The view that Apple lost its innovative edge with the sad loss of Steve Jobs has been one of the oft-repeated criticisms of the company in recent years. But this idea is based on an entirely mythological view of Apple as a company that was constantly launching ground-breaking new product categories.

The reality is a little more mundane. The Macintosh, a truly revolutionary computer, was launched in 1984. We had to wait 17 years for the next groundbreaking product: the iPod in 2001. We had to wait six years after that for the next major product category: the iPhone in 2007. And a further three years for the iPad in 2010. (If you wanted to push things a little, you could argue that the MacBook Air was also so revolutionary that it deserves to be included; if so, we’re up to five new product categories in 26 years.)

Note, too, that none of the product categories were invented by Apple. Xerox, of course, invented the graphical user interface for personal computers. There were MP3 players before the iPod; touchscreen smartphones before the iPhone; tablets before the iPad. What Apple did in each case was what the company does best: take something clunky and used only by techies, and turn it into a slick product that will appeal to the masses.

So no, Apple never has churned out revolutionary new products on an annual basis. If we’re going to assess its performance today, it has to be against a realistic background. Zac recently reminded us of Apple’s product timeline for 2015. Looking at this in the context of a company whose true history is occasionally taking a new product category and doing it better than anyone else – and in between times merely refining its existing product ranges – how did Apple do this year … ?

Firstly, of course, there was the Apple Watch. Ok, Apple announced the product in 2014, but it went on sale this year, so I’d argue it counts as a new product category in 2015. As with the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone and iPad, Apple looked at an existing invention – the smartwatch – and figured out how to do it better. Much better.

It was so successful in this that even I – a techie who normally needs little excuse to buy a new gadget, but couldn’t see the point in smartwatches – was assimilated. When we asked you to name the Apple Product of the Year, the Apple Watch was the clear winner, taking more than twice as many votes as the second-placed iPhone 6s/Plus.

Granted not all of you were sold – a recent poll showed that some 16% of owners had abandoned the device, and a further 13% are not wearing it daily – but there’s no question that the Watch is a successful product. Admittedly, Apple has declined to reveal sales numbers – stating only that sales are strong and growing – and analysts have had to make wild guesses, but it’s abundantly clear that Apple has sold more smartwatches than every other manufacturer put together. Way, way more.

One could debate the status of the iPad Pro – new product category, or just a ginormous iPad? I can see arguments on both sides. While technically it is just a larger iPad, you could equally well have argued that the iPad itself was just a larger iPod touch. Sometimes size matters.

Although I concluded that the iPad Pro wasn’t for me, I did not in any way dismiss the device. As I said at the time, it’s a great device for many people. Brilliant for artists and designers (you easily chose the Apple Pencil as Apple Peripheral of the Year). A great tool for corporate warriors. Very handy for musicians. A better choice than a laptop for those with relatively basic computing needs. And a fantastic personal entertainment machine.

Importantly, the iPad Pro – together with all those enterprise apps – is clearly going to take the enterprise market by storm.

So, new category or not, the iPad Pro will, I’m sure, prove to be a hugely valuable product for Apple, and one which could very well help the company turn around those flagging iPad sales.

Oh, and the new iPad mini brought it into line with the design and capabilities of the iPad Air 2. Not unexpected, of course, but still a worthwhile upgrade.

The 12-inch MacBook doesn’t qualify as a new product category – it’s just the latest refinement of the MacBook Air concept – but again, as product evolutions go, it’s an impressive one.

It hasn’t yet sold itself to me personally. I’m still very happy with my 11-inch MacBook Air, and appreciate the fact that this can drive my 27-inch display to provide a full desktop experience when needed.

But it takes the MacBook Air concept to the next level. Its power will of course increase, and I’m confident that support for external monitors will come. Once it’s a little more capable, I have no doubt that this is the machine that is set to replace the MacBook Air.

Admittedly, we didn’t see anything else exciting on the MacBook side. The Retina MacBook Pro got Force Touch, and a refreshed MacBook Air just got a Broadwell CPU and faster graphics. We’re going to have to wait until next year for more significant enhancements there.

