Not other smartphones, but Apple Watch will beat iPhones
What's the story
This year's Apple event, while underwhelming, spelled out a new reality. Unlike previous Apple events, the stand-out product of this year's event was not one of the three iPhones, but the Apple Watch Series 4. This fact itself underscores what many have been whispering - the iPhones are losing their lustre. So what does Apple's future look like? We decode.
Trends
Considering iPhones' trajectory since 2014, Apple must have foreseen it
This new reality, however, has been in the making for a while now. Since 2014, iPhones have been incrementally boring, save for the iPhone X which saw its unique, notched display design facilitate an entirely new debate on smartphone design. Further, while iPhones became boring and reeked of a lack of innovation, Apple kept hiking their prices.
iPhones
Well, recent iPhones have been quite boring
In 2014, Apple, starting with the iPhone 6, introduced 'Plus' variants for iPhones, keeping in line with the trend of larger displays. 2015's stand-out feature was the integration of iPhones with Apple Watches. 2016 saw the headphone jack removed from the iPhone 7. Finally, 2017 saw the iPhone X, with its FaceID and notched display. Barring 2017, there wasn't much innovation to be seen.
Prices
iPhones became drab, but prices went up
So, while iPhones started getting more and more drab, their prices kept increasing. The base model of the iPhone 6 Plus saw a $250 price hike compared to the top model of the iPhone 5S. While iPhone 6-esque prices became the norm for three odd years, Apple hiked the iPhone's price by another $300 with the launch of the iPhone X.
Returns?
Despite escalating prices, new iPhones don't have much to offer
Currently, the latest iPhone XS Max, with 512GB internal storage, costs a whopping $1,449, making it the most expensive iPhone ever made. What does the iPhone XS Max have to offer for that $1,449? Not much except for upgrades to features already seen in the iPhone X. Understandably, many Apple fanboys are considering foregoing an iPhone upgrade this year altogether.
Apple Watch
The Apple Watch's story, however, has been different
The story of the Apple Watch, however, has been different. Starting out as an underdog product in a world which hardly knew wearables, the Apple Watch, over the past few years, has managed to not just become the world's favorite wearable, but also the world's highest-selling watch. With over-the-counter EKG-capable Apple Watch Series 4, the hype seems like it's here to stay.
Novelty
Compared to iPhones, Apple Watches have been refreshingly new
It's worth noting that while Apple has milked the iPhone till it turned sour, the Apple Watch series, like the early days of the iPhone, is on an upswing now. With notable hardware and software upgrades making its way into every iteration, Apple Watches, from the water-resistant Series 2, to the cellular-capable Series 3, to the EKG-capable Series 4, have consistently offered novel features.
Innovation
The Apple Watch has some years to go before stagnation
Of course, like every other product, there will come a time when the Apple Watch, like the iPhone, will become saturated and stagnant insofar as innovation is concerned. However till such time, a few more years of novel features, innovation, and design overhauls can be expected for the Apple Watch Series. That said, we'll have to wait and see where Apple places its priorities.