Technology Announcements Need a Reboot
Apple devices have been frequently seen as innovative, but it's slowed down in recent years. Photo by Junior Teixeira on Pexels
Apple and Sony recently held online announcements for their newest products, the iPhone 16 line and the PlayStation 5 Pro. For people amped to see the latest innovations in technology, these events are exciting occasions to view how the tools around us will evolve. Recently, the hype surrounding these events, as well as many others, has been waning.
Since the closure of massive multi-company events such as E3, technology companies have become significantly more comfortable releasing “new” versions of devices that haven’t much to distinguish themselves from their predecessors. This shift in events has resulted in some of the most infamous moments in technological announcement history, with hype declining after a handful of disappointing examples.
Technology’s streak of change in recent years has seemingly halted, despite being an industry known to move at a breakneck pace of innovation. The iPhone 16, unveiled at Apple’s "It’s Glowtime" event, has claimed to be an enormous specification boost, even though the general public has decided to entirely characterize the device by its new button. While Apple had the opportunity to add new functionality to their phone with this button, they instead made it used to take photos — essentially, the new iPhone is best known for its new way of doing an old action.
This Apple tech conference follows Apple’s May announcement of its new over $1000 iPad Pro models, which prominently display a new cutting-edge feature as being “stunningly thin.” Tech reviewers were quick to note that even though the new specifications are cutting-edge, the iPad does not need more power, but rather more innovation. The unbelievable power of the iPad line does not mean anything when the product still runs iPadOS, a fundamentally mobile and watered-down operating system from its macOS counterpart.
Unlike when tech conferences such as E3 brought together several companies competing to out-innovate one another, Apple Events and similar events were created by individual companies. This means most announcements in technological advancements are isolated from one another, meaning that tech announcements have become more like advertisements and less like showcases of development and change.
Prices have also become easier to balk at in recent years. The major takeaway from the “Playstation 5 Technical Presentation” was online sprawl showing wide hatred for the device’s lack of improvement for the $699 base console. This is a $250 hike for a mere specifications bump, with the capability to use a disc drive for an extra $80.
This increase in prices comes at the same time as college-age and young adult spenders have less income to spend. According to a CNBC study polling from a range of 18 to 34-year-olds, “Only 3% say they make enough to be ‘extremely comfortable’ and 18% say they have enough to ‘live pretty comfortably.’” 38% describe themselves as living paycheck to paycheck.
Apple and Sony are not the only offenders. Meta’s Quest 3 has been described as revolutionary technology used for a very lukewarm VR experience, with a higher price point feeling unjustified. Artificial intelligence company Humane released an AI pin, in which users ask a question into a device attached to their shirt, which garnered mass criticism online, with many arguing it’s a fundamentally ridiculous and flawed product. The device costs $699 at purchase, on top of a $24 monthly subscription.
While not necessarily a tech-focused presentation, there are some mass presentations that’ve been met with wide approval. Nintendo Directs are quickly edited live streams that usually announce dozens of games, from a wide variety of backgrounds. The quick-edited energy and broad appeal of the products, as well as the price tag being stable and predictable, leads to high levels of hope and anticipation towards these events.
While the move towards smaller, corporate-based events with high prices may take out the excitement of tuning into these events, there’s evidence these events can work. If prices are kept within reason for the target age demographic, and these events feel more exciting, these events can effectively and successfully launch new, innovative products.