On the desktop side, there were the new 4K and 5K Retina iMacs. Sure, evolution rather than revolution, but it was clear from the reviews that the 5K iMac was blowing people away. At a time when almost everyone else has given up on desktops, Apple is still there launching new products that continue to wow people.

Apple also didn’t forget desk-based customers when it came to peripherals, launching the Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad 2 and Magic Mouse 2. Again, nothing amazing (despite the names), but still keeping things fresh.

The Apple TV 4 got a more mixed reception. Many viewed it as effectively giving non-gamers a games console in their living-room for the first time, and one which will at least keep the kids amused. Siri was also welcomed by most. Others complained that it was inexplicable that a TV box launched in 2015 omitted 4K.

Finally, we have a to give a more than honorable mention to the iPhone 6s. 3D Touch expanded the capabilities of the user-interface, and the camera functionality got a big boost with Live Photos, 5MP FaceTime camera, 4K recording and 1080p slo-mo at 120fps – even if the boost from 8MP to 12MP was something of a mixed blessing.

LTE Advanced will also be appreciated once it is more widely supported. For an S-year, it’s an impressive release.

Apple cannot, of course, please all of the people all of the time. I still grumble about the disappearance of the 17-inch MacBook Pro, and still cling to the hope that the 12-inch MacBook could lead to new even-numbered sizes that at least sees a 16-inch MacBook Pro in my future.

And we’re all techies, so we’re of course always impatient for new toys. But viewed in a sensible historical context, I think we have to say that 2015 was an impressive year for Apple. Do you agree? Take our poll, and please share your reasons in the comments.

With the end of that year almost upon us, it only remains to say that I’ve had enormous fun writing these opinion pieces throughout the year, and have been very appreciative of the responses. I’ve very much enjoyed reading your comments, and look forward to doing so in 2016. Happy new year!

Filed under: AAPL Company, Opinion Tagged: 2015, 2015 review, Apple Inc, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Mac, Macintosh, Opinion, Steve Jobs

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There have been a number of predictions that Apple will next year report a year-on-year decline in iPhone shipments for the current quarter, KGI among them. Most such reports are based on extrapolating from supply chain data which attempts to estimate production volumes.

These reports contrast with Apple’s own guidance for record revenue of $75.5B to $77.5B. Tim Cook argued in October that some two-thirds of existing customers are still using older phones, leaving plenty of room for upgrades this quarter, and that Apple is winning over Android owners in record numbers.

One analyst believes he knows how the conflict can be resolved…

AAPL has had a very close eye on being able to achieve what has become a Dec Q Street iPhone estimate of 76M – 78M; we think that the company can deliver this number by building 70M – 75M and shipping the balance from inventory.

In other words, while it may have made fewer iPhone 6s/Plus models this quarter (calendar Q4 2015, Apple’s fiscal Q1 2016), it can more than make up the difference from existing stocks of older models, reports Business Insider 

Beating last year’s numbers would be quite an achievement. In 2014, the iPhone didn’t go on sale in China until the holiday quarter, meaning plenty of pent-up demand; this year, China was a launch country, so there’s no equivalent artificial boost.

The number to beat? 74.4M iPhones. We’ll find out next month.

Photo: William West/AFP/Getty Images

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: AAPL, Apple Inc, iPhone, iPhone sales Q1 2016

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The Securities and Exchange Commission has said that a resolution submitted by an Apple investor to accelerate diversity on the company’s board and among senior execs should be included in proxy materials sent to shareholders. Bloomberg reports that proposal was prompted by a conversation the shareholder had with his teenage son.

The proposal for an “accelerated recruitment policy” was submitted in September by Antonio Avian Maldonado II, who owns 645 Apple shares. He said he was spurred to act after looking at photos of the directors with his teenage son, who asked him why nearly everyone was white.

Apple rejected the proposal, stating that it was an attempt to micromanage recruitment. Apple told the SEC that it was actively trying to attract minorities but “has no power to ensure that its recruits will accept offers.” The SEC, however, does not accept Apple’s position …

The SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance said in a Dec. 11 letter that the agency didn’t agree with the company.

