I’ve owned and used various Apple products over the years. Right now, I’m typing this blog post on an iPad Pro, tethered to my iPhone 6S Plus, while glancing at my Apple Watch to make sure I don’t miss my next appointment. When I get home, I’ll probably watch Netflix on my TV via an Apple TV, then check emails on my iMac before bed.
Which brings me to September—when Apple announced yet another keynote event, and despite my growing cynicism, I was excited.
The rumor mill had been working overtime, and, in hindsight, with frightening accuracy. Mock-ups of the new iPhone had been plastered all over the internet, but I still stayed up to watch the keynote live. Why? Because Apple has always insisted that they sell an experience—a seamless integration of hardware and software. I’d seen the leaks, but I hadn’t seen how they’d make it work.
The live stream came from the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple’s new spaceship-like campus. It was our first real glimpse of the place, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that the theater looked suspiciously like a mausoleum.
Then things got eerie.
The keynote began with a Steve Jobs tribute video, accompanied by a quote. Suddenly, the entire event started feeling less like a product launch and more like a spiritual gathering. Now, don’t get me wrong—I likeSteve Jobs. I get that he made Apple. But he’s gone. The best way to honour his legacy isn’t through endless tributes—it’s by continuing to make fun, innovative, and user-friendly products.
And yet, there we were.
First up was the iPhone 8, which Apple proudly declared was “the greatest iPhone we’ve ever built.”
This grand title lasted all of 30 minutes before it was promptly dethroned by the iPhone X.
But before we talk about the X, let’s break down what’s so new about the 8:
- A new chip (now more powerful than last year’s laptop CPUs)
- Camera software tweaks (AI-powered lighting effects and cropping)
- A glass back (allegedly the “toughest glass ever made”)
- Wireless charging (finally catching up to Android from 2015)
And let’s be real–
- No one was complaining about chip performance– iPhones have consistently outperformed their Android rivals
- No amount of AI magic will suddenly make us better photographers
- Glass backs are a disaster waiting to happen (read: more money for AppleCare repairs)
So what did Apple really do? They skipped the usual “S” model, slapped on a $50 price hike, and rebranded it as the iPhone 8.
At first, I thought I was being overly critical. But judging by the slow pre-order numbers and no launch-day lines, I wasn’t the only one feeling underwhelmed.
And Then Came the iPhone X…
Now, thanks to leaks, I already knew what the iPhone X would look like. This was supposed to be Apple’s answer to the edge-to-edge displays that Android manufacturers had been perfecting for two years.
The solution? A giant notch.
Yes, that weird cutout at the top of the screen where Apple crammed its sensors and front-facing camera. Fans had already mocked up elegant ways Apple could have handled it. But nope—Apple went full send with the ugliest, most distracting design possible.
Compare Apple’s (left) and a fan’s (right) approach:-
Apple also removed Touch ID entirely, replacing it with Face ID—a fancy face-mapping technology supposedly more secure than fingerprints (unless you have a twin, in which case, good luck).
Under the hood, it was eerily similar to Microsoft’s first-gen Kinect—projecting 30,000 invisible dots onto your face, then scanning them to recognize you.
And then… things got weirder.
In what can only be described as surreal, senior Apple execs took turns demonstrating the power of the iPhone X’s facial recognition sensors—by mapping their faces onto animated chickens, unicorns, aliens, and, yes… poop emojis.
This was the moment when I knew Steve Jobs must have rolled in his grave at least five times.
At the time of writing, the iPhone X hadn’t started shipping yet, and pre-orders weren’t open. But one thing was certain—$999 for a base model was insane.
Sure, some die-hard Apple fans would still buy it (because Apple), but that price tag alone would scare off plenty of potential buyers.
I haven’t been excited about Apple in a long time. Their product “advancements” feel more like incremental updates rather than true innovations. But this keynote was especially bad because of the unrealistic hype Apple had built up.
Maybe I should just end this the way I started it (with some amendments, of course):
I’ve owned and used various Apple products for years. But honestly? I’m slowly trying to detach myself from this ecosystem—because, frankly, Apple… I’m just not feeling the love anymore.
I’m typing this post on an iPad Pro (using a third-party keyboard case because Apple’s is overpriced and inferior), tethered to my iPhone 6S Plus (which, by the way, had decent battery life until I installed iOS 11), while checking my Apple Watch (which I only wear because there’s no better alternative).
But here’s what’s changed:
- I’ve stopped using my MacBook—because Microsoft’s Surface Pro is just better as a general-purpose laptop.
- I’ve stopped using Apple’s apps—I now sync all my photos to Google Photos, stopped using Apple Keynote, and let’s be real: iPhoto is a toy compared to Adobe Lightroom.
- I’m waiting for more streaming services—because I’ve long since stopped buying movies from the iTunes Movie Store.
- And my iMac? Crawling at a snail’s pace, because every MacOS update makes it slower and slower.
And when I sleep, I wonder…
Do Androids dream of Apple users as electric sheep?