Apple 2017 Wish List
So the year is already flown into its third month, and as Apple reported its record earnings of last quarter, so I thought to myself "I wish 2017 for Apple brings..." and BOOM it hit me! I should tell you guys what I think should come out for this year and see how far off I am in guessing/wishing for innovation in Apple's products and services line up.
When I was a kid one of my favorite things to do was to go out to toy stores and see what I wished to see come out by the end of the year. I was very much into Lego, Batman, The Flash and Star Wars (and obviously their combination!). Most of the time I missed, but the times I was right made me feel like I was a magician of sorts and tried to see how far or close I came each year by going back to the toy store at the beginning and end of that same year. Here I am a bit older now, and the "toys" that fill me with passion have a different logo on them but still get me as excited as before. So let's get to it!
Dear Tim Cook and Apple, with respect to a couple of products and services for this fiscal year:
Ever since Apple decided to work together with car companies, Apple CarPlay has become a very useful tool for consumers. The ease with which Siri understands and almost predicts your normal car instructions is great. The tasks for which I am grateful for due to the fact that I ask Siri these a lot are: calling people, texting (via iMessage, WhatsApp and other messaging apps), checking upcoming appointments, directions, music, podcasts and general questions (sometimes I just need to know what the most recent score for my soccer team is). However, it is time to have wireless CarPlay everywhere; multitasking, more navigation CarPlay Apps compatibility, and some sort of improved passenger characteristics for apps like youtube or tune-in which are widely used. CarPlay as a part of the best mobile software environment should just have an improvement because when I disconnect my iPhone 7 from the car I feel too big a difference between the CarPlay extension of the software, and the software itself (iOS 10, soon to be 11).
Dear Tim Cook and Apple, with respect to a couple of products and services for this fiscal year:
Ever since Apple decided to work together with car companies, Apple CarPlay has become a very useful tool for consumers. The ease with which Siri understands and almost predicts your normal car instructions is great. The tasks for which I am grateful for due to the fact that I ask Siri these a lot are: calling people, texting (via iMessage, WhatsApp and other messaging apps), checking upcoming appointments, directions, music, podcasts and general questions (sometimes I just need to know what the most recent score for my soccer team is). However, it is time to have wireless CarPlay everywhere; multitasking, more navigation CarPlay Apps compatibility, and some sort of improved passenger characteristics for apps like youtube or tune-in which are widely used. CarPlay as a part of the best mobile software environment should just have an improvement because when I disconnect my iPhone 7 from the car I feel too big a difference between the CarPlay extension of the software, and the software itself (iOS 10, soon to be 11).
Apple TV has been and continues to be a bittersweet experience for many people out there. Specially if you don't take the time to learn and become acquainted with the sort-of-unknown interface the tvOS has. I believe this is the long term greatest project Apple has to tackle (forget about project Titan or the supposed Apple Car), because the video industry is in a great success moment unlike the music industry. Which when Apple offered iTunes and online libraries was in chaos and crisis, ergo needing Apple's help to not get destroyed by ilegal access to music files. This negotiation must be one of the most challenging Apple has ever had... they probably wish Steve was alive to convince all the networks into monthly content subscription services. I still love this product, don't get me wrong, it allows me to binge, to AirPlay fotos and videos from my Mac, iPad or iPhone (and since I am a big YouTube consumer it helps me multi-task). So, my wish in terms of Apple TV can be summarized into one thought: please don't let 2017 be the best Apple TV gets in its life. Let there be better content agreements, improved apps for gaming, virtual reality, live streaming events and navigation capabilities.
There are two types of people in the world: the ones who love iPad and the ones who don't. I ADORE my iPad Mini 4th Gen. It is hard to explain to someone who doesn't appreciate iPad why, but the way I have always tried to do so is that there is no better way to browse the web, read books or news or articles. Also, (even when it is great to get work done on my Mac) I find myself using my iPad a lot and in a very comfortable manner to take notes in class (I have a Logitech wireless keyboard which helps out a lot). I believe the strength of the iPad lies in how we interact with the content and information on it. The apps that take advantage of the greater canvas really make a difference in the overall experience and give the iPad a greater reason to exist. I wish for Apple to improve on marketing for the iPad, to improve the understanding of people of what the iPad is and is not. I know the processor will be improved, the battery will have an amazing all day use, etc. etc. But that does not help if people think using the iPad is like using a Mac or a large iPhone...
I believe the AppleWatch is the product which has most potential to grow. As a new product, the innovation that has been brought about since the "series zero" which is was evidently divisive among critics. However consumers have been more than satisfied by it since the VERY beginning with higher customer satisfaction than the original iPad and iPhone (see image below). Apple has found its greatest strength for this category in notifications, quick glanceability, sports and health. I adore the fact that I can swim with the same watch that i can dress up with just by changing the watch face and the straps. What I wish for in terms of AppleWatch on this year is for there to be a change in form factor; now keep in mind I will not get specific on my demand. I just believe Apple is capable of a thinner watch or a round watch or both. Maybe the hardware can change a little but the software can make the device A LOT better (like watchOS3 did already). As you guys can read, I am quite pleased with the AppleWatch and see it to be at the top of its category by a long shot, any improvement is a win situation taking into account it is already a part of the best technological ecosystem there is: iOS - macOS - watchOS - tvOS.
So yeah, that is my wish list. I would love to be surprised by innovation and awed by creativity.
Specially taking into account I will always support Apple whilst not being afraid to criticize when necessary. For example the horrible mistake that MobileMe was back before iCloud.
