Over the past few weeks, Apple has unveiled a plethora of bizarre, upcoming changes to their product lines. While some of these decisions have already resonated well with consumer audiences, others have been met with a far worse initial reception.
It remains unclear how these changes will shape Apple’s image looking forward, but there are a few key takeaways we can already break down.
iTunes to shut down
The well-established digital media program of 18 years is finally coming to an end. Apple announced Monday three individual apps (for music, podcasts and TV) will take the place of iTunes.
Max Rothenberg | Argonaut
This change has been a long time coming, but even for those who still rely exclusively on the program, don’t fret too much. The change will not take place until fall, when macOS Catalina releases. And even then, any iTunes content will still be accessible — it just won’t be actively supported. Instead, a user’s library content will be transferred to the new app upon updating the software.
It’s absolutely still a hassle, but a necessary one for Apple to truly keep up with other platforms like Spotify, Pandora and Amazon Music.
In an age of streaming and purely digital access, this feels like a welcome change for many. Apple’s music platform was notoriously difficult to use and troublesome, and the company was already leaning on Apple Music’s development going forward. The only question that remains is: What about those who are opposed to the future of streaming, or do not have the internet to support it?
The new $5000 Mac Pro
Apple recently unveiled their new workhorse — a modernized beast of a desktop with a 32 inch, 6K monitor. The cherry on top? The $1000 monitor stand, which brings the total to well over $6000.
It’s hard to picture the exact audience who would be interested in this computer, and it’s safe to say few are seated in Moscow. But if one has the funds, why not? The Mac Pro should be equipped to handle literally anything, except for the inevitable daily crashing of Safari tabs. Sure it looks like a cheese grater, but maybe that’s what Apple was going for all along.
iOS 13 and dark mode
Perhaps the most exciting element of this list, iPhone users will finally be able to experience the long-awaited dark mode. Aesthetically pleasing and helpful in reducing eye strain, this sleek option is also rumored to drastically improve battery life by shutting off unneeded pixels. Of course, it may be more difficult to see text in certain environments, but that’s just a minor nitpick.
iPadOS
For the dozen or so Moscow residents who own an iPad, this is big news. This change will finally help the tablet break the mold of simply being a larger, bulkier iPhone, and will provide better usage of its large screen size. The problem, however, is the comparison is likely to simply shift — now to a worse, unnecessary version of a laptop.
iPod Touch (7th Generation)
Sometimes the question has to be asked — why? This device was hardly necessary five years ago, but I struggle to think of a single scenario where it’s needed in 2019. A watered-down iPhone from years past, I suspect this new entry will struggle in developing an identity of its own. While the cost is low (which could be its saving grace), this is due to the specs heavily lacking.
There’s just nothing exciting going on, with one exception. The headphone jack has made a triumphant return, so if that’s what it takes to buy an iPod Touch in 2019, so be it.
Max Rothenberg can be reached at [email protected]