If it has been a while since you have considered an Apple product, there are some good reasons why you might want to pop into your nearest Apple retailer.
It is understandable if you have been hesitant. After all, no one wants to be mocked because of their personal technology choices. Some of the ads put out by certain Apple competitors seem to be mean-spirited cheap shots aimed at the people who use the products.
Apple is also the largest company in the world by market cap. That makes them an irresistibly large target for just about everyone. That makes it very likely that you have heard some negative things that are probably not true.
The best way to cut through the noise is to visit a knowledgeable retailer and ask questions, get some hands-on time with the latest products, and decide for yourself. This is not the Apple run by Steve Jobs all those years ago. And that’s a good thing. Here’s why:
We’ve Come a Long Way Since the iPod
If you listen hard enough, you can still hear Steve Jobs saying that people don’t want to rent music. They want to own it. Steve Jobs was wrong. People absolutely want to rent music and seem to have little interest in owning it.
Today’s Apple offers a complete streaming solution that does not require you to own music. Recently, music streaming services have outpaced downloads. The iPod was for people who owned music. Now, a new player is in town.
Say hello to the HomePod. Wherever you can buy Apple HomePod speakers, you will likely be able to give them a listen first. Many places have them set up in stereo pairs.
HomePod is a streaming-only speaker. It connects via AirPlay 2, and has direct voice control of Apple Music exclusively. It has no input jack in the back for playing your collection from a CD player. You might think this is a limitation until you realize how easy it is to play directly from your iPhone, Mac, or direct from Apple Music.
This is not your father’s iPod. It is hard to imagine this product even existing a few years ago. Today, it is hard to imagine a product like this not existing. If you haven’t seen one for yourself, it is worth checking out in person.
Watch Your Step
The Apple Watch was one of the last products Steve Jobs had a hand in. It has evolved to become a full wrist computer, far distancing itself from the simple step counters offered by the competition. It is one of the best examples of what makes Apple such a compelling company.
You can buy an iPhone and be perfectly happy. You don’t have to own any additional Apple products to get what you paid for. But when you add an Apple Watch, you increase your experience by an order of magnitude.
The watch and the phone do not feel like two devices. In practice, they feel like one device in two parts. Smart watches from other companies just feel like add-ons you can take or leave.
Never Resting on Success
Apple is a company that is never satisfied with its current level of success. The fact that the iPhone has an iron grip on profits in the smartphone industry does not stop them from bringing more high-end offerings at competitive prices.
While it is true that most of Apple’s profits come from the iPhone, that doesn’t mean that they are resting on their past successes. When Apple does unpopular things like eliminate the headphone jack and Home button, they are not being arbitrary. They are making room for future innovations.
A 15” MacBook Pro is impossibly thin and light compared to what was possible just a few years ago. And don’t let anyone tell you they are less powerful. The newly released notebooks are more powerful than ever, and with longer battery life.
Even though they sometimes miss the mark, Apple is always aiming for the future. You can see that clearly in the HomePod, the Apple Watch, the iPhone X, and the new generation of Mac laptops. If it has been a while since you have visited your nearest Apple retailer, the current lineup is more than worth the trip.
