The Cupertino tech giant is taking a more step-by-step approach.
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Change of strategy
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Apple is known for its two important keynotes that take place every year. This always follows a fixed schedule: new software is announced during the WWDC in June, after which the hardware products are unveiled during the Apple event in September. However, that seems to be changing. According to Mark Gurman, Apple Expert at Bloomberg, Apple is “very slightly” moving away from major launches. According to him, Apple Intelligence is proof of this. iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia debuted without Apple Intelligence features, while this was a major focus at WWDC earlier this year. Apple Intelligence will be launched gradually in small updates and will not be available in its entirety until 2025.
More and more complexity
It seems that Apple is adopting a strategy these days of releasing products when they are ready, rather than pushing to release devices on a planned timeline. This is because the product range is becoming increasingly larger and more complex, and with it the software. Nowadays there are various iPhones, iPads, Macs, AirPods and Apple Watches, but not every device needs a complete update every year. We already saw this, for example, with the Apple Watch Ultra and the iPhone SE. In addition, some innovations also take more time, such as Apple Intelligence.
Moreover, things sometimes go wrong: this year Apple had to withdraw the new M4 iPad Pro models due to errors. The beta versions of watchOS 11.1 and HomePod Software 18.1 were also removed due to significant issues.
In the past, Apple has also delayed software features and only introduced them in later updates. But these new features were only announced at launch. However, with Apple Intelligence, the announcements are made well in advance, while the launch will take place many times later, indicating a deliberate strategy.
Phased approach
Apple will probably not stop the annual release of the iPhone, but some products will take a little longer to be updated. As for the MacBook and iPad, these are expected at different times of the year, and are not linked to specific moments such as WWDC and the iPhone event in September.
Gurman argues that this phased approach by Apple can result in more innovation due to fewer time constraints, and that this strategy makes Apple less predictable; something Apple strives for. So in the end, if all goes well, this can only benefit the products.