On Tuesday, Apple released a series of updates regarding its iPad, new gadgets, and a fancy red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
The announcements were not met with too much excitement, perhaps because iPad sales have been declining over the past few years, due to more affordable alternatives appearing on the market.
Furthermore, security leaks have forced the tech giant to shun their latest endeavors and to continue developing their products to stay relevant for the public.
It seems that Apple is looking at international markets as an alternative to its loyal U.S. based audience, as iPad sales have dropped 22 percent in the States, while in China and India saw a significant growth in iPad sales.
To nurture this new approach, Apple is trying to teach children and adults how to code through a new app called Playground, which uses Swift, Apple’s own programming language. Now, Swift Playgrounds is available in Simplified Chinese.
Apple gathers its cards and looks at what’s next
For years now, Apple has focused on younger audiences to maintain itself as a brand based on its consumers, creating a lasting relationship and encouraging the acquisition of its whole family of products. According to Synchronoss Technologies’ Daniel Ives, Apple knows how to employ education to maintain itself as the primal consumer brand.
Analysts suggest that younger generations like to feel identified with products and trends, while also rejecting what older generations represent. Also, older generations tend to adopt the way of life of younger generations, which is why it is important for tech companies to have an educational approach to make their products everlasting among their consumers.
On the other hand, Apple would not like to leave its U.S. consumers, which is why it slashed its iPad price to $329, the lowest ever for the product. Because it seems that younger audiences enjoy cheap and reliable products, analysts also believe that the company will eventually be forced to release a student-level computer to please those yearning for an Apple product that does not cost several hundreds of dollars.
Among the products announced, there’s the sly filing of a patent showing a computer frame that allows users to transform their iPhone into a Macbook, which perhaps may be the solution to the cheap notebook problem.
Apparently, the patent shows how the iPhone would provide the computer frame with power and an auxiliary operating system, using it as a projector for what’s visible on the iPhone’s screen. It seems that an iPad could also be coupled to the port where the screen sits. Also, the computer frame would have computing power for itself, although the iPhone or iPad would do most of the processing. The iPhone would be inserted into a slot in the lower lid, making it look like a laptop’s touchpad.
The patent is titled ‘Electronic accessory device,” and the company has not made any formal announcement as of yet. Apple Insider notes that it is unlikely that the patent will manifest itself as a commercial product, although anything may be possible if Apple is forced to adapt to a new market strategy.
Source: CNBC