The iPhone Air is a fantastic phone which I believe could have been touted as the more premium model with a higher price tag and unique features. Such a setup would have likely yielded more sales and a rejig to Apple’s ultra-premium phone lineup. The “Pro” iPhone models, while expensive, do not exactly associate with a “premium” offering tag.
Apple had a really good opportunity to present the iPhone Air as the phone that rich people use or as a luxury product. It is indeed a marvellous product with a thin profile but if Apple could have worked on a more luxurized-version, a higher price tag would definitely justify it. The iPhone which earlier was seen as a premium offering, is now a product for the masses even while commanding less market share compared to the Android platform.
If Apple really wanted to go to extreme lengths, it could have pulled the plug on the USB-C port. It would be a sign of Apple’s “courage” to be innovative – a tagline that the company used during the years when Phil Schiller was still involved in the company. Steve Jobs and Phil Schiller presented Apple in a very unique way, as the company which would never shy away from being innovative, it was ready to take risks.
It is of course important to take into consideration that Apple is a much larger company now and as a result, the risk appetite changes. Further, Apple CEO Tim Cook runs the company with his own strengths i.e., of supply chain efficiency and numbers. Under Cook’s leadership, the company’s growth has skyrocketed, hitting big milestones and it continues to grow. However, the company now plays very safe with bringing newer technologies to its customers and even if it tries, it has not been able to succeed (ahem, Apple Intelligence).
While I criticize Apple for its lack of courage, I do not shy away for praising the company for continuing to offer “quality” products. Having really scaled operations, the company has leverage on multiple fronts and in recent years, having built a tightly integrated vertical system of in-house designed hardware components, Apple offers certain features and integration which are unmatched by any rivals.
Interesting times are ahead, Apple having failed at Artificial Intelligence, it continues to be the “king” when it comes to hardware quality. People trust Apple and consider it as a “safe” option compared to Android. Will a rival be able to kick Apple on its knees when it struggles to run with Apple Intelligence? Only time will tell.
