So I hope I’m not the only one finding the new Apple iPhones unveiled this morning a little… underwhelming. With the leaps and bounds forward in Android technology (for example, the Nokia Lumia’s nighttime camera, and unveiling of the new Android KitKat version to be coming soon) and the rumours flying around about potential Apple innovations in the run-up to the launch, a reskinned OS, pretty colours on the cases and a fingerprint sensor just aren’t enough to get anyone in the office excited.
I think Apple have placed themselves in a strange position – they have released a ‘budget’ version of the phone, the colourful plastic 5C, which will still cost £469 (almost twice the price of the still-available 4S). This will have the potential of devaluing the traditionally high-quality brand of Apple, while not actually being a ‘budget’ phone – you can pick up budget smartphones from the likes of Motorola and Samsung for under £150.
The 5S could cost up to a stonking £709 for the 64gb version, and comes in fantastically bling gold which is very much not to my taste. It is theoretically a faster chip and better camera, but the main attraction (cough*gimmick*cough) that seems to come with this version is a fingerprint scanner to unlock the phone and add security when making online purchases. I think Michelle, an Apple convert unlike me, summed this up best with her initial reaction – ‘what is the point in that?! What if I’m driving and I need my passenger to make a phonecall for me? What if I lend it to my son to play a game?’. It does raise the question of what they expect you to do when lending out – will the fingerprint scanner be an optional or compulsory security feature? Will the technology work, or will hundreds of hipsters be walking around with overpriced, useless phones they can’t get in to?
I’m dubious. And that’s before we start on the price – who the hell will carry around over £700 worth of tech squiched in their pocket or rattling around in their bag. I wouldn’t want to leave the house with it – I’d want to lock it in a safe! I feel nervous carrying around £50 in my purse, never mind flaunting a £700 gadget every time I need directions or get a text. I dread to think how many of these will get stolen within the first few months of sales.
No Apple, not impressed sorry.
Article by Victoria, who still doesn’t ‘get’ Apple
