Five reasons the iPhone 8 betrays Steve Jobs and Apple
Thinking about an iPhone 8? A 7 with a wireless charging case would be better value.
As tech heads flock to the iPhone X and its tantalising all-screen design, hype surrounding the already dated iPhone 8 continues to wane.
But why go as far as calling the iPhone 8 a betrayal of Steve Jobs and Apple? Simple, it goes against everything the company was built on.
Allow us to explain:
*Just to be clear, don't just go "well yes, but that's why we have the iPhone X". Read it and wonder why the iPhone 8 exists in the first place.
1. Think Different
Apple built an empire on the premise of thinking differently, and the popular slogan heralded the return of Jobs and the Apple brand in the 1990s. So why is Apple so happy to rest on its laurels?
There's nothing new about the iPhone 8, nothing groundbreaking, nothing overly exciting... Imagine if Steve Jobs had said don't worry about the Macintosh, let's just focus on slightly updating the Apple II. He would have sacked anybody on the spot for even thinking that.
2. Its design was released in 2014
Yes, here it comes, a Steve Jobs quote: "I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what's next."
The iPhone 6 launched in 2014 with one hell of a new design. No doubt about it, that phone wowed. Then the iPhone 6S came out in the same body, which was fine because fans had become accustomed to incremental upgrades in the "S" variants.
Then 2016 rolled around, and the iPhone 7 launched in the same shell. That felt like a bit of a kick in the face. There were rumours floating around that Apple believed it had engineered the iPhone to its ideal shape, and that changing it was pointless. So fans sucked it up and planned for the next generation.
But a year later, we get the iPhone 8 in the same bloody shape. All well and good for the argument of being the ideal iPhone body, but not 45 minutes after announcing it, Apple reveals a complete redesign for the X.
Seriously? Did they even consider changing the 8 or was it all hands on deck for the X? It's a stale design, it's four years old and fans deserve better. And no, a glass back is not going to impress me.
3. It's a follower
And another: "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower".
So let's talk about some of the iPhone 8's "innovations". Wireless charging, been done for years by Samsung and Google. Augmented reality, that was on Nintendo's 3DS in 2011. All-glass design, Apple already did that on the iPhone 4.
The A11 Bionic chip is definitely impressive, and portrait lighting looks to work well. But are different styled photo backgrounds and a faster processor all the innovation Apple could muster for the 8? I'm not buying it. They were just lazy.
4. It was obsolete within weeks
Let's make it three in a row: "Quality is much better than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles."
The iPhone X is a home run, absolutely, but the iPhone 8 is more of a ball four, walk to base situation.
Why the hell did Apple release a newer, vastly more superior iPhone just six weeks after the iPhone 8 launched? Delays on the OLED screens for the X, sticking to a September release each year: both are fair reasons.
But why didn't Apple just release the iPhone 8 at the same time. Let everyone marvel at the iPhone X, and those not obsessed with the newest flagship can pick up an iPhone 8.
Back to the first example about the Macintosh and Apple II. Do you really think Steve Jobs would have said something like "the Macintosh is going to be amazing, but let's make sure the updated Apple II gets a decent roll out as well". No, he was all in on the next big thing.
5. It screwed over the Apple fanbase
You know what really bothers me more than anything about the iPhone 8 and iPhone X dynamic? Apple saved all the innovation for the X. Yes, the processor is the same and camera is near identical, but die hard fans will always go for the flagship.
I want Face ID, I want an OLED display, I want a screen that covers the entire face. The iPhone X is a phenomenal phone, no doubt about it.
But when Apple released it alongside the 8, instead of as the sole new device of 2017, it left fans to decide between a watered-down product and an insanely expensive device. High prices are nothing new for Apple, but damn-near blackmailing you to pay it by offering a lukewarm alternative is certainly not what the company is about.
