THE APPLE ERA IS OVER – IT’S BECOME THE NEW MICROSOFT

Everyone’s familiar with the power of driving the masses used by Apple when launching their innovative products. However, Apple’s launch of iPhone 7 in 2016 gave us nothing out of the ordinary apart from the usual features we are used to. The only notable upgrades that came with it were water resistance, available in black and elimination of headphone jack. Nothing earth shaking!

The point emphasized is that Apple has lost its traditional sensational drive of admiration. It is crystal clear that it has reached its peak and signs have been around for a while now. Think of it in terms of sales – iPhone sales are forecast to record a decline in 2017, since crown jewel’s launch a decade ago.

People ought to have noted that something was not the same after they wowed us with their Apple Watch after a long period of dormancy, which was nothing but short of glory accustomed with the revolutionary products released earlier. The watch is a convenient device, but not an unparalleled innovation that Apple has always given us.

The main concern right now is that how can we figure out what this tech giant has in store for us. Think of all the devices they innovatively brought forth – mobile phones, Mp3 gadgets, watches and tablets. They were all in existence even before the advent of Apple, but only in immature markets until they revolutionized them.  Apple has always strived to be the best, not the first.

This comes out more clearly with their Apple Car project termed ‘Project Titan’.  Rumors has it that the company is planning to revolutionize the automotive industry with the launch of their Apple Car in 2020. After that, what will they be moving to next? Airplane? I’m pretty sure that if Steve Jobs were still alive and heading the corporation, he would have given us a better ground breaking innovation, not automotive.

The automotive industry is already very old and crowded, unlike the electronics industry. The industry is already so much advanced with reputable players, offering from the cheapest to the most affluent cars. What I’m trying to bring out is that, the automotive industry is open to earth shaking revolutions just like any other. But it’s not the most logical thing to do for a company traditionally like Apple, known to be an electronics based firm. It will be like a company such as Audi or BMW trying to revolutionize tablets and smartphones.

If you are looking up to the next biggest thing, you have to simply look elsewhere, not Apple

By the end of January 2017, it will be the end of 7 years since Apple’s dormancy begun after their last ground breaking product launch. We are left with nothing but to accept the sad conclusion that Apple’s Next Big Thing is simply not anywhere closer.

The company is not even on the rumored list of candidates most likely to disrupt the market with the next biggest thing. Oculus by Facebook, which is similar to Google Glass, is one of the strongest candidates likely to disrupt the market.

At some point, tech companies ditched their true innovativeness. Most seem to value preservation more than expansion. As the markets are now flooded with Apple’s major products, the company has nothing more to offer rather than incrementally improving those products while focusing on boosting their quarterly revenue. They have replaced innovation with acquiring smaller tech companies.

New reality for Apple – Going in Microsoft’s footsteps

The tech revolution in 1990’s was created by Microsoft.  It recorded stock growth of 9500 percent within a decade to result to global widespread of computers. The company, owned by Bill Gates rose by early 2000 to become the world’s largest company, outshining most of the American iconic companies of the likes of Coca-Cola, IBM and General Electric.  Microsoft had attained a $900 billion worth, outdoing Apple’s worth of $700 billion in 2015.

Since January 2000 when its shares were worth $58, Microsoft has been making no progress. That was the time it was at its peak. 17 years down the line, today, the shares are at $57. Once they reached their peak, investors couldn’t wait to see Microsoft produce innovative products. They want companies that are progressively growing.

So, what investors were looking for surprisingly became Apple, a company with the greatest success story in the 21^st century. Apple’s stock increased by more than 12,000 percent as from December 2000 up to May 2015. However, in the last 4 years, only an 11.6 percent growth has been realized. The company has been doing nothing since 2012 that has moved the investors.

Microsoft is today among the largest corporates on the planet with a stock value of $449 billion. However, their main setback is that it is not growing. It had attained its peak by 2000. That is exactly what is in store for Apple now.

Most of us fell in love with Apple when Steve Job was its captain. We are grateful for the changes it brought along. But Steve Jobs is no more and now it’s time to look up to the next biggest thing.

While Microsoft and Apple are attributed to the biggest names in the history of tech, these companies are not going to give us the Gates and Jobs we’ve known. The future of technology lies in the hands of the young newcomers, some of whom we are already familiar with while some are still unknown.