Is anyone else annoyed about the iPhone delaying an OS?

[cwa107]

It doesn't bother me at all, it's not as if Tiger is suddenly going to stop working or anything. If Leopard had some mega killer feature I couldn't live without I'd be worried, but as it is, it's irrelevant.

My feelings exactly. Tiger isn't that old, nor is it lacking in any area that Vista excels in. In my mind, Vista is an imitation of Tiger, right down to the new "Windows Calendar" and "Windows Mail" applications that look like the smitten image of Apple's iCal and Mail apps. I wonder if Apple is flattered?

 

[fleurya]

Well, I'm not upset by it either, the point I was making is the signal of Apple's shift in priorities. Over the past 10 years, they have worked hard and specialized in building amazing computers and the iPod. Now they're leveraging that reputation to try to sell mediocre products (Apple TV) while simultaneously loosing their edge on their primary products (their OS).

I'm not as much of a hard-core Apple person as many here, but if I were, I would be pretty upset by this. Apple is going to being a company that makes money from making a couple great products to a company that makes money diversifying by dumping a load of so-so products on the market. It's about more than just one delayed OS upgrade. It's a sell-out.

It's not a big deal to me, if Apple goes this way while MS learns their lesson and starts making superior operating systems while Apple plays with electronic toys, I'll just switch back to MS. But for those who love Apple and demonize MS, think about it.

 

[giulio]

I'm worried about the Mac and OSX not being as good as it can be. Maybe more bugs. Maybe take longer to come out. Not that something taking longer is such a bad thing if there is good reason. I just don't think the iPhone is a good reason to spread out resources so much as to delay an OS twice so far. I think Apple should have hired a new unit to work on the iphone, appletv, ipod, etc - in the way Pixar works on the movies.
Can you imagine Steve talking to his team at Next so many years ago... "we're being bought by Apple to build the world's best OS for half a decade, then we're going to make a really cool cell phone that operates on a single outdated network".
I understand the business of making money. But it stinks that what we invested in and loved (and put up with, pre osx) for decades has to suffer for it.

 

[scooter]

i am not to bothered by the delay in the release of Leopard, since it potentially might still not be ready for full comsumer use. the only thing thing that does bug me is the iphone is such a niche product whereas Leopard is not. anyone who wants to update to Leopard can whereas anyone who wants an iPhone cannot. one, it is locked to one carrier and i do not see many people dumping their service or breaking their service contracts just for one phone; even the mac faithfull are not that single minded. second, it comes at a high cost with a two year contract attached. that is a big leash to tie to your neck regarding a new, unproven product.

Leopard is what the apple/mac users want. the iPhone is just a new gadget that some might get but i guess many more will not. stick to what you know can sell, not what might sell.

 

[jonnyd]

If I were Apple, I would prioritize iPhone too!

With this product, they are creating a market. And the longer they sail alone in this blue ocean, the more profitable and remarkable it will be.

Leopard is a great OS, and I'm looking forward to install it, and enjoy it's great new features. But itself does not creates people needs. iPhone does.

I can't see what market it's creating. It doesn't do anything new.

It's appeal may be that you can scrap the Backberry and the Ipod and have them in one device - there's some appeal in that, but to be honest for $500 or whatever it is, I'll live without it for now. 8gb capacity doesn't make a great Ipod replacement anyway. I struggle with 80gb.

 

[Willem]

Can you imagine Steve talking to his team at Next so many years ago... "we're being bought by Apple to build the world's best OS for half a decade, then we're going to make a really cool cell phone that operates on a single outdated network".
I understand the business of making money. But it stinks that what we invested in and loved (and put up with, pre osx) for decades has to suffer for it.

Is it unimaginable to think that if Apple felt that the OS division was suffering, quality wise, that they would hire more programmers? It almost sounds like some people here believe that Apple's staff is locked down and they have to work with the people they have - like they can't hire any more to pick up the slack if necessary.

 

[Willem]

I can't see what market it's creating. It doesn't do anything new.

Neither did the iPod and that seemed to work out OK.