While the Commission has no powers to force Apple to have shareholders vote on the resolution, it could potentially bring an enforcement action against the company afterwards if it fails to do so. Bloomberg says that Apple didn’t respond to emails and phone calls, and that the SEC declined to comment on the possibility of sanctions.

Apple publishes an annual diversity report, which this year showed small improvements across the company’s total workforce, with Tim Cook acknowledging that “there is a lot more work to be done.” However, Bloomberg notes that among senior roles – those classified by Apple as Leadership positions (click the tab) – white employees this year increased from 55% to 63%, while there were falls in the percentages of those classifying themselves as Hispanic, black or multi-racial. Among racial minorities, only those listed as Asian saw an increase. Six of Apple’s eight board directors are white.

Cook has repeatedly spoken about the company’s commitment to diversity in its hiring, stating last month that “the best companies in the world will be the most diverse.” Apple also supports the Code2040 fellowship program geared toward increasing diversity in the tech industry.

Photo: SeedInvest

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple Inc, diversity, sec, Tim Cook, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

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This week, we have a special guest Greg Barbosa joining Zac to discuss our expectations for 2016 in the Apple world. It’ll be interesting to see what happens next year. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed.

New episodes of Happy Hour are available every Wednesday. As mentioned, you can download this podcast via iTunes or plug in our RSS feed link into your favorite podcasting app. Send an email to listenermail@9to5mac.com (or click here) and your question/comment may be featured in an upcoming episode of Happy Hour.

Note: iTunes (web interface and app) may still be propagating the new episode which could take up to 24 hours. Subscribing to the podcast feed will guarantee the latest episode is downloaded.

Hosts:

• Zac Hall
• Greg Barbosa

Here’s what we discussed in this episode:

• The Beatles music reportedly coming to one streaming service on Christmas Eve
• Report reiterates Beatles catalog streaming from Christmas Eve, will include Apple Music & others [U: Now official]
• Apple Music hypes The Force Awakens with new Star Wars featured station
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens soundtrack now available in Apple Music and iTunes

If you missed our 46th episode last week, you can subscribe and find every episode or start off from the previous episode here.

Remember: Subscribe on iTunes to catch all of the episodes as they go live and send in your questions/comments to listenermail@9to5mac.com.

Filed under: Happy Hour Tagged: 2016, Apple, Happy Hour, rumors, Star Wars, tech

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Earlier this year, Twitter promised a brand new Mac app with a fresh new look and a whole lot more. Today that new version is out now with a huge list of new features including a dark mode and GIF support. Twitter 4 also features a new round icon (that’s how you’ll know it’s the new version). The new version fits in much better with OS X Yosemite/El Capitan and includes a Notification Center widget in the Today view. It also includes many features that were previously only available on the mobile apps and third-party clients. Here’s everything that’s new:

Filed under: Apps Tagged: Twitter

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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Acer 1080P ultra-thin 19.5″ Display w/ DVI or VGA input (manufacturer refurb): $50 shipped

Transcend Gold Box has storage for Christmas presents that Santa forgot – 1TB SSD: $245, 128GB USB: $22, 64GB Micro/SD card: $14, more

Monoprice MFi Apple-Certified Lightning Cable Sale: 10-ft. in multiple colors $8.50 shipped (Reg. $13), more

Apple 12-inch MacBook w/ Retina display 1.2GHz/8GB/512GB: $1,400 or $1,350 w/ .edu (Reg. $1,599)

$100 iTunes Physical Gift Card for $80 shipped (20% off): save on apps, music, movies, more!

Write-Off Week™: Last chance to write off biz expenses w/ best deals on office equipment, tech, supplies, more

Starbucks $15 gift card for $10: save 30% on your favorite drinks!

