iPhones used to be bold

It's late. The Apple conference is about to begin. I have it ready to watch on my Macbook. Not that I care. I mean I'm only watching ironically. Not like those other people who are tuning in who really care and get worked up by phones. Oh no. Not me. I'm totally only doing this because I thought it would be funny.

I tune out and hop over to YouTube whilst also checking the blogs. Waiting for the first wave of influencers to tell me what they're contractually allowed to. Good to get authentic view points on these things.

And as the 'one more thing' rolls over and finishes I reflect on the moment and ponder my feelings.

Have a load of this Apple

The iPhone X. Brilliant. That display. It has a ton of benefits and features that I'll probably forget all about not longer after it is launched. Just like Force Touch, or 3D touch or whatever that thing was called when I press a little too hard and a menu pops up. Still it is beautiful and bigger.

So that's a big tick in my book. It looks good.

Well apart from that top bit. That's clunky and message. [Insert some generic and uninformed comment on what Steve Jobs would have done here]

Okay, so next up with have Face ID. Which is brilliant. I have a Face. Unlike fingers which I regularly forget to take with me or take off at night, I keep my face on me at all times. No more will I have that awkward moment on the tube where I press my finger to unlock Apple Pay while looking at where I'm going. I can now stare at my phone and the Oyster card reader at the same time.

Finally we have our killer feature. Animoji. Emoji based on Anime characters from Manga Video UK's back catalogue. Niche but powerful.

Oh. Animated Emoji. Well at first I was like :) then I was more :( but finally I was totally :D

I have to admit though that the best thing that really stood out for me was the design. That edge to almost edge display. It's so unlike the last phone. Which will show everyone that I've got the latest phone. Not like one of those uncool nerds that carry last year's model or even worse a Samsung model.

What happened to innovation and being bold

Nothing. It is right there, in all those things we commentators poke holes in and ridicule. Apple, Samsung and many other companies are pushing the very limits of technology and innovation. Those things that we decry are the bold innovation we're crying out for.

Yet every year we degrade into pointing out why something isn't amazing. Why something is just pointless. The truth of it is though that all the industry people, the tech commentators and even influencers don't actually command what is amazing.

The real world does. People using these features, everyday in their own ways. That will be where amazing is made. Does Apple always get it right? No but neither does any company (remember the Samsung S4's overloaded gimmicks) but at the end of it all when the features meet the world, wonder can be decided. The boldness is there, we just shouldn't mistake a bold move for an amazing move. Only time tells that.

The iPhone itself was amazing in the hands of real people. The Phablet became a thing. iPad jokes were quickly brushed aside. It was never the camera on the iPhone that was amazing but how simple it was for everyday people to share their creations.

At the end of it all, let those of us who feel the need to comment on things, be excited to see what everyday people do next. Yes, see the potential and pitfalls but let's follow the story of technology beyond the Keynote. Let's explore the impact it'll bring to the everyday and stick with the story. Too much rushing from one clickbait moment to the next means we never take time to asset value.

The iPhone is bold. We just don't know what bits of boldness are amazing. Yet.

It might be a case of ten years down the line people are getting fatigue. Maybe the phone industry is growing up but let us hold on to our childhood glee.

Then we can really see what amazing is, not just to us but to everyone.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.