Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!
Yes there's that issue. How many people are really going to use those extra cameras?
My main point is that innovation seems to be on software rather than hardware. Sure some things are better but where's the new low powered screens? Getting 6 hours on a screen and a day battery is still the norm.
On top of that audio has gone downhill in general.
Why is that? Why are we still at this point?
The industry is drinking its own Kool Aid a bit too much, sadly.
I went to see the new iPhones recently. Very nice looking kits actually. Picked them up and played with them for a bit and walked away wondering - how much better IS this than the 6S I'm stuck with using at work? Clearly, there were hardware upgrades, but that question lingered for me on the ride home.
I'm thumbing through some devices myself (Mate 10 Pro, V35, XZ2) and keep asking, how much better are they than my Mi Mix 2? Not by much, really.
V35 has it beat slightly on main camera, Qi, Micro SD, 3.5mm, water resistance but is likely a bit worse on battery and behind on updates (Xiaomi audio wise is still one of the better OEMs, so this gap is smaller than it sounds). Mi Mix 2 still offers more value here.
XZ2 has it beat on water resistance, micro SD card and Qi, slightly ahead on camera and software updates. But it's behind on design and tied on audio. Mi Mix 2 offers more value here.
Mate 10 Pro has it beat on camera, water resistance and battery life. Yet it is ahead on both audio and software updates and tied on design. Mi Mix 2 offer better value here still, but a bit lower than the other comparisons.
See how much splitting hairs this is? It's really not an upgrade in Android as OEMs are still pigeonholing customers into preselected choices. And that's just in the high end space. Drop into the mid range, you've got more options/combinations (even though your actual choices are still limited). Even budget options have gotten better as the tech has trickled down.
This isn't accounting for the cutthroat second hand market. A savvy shopper can now find a great condition Mate 10 Pro, V35 and XZ2 around the same price. That's great for a buyer who doesn't need it new, but tough for a seller as people know it's a buyer's market.
Even if one goes the camera route to innovate, there are still holes (video is a weak point for Huawei, auto mode is a weak point for LG). It's really a bitter cycle pioneered by Apple: people don't want true choice, just a limited number of options packaged nicely. I doubt you'll see any new innovation until AR, battery life and how phone calls evolve (holographic?). Internet tech still isn't as ubiquitous as these companies want us to believe.
Market saturation is good and bad for consumers. The truth is most people are holding onto devices longer, so software is even more crucial. Yet OEMs don't make money on hardware. We'll see.
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