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Games/Apps: Uncharted Nathan Drake Collection $27, Terraria $13, Cut the Buttons free, more iOS freebies

Disney’s Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse drops to its best price in over a year: $1 (Reg. $10)

• Daily Deals: Beats Tour2 In-Ear Headphones $99, Rocky Collection on Blu-Ray $18, more
• Linksys 802.11ac Router + Motorola SB6183 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem $180 ($220+ value)

Today is your last chance to grab a free one-day game rental from Redbox wp.me/p1xTlR-LTV https://t.co/719LjxIaza

—
9to5Toys (@9to5toys) December 30, 2015

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

B&H: $70 off Apple Watch Stainless PLUS $100 Gift card (Tax only in NY) starting at $379 effective

Apple iPad Air 2 Smart Cover $18 (Reg. $35), Smart Case $35 (Reg. $70), more

Hundreds of iOS/Mac games & apps are on sale for the holidays, these are the best ones you can’t afford to miss

iTunes is hosting a rare sale on HD movies, including $5 titles + heavily discounted bundles

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi: 16GB $250 (Orig. $399), 128GB $425 (Orig. $599)

Best Buy Apple sale: iPad Air 2 $125 off, iPad Air $100 off, iPad mini 4 $100 off, much more!

Apple TV 32GB (4th generation) w/ Siri remote + 6-ft HDMI cable: $126 shipped (~$155 value)

Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale up to 50% off: North Face jackets, Timberland boots, Nike Dri-FIT T-Shirts, more!

Fashion: Nike extra 25% off clearance – Vapor Jacket $82 (Orig. $130), more

• Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale up to 50% off: North Face, Timberland boots, more!
• Lightning 3600mAh Aukey Portable Battery Pack + MFi cable: $10 shipped
• Anker iPhone/iPad accessories: Car Chargers from $6, Nylon MFi Lightning Cable $8
• LG Music Flow P7 Bluetooth Speaker: $60 shipped (Reg. $90+)
• USB-C cables w/ Prime shipping: 3-ft for $6, 5-ft for $7, plus more
• End-of-Year Magazine Bundles w/ titles from $3.50/yr: Wired, GQ, ESPN, more
• Macbook Air 11.6″ Core i5 4GB/128GB w/.edu: $700 shipped ($750 without .edu or less)
• TurboTax 2015 for Mac/PC price drops: Deluxe $40, Premier $55, more
• Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard for iPhone/iPad/Mac: $30 (Reg. $40)
• No setup or batteries required! Belkin MFi Lightning iPad Keyboard: $34 (Reg. $60)
• Media: Burn Notice Complete Series $48 (Reg. $80), more
• Google Chromecast v1: $20 shipped (Orig. $35)
• CBS All Access: Free two-month trial for Chromecast owners ($12 value)
• Save 75% on any movie rental from Amazon, watch Marvel’s Ant-Man for just $1.50
• Year-End Android Game Deals: NBA Jam $.10, Goat Simulator $.99, more

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

This astonishingly detailed LEGO Millennium Falcon took 7,500 pieces and over a year to build

This $20,000 hoverboard can actually fly, brings 2015 to a close in spectacular fashion

• Thimble’s DIY robot subscription service launches on Kickstarter to great success
• Here are the Holiday Best Sellers from Amazon’s record-breaking year
• ShiftWear sneakers use flexible displays to showcase custom artwork on your shoes
• The new iOS-connected Hamwells e-Shower recycles your water
• Hult blends copper and concrete in a stunning modern take on the Bluetooth speaker
• Get Canary’s all-in-one home security system + air quality sensor for $179 (Reg. $200)

Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys Lunch Break

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One of the more curious ways Apple has marketed the Apple Watch from the start is as an “incredibly precise timepiece” that “keeps time to within 50 milliseconds of the definitive global time standard.” Macs and iPhones generally don’t have issues with keeping accurate time, and luxury watches actually do have a reputation for needing adjusting occasionally.

Now in a short discussion with Mashable, Apple’s Steve Jobs-approved VP of Technology Kevin Lynch has shared new details about how exactly all Apple Watches stay in perfect sync, even saying the method makes it four times better than the iPhone it relies on at timekeeping …

Lynch actually told us that “as a piece of hardware, [Apple Watch is] far more accurate as a timekeeping device than the iPhone,” said Lynch. It’s actually four times better, he noted.

“Through the whole stack, we’ve really paid attention to the accuracy,” Lynch said, adding that Apple actually tests that accuracy with high-speed cameras that watch, frame-by-frame, as the Apple Watch second hand moves around, watching closely for even a hint of latency.

