For those who may not know, Ben Thompson is quite frankly one of the best thinkers when it comes to Apple and the tech industry as a whole. Hence, whenever he has something to say about Apple, I take note.
Here’s Ben Thompson’s thoughts on Apple’s iPad event:
This, then, is my concern: Apple is in great shape, and executing wonderfully. Both new iPads look fantastic, and I want both of them. But I’m already a convert! There are many more customers who don’t yet know that the “computer for the rest of us” exists, and Apple itself doesn’t seem to know how to tell that story. Look at the ad previewed in the keynote:
There are no stories, and there are no humans. It’s clever yet abstract, remarking upon what has happened, without a vision for what is now possible. That’s the thing about stories: the best storytellers – like Jobs – are so compelling because they have vision. They see what we don’t see, and they can’t be more excited to tell us about just that.
Does Apple still have vision? Yesterday’s presentation did not, and I wonder just how costly last year’s departure might have been.
Coincidentally, this is what I had to say about the event yesterday on Google +:
Just wanted to say, that as a huge Apple fan, this is the first event that made me go: HUH, Is that it!
But on reflection I think Apple has another event up its sleeve that will happen between now and the end of January 2014. At this event we’ll learn more about Apple TV and probably iWatch.