Dinding taman Apple sedang roboh

Sitting in a suburban Cincinnati Starbucks in early 2008, I had a realization that would change everything. A friend showed me his new phone, an iPhone, and loaded a website. As he passed the phone across the table to me, I scrolled down the page, feeling the weight of something significant in my hands. “There it is,” he said, “The internet on my phone.” It was a moment that felt like watching something fragile fall, knowing it would soon be everywhere.

The early days of the iPhone were powerful and exciting, but not dominant. People still carried a variety of phones back then, from Nokias to HTCs, but over time, one by one, they were seemingly replaced with the same device: the iPhone. Even though I didn’t cover smartphones at the time, I could sense the energy around a new iPhone launch was different. It felt like an event that made everyone stop and take notice, reverberating across the country.

Fast forward to last fall, after intense testing of the iPhone 15 Pro, I visited my wireless carrier’s store. Chatting with a sales associate as he swapped my eSIM for a physical SIM card, I asked, “What do you think of the new iPhones?” His response was nonchalant, “Eh, they’re just phones.” It was clear that iPhones had become just tools, a necessity rather than an excitement.

Apple, despite its efforts to diversify, still heavily relies on iPhone sales for its revenue. The company has built walls around its garden, pushing customers to use its own products and services. However, as smartphone sales decline and the replacement cycle lengthens, iPhones are no longer the groundbreaking devices they once were. The sense of urgency to upgrade has faded as technology has improved over the years.

With Apple’s focus on iPhone sales, the company faces challenges as the smartphone market shifts. Maintaining control over its ecosystem and services, such as iMessage and the App Store, Apple aims to keep customers locked in. However, as competition grows and consumer preferences change, the company may need to adapt its strategies to stay relevant.

From the early days of the iPhone to the present, Apple has navigated a changing landscape in the smartphone industry. As the company continues to innovate and evolve, the future of the iPhone remains uncertain in a market where devices have become more appliance-like than ever before.