Lynch also described the method Apple uses to keep the Apple Watch time as accurate as advertised:

“First of all, we’ve curated our own network time servers around the world,” said Lynch. There are, by his count, 15 such “Stratum One”-level Network Time Servers (NTP) (one level down from an atomic clock), scattered around the world. They’re all housed in buildings with GPS antennas on the roof that talk, you guessed it, to GPS satellites orbiting the earth, which all get their time information from the U.S. Naval Observatory. In other words, those satellites are all getting their times from one, big orbiting system.

Lynch added that latency with handoff between the iPhone and Apple Watch means there’s necessary corrections for time-delay in the process as well. You can read the full discussion at Mashable; it all sounds very impressive and typically Apple.

So long as the Apple Watch doesn’t get hit with any major time-related bugs like the one that made iPhones stuck in Do Not Disturb mode on New Year’s Day as Apple advertised that feature with Serena Williams, I’ll be satisfied with my Apple Watch’s timekeeping.

Filed under: Apple Watch Tagged: Apple watch, KEvin Lynch

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Prior to the launch of Apple Music, I had a Spotify Premium subscription. Although I listened to my own music a good 80% of the time, I considered the equivalent of one album purchase a month to be decent value to have access to other music when I felt like something new.

But while Spotify didn’t much change the way I listened to music, Apple Music really has. Its ‘For You’ recommendations – especially the playlists – are so good that the 20% streaming I used to do has now grown to 50%. As I mentioned in my Apple Music Diary series, the service has introduced me to more new artists I really like than Spotify did in all the years I used it – despite my initial concerns that it wouldn’t do so.

But the very effectiveness of Apple Music in introducing me to so much new music has thrown up a couple of problems …

The first is that I miss having on-demand access to those playlists when I don’t have a data connection. I spent Christmas in Hong Kong, which involved two 11-hour flights. I’m not much of a TV or movie guy, so I listen to a lot of music when travelling. I’d saved a few For You playlists to my iPhone, but of course couldn’t access new ones.

I’d love it if Apple Music auto-downloaded the most recent For You playlists whenever I’m on Wi-Fi so that they were available to me when I don’t have access to mobile data.

It could work just like subscribed podcasts, where we specify the number of playlists to keep. Apple’s Podcast app, for example, lets us choose between the 2, 3, 5 and 10 most recent. In that way, we have access to them when we need them without taking up lots of storage. And by limiting the downloading to when we’re on Wi-Fi, it wouldn’t use any mobile data.

The other issue I really wish Apple would solve once and for all is lyrics. There have been a wide range of third-party solutions for adding lyrics to music on Apple devices, both for iTunes on the Mac and the Music player on the iPhone. MusixMatch, for example, displays lyrics in the Notification Center.

But third-party apps suffer from three issues. First, they don’t offer lyrics for every track. It depends on whether Apple includes the data in the track, or whether they can be matched from independent sources. Second, they sometimes have a clunky UI – like having to view the Notification Center rather than staying in the Music app. Third, it’s not unusual for an iTunes update to break a lyrics plugin on the Mac. I’ve had several over the years that worked well for a time but stopped working temporarily or permanently following a new version of iTunes.

Apple says that it cares deeply about music, and to me lyrics are fundamental to much of my favorite music. Apple is in the perfect position to solve the problem once and for all: agree with the labels that they provide embedded lyrics, and make lyric display a standard feature in both Music and iTunes.

Would either feature be of interest to you? Please let us know by taking our poll. If you have Apple Music feature requests of your own, please share them in the comments.

Image: TNT

Filed under: Apple Music, Feature Request Tagged: Apple Inc, Apple Music, Apple Music lyrics, iPhone, iTunes, iTunes lyrics, Music

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Apple will be offering two new workshops at Apple Stores in the new year, CNET reports, each designed to help customers bring out their artistic side. One is geared to creative photography techniques on the iPhone, while the other is about using iPads for sketching, drawing and painting.

“We’ll help you try out various accessories and techniques — like long exposure for light trails, using Time-lapse to show progression, or getting up close with nature using a macro lens,” Apple said in a statement. “Then, we’ll explore artistic ways to adjust and edit your photos, so you can create a work of art, find your style, or just improve your skills.”

