Apple's recent launch of a smaller iPad Pro on Monday has left a bad taste in my mouth. Steve Jobs precision around Apple keynotes may be legendary, but there are enough reports from his time as CEO of Apple to back up the tightly scripted proceedings, the lengthy rehearsals, and the measured impact of every word. Tim Cook and core team will have seen that accuracy in action.
Which leads me to question Phil Schiller's phrasing around 'old PCs' during Monday's presentation. "There are over 600 million PCs in use today that are over five years old. This is really sad. It really is. These people could really benefit from an iPad Pro."
Think about this for a minute. Either the precision that has inhabited Apple's previous presentations no longer applies, in which case the idea of Tim Cook having less focus than his predecessor is evident; or the presentations still receive the same level of care with every word and phrase carefully considered, in which case we can now take Apple's latest attitude to 'old' technology as a given.
Given the follow-up lines from Schiller, I believe the latter is true. Which places Apple in a curious position of arguing that your technology should be updated on a short but regular cycle, or you will be sad. I've already spoken about Apple's need to get people upgrading, but mocking their current status is not the way to do it.
The problem is not acknowledging that this needs to happen - the slowing growth of iPhone sales is testament to that - it's how that attitude is conveyed. With the new 29-armed robotic disassembling robot of Liam and Apple's traditionally strong recycling initiatives, it should be easy to build a story around Apple showing all of the consumer electronic industry the way forward in terms of recycling. It should be taking its buy-back programs to offer cheaper upgrades and putting them front and centre to conserve 'the world's resources'. And the iPhone Upgrade Program needs to expand both geographically to get outside of the US and across the portfolio so that the iPads, Apple Watches, and lower tier iPhones are all covered.
Instead the first punch thrown by Schiller is like that of a bully. To belittle consumers with older machines, to look down and pity them, to tease them with devices like the new iPad Pro that could replace their old PC.
There are many reasons why someone might be using an older computer. Cost is the obvious one. The starting price of a MacBook is far higher than an entry-level Windows PC. Even if you buy the idea of an iPad replacing a PC, you still have to think of accessories like an external keyboard and the Apple Pencil to get Apple's full experience, and that all adds up. You are not going to get one-to-one replacements for certain apps in the iPad App Store, and you need to be able to afford the similar apps. Or they might not buy into the idea that you need to update your hardware every year to get a slightly faster processor, a bit more memory, and a few more pixels on the screen.
It also assumes that you need an upgraded device. My daily desktop computer is a MacBook Pro from early 2011. That passes Schiller's five-year deadline so obviously it is a sad MacBook. It doesn't feel like that to me. Admittedly over the years I've had the base off to upgraded the memory, substitute a solid state disk for the hard disk, and give it a general spring clean to remove dust and fluff that gathers through regular use. If I was being cynical, that DIY upgrade and servicing is something I would have a tough time to do personally with a new MacBook or iPad. If I wanted to bump up a specification, I'd need to buy a whole new unit.
Apple needs to convince more people to upgrade their hardware. It could do that with smart recycling programs, convincing storytelling, realistic case studies, and work with consumers to create a sense of duty to dispose of older hardware with suitable rewards. Instead, Apple has decided on a more arrogant approach.
We're Apple. We're new. We're cool. You're not Apple. You're not new. You're not cool.
Well played, Apple. Well played.
(Now read why Cookie Monster was Apple' smartest move in the last week).
