It’s unfortunate that there are always going to be people getting the short end during technology transition points. No matter when a company like Apple makes a decision to change a connector, someone won’t be ready. But that’s not a reason to hold back innovation. Some companies are slower with those decisions to make sweeping changes, Apple is often not that company.

If they didn’t make this change now (or don’t, since it hasn’t actually happened yet) when is the right time? When is there not going to be someone who just spent months agonizing over the decision on which headphones to buy?

There won’t be a right time. They have to just make the decision when they think the tech is ready.

A product like the iPhone has to be designed for the hundreds of millions a year who do not care so deeply which model of phones to buy.

Apple has an established pattern of being willing to make those decisions when they see a change coming. Not when it’s already arrived, because from their perspective and their philosophy, that means they’re behind the curve.

I’m not being defensive about their innovation strategy. I do understand it, and I do agree with it. And I embrace a similar philosophy myself.