Both workshops are part of Apple’s Start Something New campaign, first launched a year ago by using retail stores as temporary art galleries …

They are in addition to the introductory iPhone Photography and Videography workshops already offered in stores. At the time of writing, the new workshops were not yet listed on Apple’s website, but CNET reports that they will be offered at all Apple Stores worldwide.

If you’re in New York, Apple is also hosting a special art-themed event at its West 14th Street store on the evening of January 7th.

Join us for a special evening with artists Tiffany Bozic, Jake Sargeant, William Hundley, Greg Barth, and Bernhard Lang. Hear these talented illustrators, digital artists, and photographers discuss their work with moderator Evan Pricco, Editor of “Juxtapoz Magazine.” And see how they use iPhone, iPad, and Mac—along with great apps and accessories—to produce their art. Then get up close with each of them to ask questions and learn about techniques that can help you create your own amazing art.

The user-interface on Apple’s Start Something New campaign page is not for those still feeling a little queasy from over-indulgence over the holidays …

Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices Tagged: Apple Inc, ART, Creativity, drawing, iPad, iPad art, iPhone, iPhone photography, painting, Photograph, sketching

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Every time we post an Apple TV-related opinion piece, the comments show that some people are still really upset that Apple left 4K Ultra HD support out of the fourth-generation model when new Roku and Amazon boxes included it. It seems like merely mentioning the new Apple TV is enough to start fights, which commenters have spread from article to article without resolution. So we wanted to give everyone with opinions (strong or otherwise) a place to share their thoughts on this subject — hopefully to spark an intelligent, well-reasoned discussion.

Does 4K support matter at this point, given how many/few 4K TV sets are in use today? It’s been suggested by some that it really should have been included in the new Apple TV, given that 4K video recording was a major new feature for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. But there are also a few reasons 4K support might have made the set top box impractical to release this year…

If you just want to say “yes, 4K matters” or “no, it doesn’t,” take the poll here and register your opinion. But we’d really like to hear your personal reasons for caring or not caring. Share them with us below.

My perspective? I don’t yet own an 4K Ultra HD TV, so 4K support doesn’t currently matter much to me — and I like the new Apple TV just fine without it. But I am recording all of my iPhone 6s Plus videos in 4K so I can go back to them in the future and watch them in “Ultra HD” whenever I buy a 4K TV. Recent sale prices have been extremely tempting.

If I was guessing as to why 4K was left out of this year’s model, my suspicions would be:

1. The uncertain state of 4K video codec licensing when Apple was finalizing the device’s specifications. An industry group called HEVC Advance was attempting to extort high licensing fees for 4K devices and streams using H.265 technology, which Apple seemingly dodged by using older H.264 technology for iPhone 4K recordings. I suspect Apple will switch to H.265 now that royalty disputes with HEVC Advance have been… sort of settled.
2. That’s sort of how Apple TV rolls. Apple used 1080p support (and little else) to differentiate the third-generation Apple TV from the second-generation model. A “new” Apple TV with 4K could get a new launch and new publicity.
3. It probably would have required a better A-series processor. It’s easy to say “come on, Apple, add 4K,” but not as easy to implement — assuming Apple follows tradition and “does it right.” Supporting 4K video streaming would have been fairly easy with the A8 processor. But since the Apple TV plays games now, Apple wouldn’t support 4K videos without also supporting 4K games, which (think back to the iPad 3) would likely require an A9X-equivalent chip just to deliver A8-like frame rates at 4K resolutions. If Apple had added 4K support without a suitable processor, developers and customers would have complained that perfectly playable 1080p iOS games were stuttering at 4K resolutions. Supporting only 1080p made iOS ports easier (and generally problem-free) until A9X or A10 processors are widely available and more affordable. That’s why I’d guess we’re at least a year away from Apple TV with 4K functionality; it would also explain the new form factor’s huge focus on chip cooling.

What are your thoughts?

Filed under: Apple TV, General, iOS Devices Tagged: 4k, Apple TV, Reader Brawl

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