One of the most anticipated events in recent history (in the tech and geek world at least) will finally happen today as Apple prepares to unleash its latest innovation on the world. Will it be the iPhone 5? The invitation they issued above certainly suggests so, we’re right in line with the company’s usual schedule for such things and they need to bring something new out to keep up with the likes of Samsung (patent lawsuit success notwithstanding) and Nokia. But this is Apple…
The Cupertino-based company has often shocked the world with new product launches in the past but if you really look at it, it’s been quite a while since that happened. In fact, the unveiling of the iPad for the first time was probably the last time we were all truly stunned. Since then, despite some very nice features and advancements, every product launch has been underwhelming.
The iPhone 4 brought little that the 3GS didn’t have, it was just better. Nice, but not great. The 4S brought Siri, innovative but far from perfect. The iPad 2 was similarly not much more than an upgrade and the new iPad had a wonderful, wonderful retina display and 4G connectivity, all good but none truly earth shattering.
Expectation Is A Killer
Expectation plays a large part in this disappointed mindset of course. We have come to expect Apple to knock us off our feet. The did it with the iMac, the iPod, then the iPhone and iPad. They’ve shaken up more industries in the last 20 years than any other. It is perhaps unreasonable of us to ask them to keep doing it, year in year out.
So when the iPhone 5 is (probably) unveiled later today, with its upgrades and refinements, maybe even a Siri that works, and the tech and mainstream press let out a little sigh of disappointment nobody should really be surprised.
Of course, on the other hand Apple could well have done something truly mind boggling, they might have reinvented the smartphone into something we have never seen before. Or it might not be about the iPhone at all and we might all be falling to our knees in front of the temple that Jobs built.
So why don’t we all get a grip today, enjoy the event and save the moaning and groaning for tomorrow, once we’ve had time to reflect on what has been announced rather than what hasn’t? Just a thought.
Here at TechDrink we’ll bring you a full round up of what is (and isn’t) announced shortly after the event in nice, bite-sized pieces.