We recently had the launch of the iPhone 15, a long-awaited date for iPhone fans. Apple. The company launched 4 new models, namely the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, with prices ranging from R$7,299.00 to R$13,999.00. I waited a few days after the launch to give my opinion on the new features presented, however, it seemed to be more of the same. It’s been a while since we’ve seen major innovations from the Apple company since the death of its co-founder, Steve Jobs.
I’ll give you an example, the new feature that caught the most attention in this launch was the exchange of the company’s proprietary input called lightning, for the USB-C standard (USB Type-C), used in most cell phones and electronic devices today. You may have thought, how great that Apple is adapting its entry to a more common standard in the market, but the real motivation for this change is much more political than ease for the end user.
In 2022, the European Union approved legislation that obliges the technology industry to standardize smartphone, tablet and camera chargers for the USB Type-C connector. This law will also be valid for the sale of laptops. The European Union has imposed a period of two years for companies to adjust to the new rule, which comes into force from 2026. Therefore, everything indicates that Apple has brought forward the adoption of USB-C, already for this year.
Another novelty, which is not that new, was the adoption of “Dynamic Island” technology, for all models in the 15 line. This technology takes advantage of the notch at the top of cell phones, where there is usually a cutout, to accommodate the camera and front sensors. Despite highlighting this function at launch, the reason it is not new is that this technology already existed in the most expensive version of the 14 line, the only new thing is that it will now be available on all models. Another example of a reuse of technology, and not actual innovation.
Another new feature, which was widely publicized at launch, was the titanium chassis, to make the iPhone 15 lighter and more resistant, however, if you opt for the two cheapest versions of the device, you won’t have this new feature. The titanium option is only present in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models, the top of the line. But you ask me: is it worth it? Many users have complained that these titanium chassis appear to be much more dirty, with fingerprints and other stains more visible compared to older models.
Another very important issue, which would be the difference in using titanium, is the greater resistance. In a test carried out by YouTuber “Sam Kohl”, from the Apple Track channel, dropping a model 14 and another 15 from the same height, to analyze the damage caused, the new model 15, at first, seemed to be less resistant. Remembering that the titanium part is only on the sides. If you want to see the entire test in full, check out the video below.
Perhaps one of the most emblematic changes, which was a trademark of the iPhone, is the departure from the old switch button, which silenced the device, to the entry of an action button, which by default does the same thing, however, if you want Assign another function, like turning on a flashlight for example, you can now customize. But, again, this new feature is only available in the two top-of-the-line versions.
Basically we had these features as new features. Of course, I’m not considering improving processors or cameras. Almost every cell phone launch, whether from Apple or any other manufacturer, requires processor updates, because an operating system update is usually released, which will require more processing, but this is not considered an innovation.
This appears to have been one of Apple’s most troubled launches. To give you an idea, many users reported cell phone crashes, right during the initial configuration, when they tried to migrate from the old cell phone to the new one, the device simply stuck on the screen where the Apple logo was displayed. Apple ended up resolving it by releasing an update to fix this problem. Another issue is the perception that the device is slower compared to the previous version, but the problem appears to be related to the iPhone 15’s new operating system, iOS 17. The recommendation, in this case, is to update all applications to the latest version. more current.
One complaint that has greatly worried owners of new devices is the overheating of the battery. Users have reported that the new devices become hot at various times of the day. Many attributed it to the new processor, which gets very hot, or the titanium finish, which would make heat dissipation difficult. However, Apple itself denied these claims and attributed the heating problem to “increased activities running in the background, especially in the first few days of using a new device or after restoring it to factory settings”, and which will soon launch an iOS update, but no date yet.
In the midst of all this, “Tim Cook”, executive president of Apple Inc, sold part of his shares in the company, earning US$41.5 million in his biggest sale in the last two years. According to sources, the share sale occurred after Cook took a rare pay cut of around 40%. It is worth mentioning that Apple shares have fallen 13% since July, when it reached its highest level of appreciation. According to Reuters, the drop is explained by investor concerns about a slow recovery in demand for new cell phones.
Despite having criticized Apple a lot, the truth is that we are not seeing much news when it comes to cell phone launches. It seems that there is a standardization of models. If you place cell phones side by side, you will notice that they are very similar, in terms of camera positions, screen sizes, buttons and features. What we have different today are cell phones with folding screens. Those at the forefront of this technology are the brands Samsung, Motorola and Xiaomi. Apparently we have no news of Apple testing any prototypes, and in fact we still don’t know if it will be a trend from now on.
For an Apple fan, it’s a little sad that the company is “playing it safe.” Often watching competitors, waiting to see if it will work or not. It is worth remembering that, on June 29, 2007, the iPhone changed the concept of Smartphone forever, transforming it into what we have today. A company, which has always been seen as innovative, now seems to no longer want to take risks and is afraid of ending its legacy.
Perhaps the company needs to remember Steve Jobs’ speech when he returned to command Apple in 2007.
“It makes no sense to look back and think: I should have done this or that, I should have been there. Does not matter. Let’s invent tomorrow and stop worrying about the past,” Steve Jobs.
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