that form, shared by the 5S and SE, lacked universal appeal. Navigational gestures on the latest iPhones help only so far. Right now, we can but hope Apple reintroduces a smaller option very soon.