It’s true. The release of a new smartphone has never been as captivating as it has once been. Take the obvious example — the iPhone. Back in 2007 when Steve Jobs revealed to the world a “phone, an iPod, and an internet communicator” all in one device, the potential of the iPhone was essentially limitless. And every year, Apple, like all other phone manufacturers, tout a new and revised iteration of its smartphone lineup. Days before the new iPhones were in stock, you can start to see tents pitched outside your local Apple store set up by people eager to be the first ones to own — or resell — their brand new iPhone.
Whenever my mom witnessed these lines at the mall, she never really understood why these phones were such a big deal. She, like many others, never really got it. I did. I always wanted to be THAT guy waiting in front of the Apple store and being one of the few people to own a gadget that would soon be in the hands of millions.
That thrill doesn’t really exist anymore — and it’s not really anybody’s fault. Smartphone chips have become so fast and efficient that each year’s “15% better performance” doesn’t nearly have the same impact as it did a decade ago. It’s the same story every year. Chips get a little more powerful, camera bumps get bumpier with a slightly faster aperture, and screens become a little brighter and slightly more pixel dense. Oh, I almost forgot the most groundbreaking feature of them all — a dynamic island that is Apple’s “ingenius” way of marketing a camera notch nobody likes into a UX feature nobody thought they needed.
The simple truth is, iPhones have become boring. People have less and less of a reason to upgrade when their past generation iPhone works nearly as well as the new one just announced. While other manufacturers are already years into experimenting with vastly different designs and features — namely Samsung with their foldable lineup — Apple has been continuously lacking the same boldness in their new iPhones these past years. Maybe it’s just me wanting to see a foldable iPhone — because only then will people start realizing foldable phones exist. Or maybe it’s just my 13-year-old self wanting to feel excited again for an iPhone release. Whatever it is, that iPhone 11 in your pocket will treat you just fine.
