Apple's "soft power" is its biggest killer

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Before WWDC, public opinion predicted whether iPhone 6S or iPhone 7 would appear. However, Apple launched a set of "soft" rice feast at WWDC, with OSX, IOS9 and WatchOS as the "main course", ApplePay, News, Music, Siri, Maps and Notes application optimization as the "snacks", Gamekit and Replaykit as the "desserts", and "easter eggs" such as iPad-exclusive split screen and picture-in-picture functions, as well as Swift2 open source language and multiple application APIs, and even the system slimming plan was taken into consideration. Although ordinary consumers will be disappointed if they don't see the new Apple hardware, for developers and the entire application ecosystem, this "feast" is worth tasting.

In this feast, iOS 9 is obviously the main course among the main courses, and it is the most important. Not only does it continue to support antique models such as iPhone 4S and iPad 2, but it also requires less space. Compared with the 4G space occupied by iOS 8, iOS 9 only requires 1.3G space to install. In addition, Apple has also put a lot of effort into application development. Not only has it opened the source code of Swift 2, allowing developers to modify the core code independently, but the new development kit also makes the game more convenient in logic implementation. At the same time, later applications will support the distribution of different packages according to different devices. Developers only need to upload the complete package to the iTunes Connect background. The background will segment the content according to the device type and resolution, so as to customize the download package and allow the application to occupy less system space.

Nostalgia cannot change the present

It was previously predicted that Apple would launch AppleTV at this developer conference, and speculation about the next generation of iPhones was also rampant. But now we can see the reality that there is no hardware, and even after the conference, Apple removed the iPod from its official website and replaced it with Apple Music, which means that the Apple of the Jobs era is a little further away from now.

If Apple fans are disappointed with Apple, it seems reasonable. Because many of the features introduced by Apple at this conference have already been implemented on Android. Power saving mode? Android already has it. Active assistant? Google Now has been launched for a year and a half. Even the split-screen function, Apple currently only supports iPad Air 2, while it has already become popular on the Android platform. What Apple showed at this developer conference was like a powerless counterattack against the Android platform.

Since the death of Steve Jobs, Apple has been catering to the needs of consumers more and more. Whether it is the large-screen iPhone Plus or the small-screen iPad Mini, or the optimization and openness of the system, they are all incomparable to the Apple of the Steve Jobs era. However, Apple obviously has its own bottom line. No matter how open its attitude is to cater to consumers, Apple's ecosystem must be in the hands of Apple, and its hardware devices and operating systems must be completely controlled by Apple.

Innovation Peaks and Valleys

Apple's innovation is also based on this bottom line. It is not easy to make breakthrough or revolutionary innovations in hardware. Just like the change from button to touch screen operation of mobile phones and the launch of Siri voice assistant, these are only available when there is a certain accumulation of technology. Forcing them to be launched will only result in waste. In the few years after the launch of iPhone, the accumulation of technology did not reach a breakthrough level. Therefore, in recent years, the technology of smart phones has become increasingly mature, but there are few breakthroughs. This is the truth that only by accumulating quantitative changes can qualitative changes be achieved.

Hardware innovation requires accumulation, but software is different. Since the launch of the iOS system, its most prominent feature is smooth operation. This is certainly due to the different corresponding mechanisms in the background, but the optimization of the system itself also plays a role. However, no matter how it is optimized, the smoothness of the system has not changed. On this bottom line, Apple has made the system increasingly convenient and open, which is a good thing, at least not bad for developers.

Innovation also has its peaks and valleys. When technology accumulation reaches a certain level, hardware will naturally be innovated. However, the current situation shows that technology has not yet reached the level of explosive growth. Whether it is virtual reality, augmented reality, or artificial intelligence technology, there are obvious shortcomings and it has not yet reached the level of commercialization. In this case, it is enough to make the existing system a little better.

Those who complain about the new system can take a break now!