Apple

1st Apple Watch sales metrics start to accumulate

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Via: Source

For well over a decade now Apple has seemed to be able to do now wrong. Preceding even the iPod was the legendary series of colorful iMac computers which really put the company back on the map following Steve Jobs’ return after his previous ousting.

Remember these? (Via Creative Review UK)

Then, in 2001, began the reign of ‘i’ products, a reign which continues to this day as the iPhone continues to absorb an ever-increasing share of the smartphone market. The traditional iPod is actually now out of production, but other versions of the product like the Touch continue to be a solid revenue stream for the tech giant.

However, one of Apple’s most recent products may not be joining the legendary ranks of these products that became so successful and popular that they have quite literally changed the way we live our lives everyday. And that entry is the Apple Watch.

While Apple has released no official sales numbers on their watch as of this writing, their suppliers have been releasing data, and it’s not painting the prettiest of pictures for the success of the watch thus far.

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, a Taiwan-based company that packages and produces semiconductors for Apple products, has recently announced that they did not hit their break-even mark of 2 million units per month in the second quarter, and that it also did not expect to hit that mark during the holiday-laden third quarter, either.

In terms of what this means for Apple, there are a few theories. Perhaps wearable technology is still a year or two away from true market integration? Perhaps the functions of the device have not been made impactful enough? Would calling the device an ‘iWatch’ have helped with branding? Either way, the success of any one Apple product does not make or break the company. Not even close.

New iPhone commercial throws some serious shade

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It is a debate that is seemingly less and less raging all the time, and a new iPhone commercial just may take the Android vs. iOS argument a step closer to the grave. Check it out, below.

And honestly, the ad makes some good points. The complete, inalterable integration of hardware and software has been a core tenet of Apple since the earliest, now legendary days of both Steves; Jobs and Wozniak. This design and construction philosophy has resulted in some of the most fluid, and revolutionary products our world has ever known. As a now famous example, Jobs would not let the original iPod be released until users could get from one point in the interface, to any other, in 3 ‘clicks’ or less. Thus, the ingenious wheel system was born; perfectly melding the exterior hardware with the internal, operative software.

But of course, this hardline approach to product construction does have it’s naysayers (remember the days when you could pop the back off your phone, and remove the battery? Not with an iPhone, obviously), and also, for the sake of competition, don’t we want a healthy smart phone market with a number of able competitors?

We absolutely do. But this writer for one, just can’t imagine ever switching away from an iPhone, and that seamless, integrated hardware and software experience that Steve Jobs mandated all those years ago. A mandate that reaps benefits to this day.

What do you think? Do you like the extra freedom that Android allows its developers and users? Or do you prefer the near-flawless user experience of iPhone ownership?