Brianna Ganzon
Apple. Other than a sweet juicy fruit, what else comes to mind? That’s right, what might possibly be the most famous piece of technology produced by the tech giant – the iPhone. Before Android and Google smart phones came along, the iPhone was literally the phone to get.
But the iPhone has also become notorious for its trend of constantly evolving, thus tempting consumers to get the “new and improved” version that would last for another half year or so before an even newer version would come out. Such is part of the Apple reputation as well as the expectation – you spend a lot for the latest must-have “better” version shortly after purchasing a product.
Recently, Apple has revealed plans to release two new iPhones – the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C. The 5S is your typical “new and improved” iPhone 5 while the iPhone 5C is the cheaper, plastic version that comes in a variety of colors.
I know what most people are thinking – who would actually buy the iPhone 5C? But their primary targets for the 5C are emerging markets in places like China or India, where a less expensive phone is expected to sell more. It’s a valid point, but I personally believe most people want something more expensive because it is considered to be synonymous with quality and durability. Whether the 5C will prevail in the technology industry will be interesting to observe.
As for the iPhone 5s, it supposedly will have “200 new features” and Touch ID, a fingerprint scanner that seems pretty impressive. Though the Touch ID is a cool feature and adds to the appeal, I feel like it will end up like Siri – an idea that seems cool until you realize it’s not as necessary or usable as Apple made it seem.
Yet, Apple is still a huge company in the industry. According to CNN, it is still among the world’s top-selling smart phones. According to statistics revealed at the Worldwide Developers Conference, the company has sold 600 million iOS devices total to date, which includes iPhones, iPods, and iPads. So are people still falling for it? The answer is yes.
Now, I definitely don’t hate Apple like some people do, though I see why they might dislike the annoying evolving trend. It’s inconvenient and expensive, especially when they change the iPhone chargers every couple of years. But as a consumer, it’s something that has to be dealt with in a world with rapidly advancing technology. Apple just happens to take advantage and make a profit; it is up to the consumer to control their desire of catching up with the latest trends. In fact, I have an iPhone myself, specifically the iPhone 4s. Though it may not be the latest model, it works perfectly fine.
