The iPhone 7 has been a runaway success for the company in terms of sales, but that isn’t the only measure of a smartphone these days. Increasingly consumers and experts alike are looking for more of a wow factor when a new phone is released. The iPhone is no different. In fact, the argument can be made that the bar is set even higher for Apple because of their reputation for innovation with smartphones. After all, the iPhone was the first to really capture the world’s attention when it came out.
While sales of the iPhone 7 were great, many were not quite so impressed with the device. In many ways it was just like previous versions with just a few tweaks, and many owners weren’t sure if they should bother with an upgrade since what they were getting was basically the same. Still, many did and the iPhone 7 has gone on to be a huge hit for Apple.
The iPhone 8 is just around the corner, and because of the timing of this device, many consumers and industry insiders are expecting something truly special. However, if Apple delivers another incremental upgrade then consumers may be ready to revolt instead of blinding handing over their hard earned dollars to Apple.
Reasons the iPhone 8 Must Be Great
Today, let’s take a look at five reasons why the iPhone 8 must be great and unique. These reasons should help you all understand why Apple needs to create something truly special with the iPhone 8 this year.
1. The Anniversary iPhone
The iPhone 8 is pretty much the Anniversary iPhone when you think about it. You see, it will be the tenth anniversary of the release of the very first iPhone this year, and as such any new phone will need to recognize this fact. Because of this anniversary, many experts and consumers believe that the company will do something really special.
Many believe that Apple with use the anniversary to release an iPhone that is very different from past versions. The belief is so common that if Apple fails to live up to this expectation they could find their sales of iPhones slipping even with this big anniversary.
Of course, no one knows what Apple has planned for the iPhone. They could in fact be planning big design and feature changes. Who knows. The company is very secretive about its plans. We will just have to wait and see. Still, if they only come out with something that looks like a slightly tweaked iPhone 7, people won’t be happy, and they will express this unhappiness with their spending.
2. The iPhone 7 Failed to Impress
Now we all know that the iPhone 7 has turned out to be a huge success for the company. But one has to wonder how successful it would have been if Samsung’s phones hadn’t been exploding all over the place? Samsung worked hard to release their Note before the iPhone, and it came out far too early. Flaws in the design resulted in fires all over the place and ended with the phone being completely cancelled. As part of the recall, Samsung helped many people get a replacement phone, which turned out to be extra sales for Apple. Consumers were concerned with going with another Samsung after the risk of fire, so instead they chose an iPhone. At the same time, many users who were thinking of switching to Android may have stayed with Apple a little longer and picked up an iPhone 7.
The fact is when it was first released, many people were very disappointed with the product. It just wasn’t different enough and it didn’t have enough new features to convince existing Apple users to upgrade. Sure, some did, but many stuck with their existing devices.
What this has also done is put even more pressure on the iPhone 8. Because the iPhone 7 was just yet another incremental upgrade to the iPhone 6, many experts and consumers have much higher expectations for the iPhone 8. Will Apple deliver on these expectations remains to be seen.
3. It’s Time for Something Different
Let’s face it, it’s time for the something new and different. Think about it. The last three versions of the iPhone (excluding the iPhone SE) have looked pretty much the same. If you glance at an iPhone 6, 6S or 7, it is hard to tell the differences. Sure when you get in close you can pick up the subtle changes such as leaving off a headphone jack and making it slightly thinner with the iPhone 7.
That won’t be enough for the iPhone 8. It’s time for Apple to do what they do best. What I mean is they need to go to the drawing board and come up with a design that is new and cool and something that everyone would want. This new design needs to come with all the features consumers demand along with a cool factor that will be unmatched by any of the competition.
It’s not like Apple to imitate the competition, so let’s hope they don’t fall back on that tired trait. Apple is known for making other companies catch up, especially when it comes to design. It is time for Apple to get out of the comfort design found in the iPhone 6, 6S and 7 and do something new and unique that will make consumer flock to the iPhone for their next smartphone. If they don’t do this, there will be a ton of fans that will be disappointed. After all, many are waiting for something new with the tenth anniversary iPhone.
4. A New Screen Would Be Nice
Look, I know the screens on the iPhones are nice. In fact, they are some of the best screens out there. Still, they haven’t changed much in the last few versions of the iPhone. There have been small improvements, of course, but after a few versions it’s time for something different.
What does something different mean? I don’t know. Maybe an edgeless display or a display that covers the entire front fast of the smartphone? Those sound like good ideas. No matter what, one of the design changes needs to be something different with the screen. We need improvements on color and resolution as well as something new with the design. This will help set the new iPhone apart from previous versions. In fact, if this was all they changed, it would make a drastic difference and may even be enough to make the iPhone 8 the big hit that Apple is looking for.
5. People Don’t Upgrade Their Phones
If there is one thing that is impacting the entire industry, it is this one, and Apple has felt it, too. There are many reasons for this. Some site the economy while others say it’s just because the phones hardware lasts longer as the software evolution on smartphones has slowed down. Whatever the reason, people are hanging onto their smartphones for much longer than they did in the past.
In many cases, people just don’t see the point. If the upgrades to the phone don’t quite justify the cost, many just won’t do it, even if their contracts allow it. They just aren’t willing to sink the extra money into a device that is only marginally better than the one they have. That makes sense, if you ask me.
Of course what that means is if Apple wants their tenth anniversary iPhone to be a spectacular hit, they are going to have to do something different. It will need to look
Will Apple Deliver?
In the past when Steve Jobs was helming Apple, you could count on the company impressing with an anniversary such as this. However, things are different. While Apple has continued to push ahead after Jobs’ passing, sometimes it has felt like the company has lost its way. Hopefully, they will learn from their missteps and not miss an opportunity to truly wow the world with their next generation iPhone. If they fail, they could find themselves losing market share again to companies such as Samsung or even Huawei that are looking to gain further ground in the world of smartphones.
Final Thoughts
There is no doubt that Apple’s next iPhone needs to be something different and unique while at the same time retaining some of what makes them so familiar and easy to use. Finding that balance will be a challenge for the company, but hopefully they will see that consumers are longing for something different and not just some boring incremental upgrade that looks almost exactly like their iPhone 6.
Apple made that mistake with the iPhone 7, but got lucky thanks to other companies not releasing new devices and one releasing a device that would blow up. They won’t be able to rely on that for success this year, and expectations for Apple are very high considering this is the 10 year anniversary of the iPhone. Let’s hope they are prepared.
What do you think? Do you agree with my opinions or do you think I’m crazy? Tell me what you think about Apple and the next iPhone in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.