 

[jonnyd]

Neither did the iPod and that seemed to work out OK.

The Ipod did create a market. That was something new, pretty much. MP3 players barely existed at the time.

What has the Iphone got that doesn't already have a very mature market?

 

[baggss]

The iPod changed the market. There were MP3 players out there, but none of them were overly appealing. I still have my Rio 600 that I got a year or two before the iPod even debuted. Apple simply marketed the device on a small but growing market.

 

[Willem]

What has the Iphone got that doesn't already have a very mature market?

Sometimes you don't have to be first. You just have to be the company to do it right. See: iPod.

 

[jonnyd]

Sometimes you don't have to be first. You just have to be the company to do it right. See: iPod.

Good, so we'll all be buying them.

Except me, of course.

 

[Willem]

Good, so we'll all be buying them.

Except me, of course.

I'm unclear as to what your point is.

 

[fleurya]

Is it unimaginable to think that if Apple felt that the OS division was suffering, quality wise, that they would hire more programmers? It almost sounds like some people here believe that Apple's staff is locked down and they have to work with the people they have - like they can't hire any more to pick up the slack if necessary.

In the short run (estimating a year or less), yes, they are locked down. It's not as easy as running out and picking op a six-pack of programmers. If that were the case, there wouldn't be a delay on Leopard. Or, at least Apple wouldn't say personnel issues is why they had to pull people off of Leopard to finish iPhone on time.

Since I'm new to Apple, I don't know the history. How often or how long is Apple usually off from it's release dates once they are announced? A ~6 month delay seems pretty substantial. especially considering this is a minor upgrade, as everyone keeps saying to downplay the importance of Leopard. No Vista cracks, please. We're talking about Apple here and we've already heard them all.

 

[giulio]

OT...
It's true you don't have to be first. In fact, sometimes being first is being too early. SEGA made a few 'first' products. And perhaps they were too ahead of their time. Their products tanked for whatever reason, and the competitors years later did great.
First CD-based home console
First color hand held console
Why did the Sony Playstation and GameBoy color do so well? Nothing 'new' there.

Back to the thread. I would imagine that OS-building grade programmers are not dime-a-dozen.

It's funny that others ARE more upset than they let on here. I've been getting messages on the side stating so!

 

[MikeYMS]

It has often been my experience that people who want to be upset will find a reason to be upset, and stick to it...even if it's a fallacious or unreasonable point.

The world isn't going to end because Leopard is coming out in October...financial markets will not collapse...your kids will still love you...and maybe your hair won't fall out. The best thing to do is relax and realize that being mad isn't going to make it release faster.

 

[Kyomii]

I am waiting for Leopard more than the iphone, and yes, I was disappointed, but if something is worth having it is worth waiting for ;D

 

[jonnyd]

I'm unclear as to what your point is.

My original point was the same as yours. It's not creating a new market, because it doesn't do anything new.

I've no doubt they'll sell a ton of them, but from a purely personal perspective, if I look at what I actually want to carry around with me - a phone, and Ipod and some way to send/receive Email, my Ipod and Blackberry do both, in some respects better than the Iphone will. The only upside to the Iphone is I get a shiny new toy, so for the time being I'll probably pass on it.

It wasn't the same with the Ipod - when it was launched, I was given the choice between a Sony diskman, barely portable, and capable of carrying 20 tracks, or a spiffy pocket sized gadget that could take 1,000 tracks. It was a no brainer - in fact I bought my first ever Mac purely so I could buy an Ipod.

The Ipod sure seemed more revolutionary to me than the Iphone does.

 

[Tak]

I'm mildly annoyed, they have delayed something I wanted to buy for something I cannot possibly afford. "Certainly not for another year and a half till my contract expires.

We all want The new OS, how many of us can afford a $500+ Iphone? thats almost a months income for me. "Isn't disablity grand?"

 

[MikeYMS]

Well it's also been stated that there are plenty of other reasons to delay Leopard. I'd rather see a fully functioning OS without problems delayed a couple of months than one that looks as rushed as Vista is.

 

[acash0902]

how was vista rushed, it took them five years to develop and release.