Millions of People Will Buy the Apple iPhone 5 for No Apparent Reason

If anyone but Apple released a major new product whose most unique selling point was a new accessory plug, consumers would jump ship faster than rats on the Titanic.

But not for the iPhone 5. Analysts predict it could be the greatest selling gadget of all time, right behind the nearly identical iPhone 4S, which was nearly identical to the iPhone 4. That's three three major releases over two-and-a-half years and the most Apple lovers have to show is an inch of screen and a talking assistant that basically has no idea what you're saying. Worse, Apple didn't even build that. They bought it.

At any other company, heads would roll, at Apple they'll be rolling in money - as much as $36 billion in new sales, according to a Bloomberg analysis. But can the party really last, and at this point who's really copying whom?

Samsung already has much of what the iPhone 5 is selling. Bigger screen. Check. Lighter body. Check. Works with high-speed cellular networks. Check. As for that special new accessory plug, well that one is exclusive to Apple, who is kind enough to sell you a $29 converter for all the gadgets you bought for the old plug.

The company also proudly touted major new software innovations like turn-by-turn directions and better photo sharing with Facebook, except you can do both on other phones already.

Still Apple sounded impressed with itself at Wednesday's marketing bachanal. The one-inch the company added to the iPhone's screen? "We've worked on that for a few years," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president for marketing, "to come to what we think is the optimal size to give you more screen, but something that is super comfortable, easy to use and is thin and light and fits in your pocket."

Give them a few more years and one can barely imagination the innovation that's possible: an alarm clock with multiple snooze buttons; a better space bar; another accessory plug?

"Apple has never been stronger," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. Certainly true for the balance sheet, but can the same be said about the product line?

If all of this sounds like I'm an Apple hater, you've got the wrong guy. I'm just disappointed with the company I've loved since I was child. I've bought just about everything Apple's made since the Apple II Plus came out in 1979. I own two iPads, two Airbooks and a 20" iMac. I have a closet full of old iPods. And come Sept 21, I'll probably be standing on line with millions of other Americans buying an iPhone 5. Only this time, I won't really know why.

Loading Slideshow

• An Associated Press reporter holds the Apple EarPods during a product review in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• The Apple EarPods are shown during a product review in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• The new Apple iPhone 5 is displayed Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012 following the introduction of new products in San Francisco. The iPhone 5 is a blend of beauty, utility and versatility. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple unveils new iPhone model

  Technology giant Apple has unveiled a raft of updated products including the latest model of its new iPhone. The iPhone 5, which weighs in at 112 grammes, has a 4in screen - half an inch bigger than previous models, at Kings Place, Central London.

• Apple Introduces iPhone 5

  SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: The new iPhone 5 is displayed during an Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on September 12, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Apple announced the iPhone 5, the latest version of the popular smart phone. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

• Apple Introduces iPhone 5

  SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller announces the new iPhone 5 during an Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on September 12, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Apple announced the iPhone 5, the latest version of the popular smart phone. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

• Apple Introduces iPhone 5

  SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: The new iPhone 5 is displayed during an Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on September 12, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Apple announced the iPhone 5, the latest version of the popular smart phone. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

• <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/12/apple-iphone-5-liveblog/" target="_hplink">Courtesy of Engadget.</a>

• <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/12/apple-iphone-5-liveblog/" target="_hplink">Courtesy of Engadget.</a>

• <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/12/apple-iphone-5-liveblog/" target="_hplink">Courtesy of Engadget.</a>

• <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/12/apple-iphone-5-liveblog/" target="_hplink">Courtesy of Engadget.</a>

• Apple Introduces iPhone 5

  SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller announces the new iPhone 5 during an Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on September 12, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Apple announced the iPhone 5, the latest version of the popular smart phone. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks on stage during an introduction of the new iPhone 5 at an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• The iPhone 5 is shown during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks on stage during an introduction of the new iPhone 5 at an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Apple Introduces iPhone 5

  SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller announces the new iPhone 5 during an Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on September 12, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Apple announced the iPhone 5, the latest version of the popular smart phone. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

• Apple Introduces iPhone 5

  SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on September 12, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Apple announced the iPhone 5, the latest version of the popular smart phone. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks about camera quality of the iPhone 5 during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks on stage during an introduction of the new iPhone 5 at an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Tim Cook

  Apple CEO Tim Cook talks on stage during the introduction of the new iPhone 5 in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, gives prices of the iPhone 5 during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• The Foo Fighters perform during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks on stage about new connectivity options during an introduction of the new iPhone 5 in San Francisco, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Greg Joswiak

  CORRECTS ID TO GREG JOSWIAK, NOT EDDY CUE - Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Product Marketing, speaks about EarPods during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Tim Cook

  Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks in front of an image of the iPhone 5 during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Tim Cook

  Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• The Foo Fighters perform during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, gives release dates of the iPhone 5 during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks on stage about the introduction of a new operating system during an introduction of the new iPhone 5 in San Francisco, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks on stage about new connectivity options during an introduction of the new iPhone 5 in San Francisco, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks on stage about new connectivity features during an introduction of the new iPhone 5 in San Francisco, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, talks about the features of the new camera and iSight during an introduction of the new iPhone 5 at an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks about camera quality of the iPhone 5 during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks in front of an image of the iPhone 5 during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks in front of an image of the iPhone 5 during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Tim Cook

  Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks in front of an image of an iPad during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

• Phil Schiller

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks on stage during an introduction of the new iPhone 5 at an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Apple iPhone

• Apple Introduces iPhone 5

  SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller announces the new iPhone 5 during an Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on September 12, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Apple announced the iPhone 5, the latest version of the popular smart phone. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

 

Comments

[UsedMobiles]

08:16 AM on 10/14/2012

Here i am with one of the few reasons :

http://usedmobiles.com.au/reasons-to-buy-iphone5/

PS :not a Fanboy, but give credit where it is due

[Julius Jeppe]

02:39 AM on 09/27/2012

Neil Katz - You are a little android fanboy beech.

[Nancy Boutilette]

08:20 PM on 09/23/2012

I agree w you! I have the iPhone 4, can upgrade,own four lines, yet am not jumping up and Down yet like everyone else! My IP4 is fine and I know very soon ill be walking into AT&T and make my choice!
The problems with IPhones is insurance as well! AT&T won't insure the iohone?? They insure every android out there! It breaks an whalla In a day a new phone out in front porches!
What's sooo special about the iPhone lol! Granted its a nifty nice phone but what am I missing?? It's that much better then example the HTC one X?? Or Samsung note 2,or galaxy 3? It's mind boggling really lol and yes I have iPad iPhone itouch iPod etc!!

[lazarillo]

07:05 PM on 09/21/2012

The single thing that frustrates me most about Apple, the iPod, iPhone, and all their consumer electronics (read: everything they make but computers) is their absolute LACK of any interesting design!! This wouldn't bother me, if Apple weren't dictating design to the rest of the world.

I, personally, don't want all white (or all black), bland, "sleek", invisible, etc. When I buy glasses, I look for the funky pair that gets noticed (otherwise, I could wear contacts). When I look for clothes, I look for something that gets noticed. I can understand that some people like to blend in, but many of us want things that catch the eye, things that stand out and that we can maybe identify with our personalities. Apple, with their juggernaut of marketing & "design" prowess, has dictated that consumer electronics are not allowed to have any style. They are to blend in with the background. They are to get unnoticed.

Samsung, HTC, here is your golden chance. Create the Steampunk Android phone. Create the phone that actually looks COOL. Create the Ferrari, Tesla, or Corvette of phones. People really will pay for style, at least a large enough sector of us for you to be able to grab some easy cash. The phone is an accessory that, for better or worse, we always carry with us. I'm REALLY tired of mine looking like a boring block of black. Make mine look like jewelry, and I'll pay for it what I would for jewelry.

[rickysalsberry]

03:02 PM on 09/23/2012

You sound like a potential Nokia Lumia customer. If your taste doesn't suit Apple's sleek & modern design style, then you're not their customer. No big deal. An iPhone case may bring up the flair if you are set on iOS.

To say, though, that Apple industrial design lacks 'style' is not a matter of opinion, it's simply wrong. Much of Apple's industrial design is derivative of modern designs, many of Dieter Rams, who Jony Ive is a huge fan of. It's widely and scholarly accepted as great design.

As for the jewelry comment, the white iPhone especially has a certain jewelry feel to it with the polished beveled edge of the antenna. It's fit & finish is unparalleled in the technology industry.

Apple isn't going to depart from what's working, and what they see as great design, to appease fringe tastes. You simply may not be their demographic. Go buy a Threadless iphone case, or a bright yellow Lumia and live happily ever after.

[Naveen500]

03:56 AM on 10/07/2012

I think Nokia must have read your post. I highly suggest you check out the Lumia 920. As well as their new ads for the phone that mock Apple for the exact same reason that you did. Go check it out, I think it was made for you dude.

[thenamesjazmine]

09:09 PM on 09/18/2012

Apple products are simply selling because they are apple products, none of the new products do much more than the previous models but the name "Apple" attracts people. It's like your favorite artist releasing a new album; you're only going to buy it because it belongs to that person even if you hate all of the songs on the album. Apple is a nice brand but are they selling because it’s a new fad or it’s actually a good product? Us as costumers should consider this before spending our life savings, because the representatives do not care your reasoning for buying the product, they still make a sale.

[Newsmonger]

01:31 PM on 09/19/2012

It is an attractive buy for me....let me ask you a question.

If the car dealer down the street tells you that, year in and year out; you can turn in your previous year Lexus car for the new model and your payment terms will remain the same or if you own your previous year Lexus free and clear, then the new model is yours free and clear, wouldn't you have a reason to make that yearly ritual?

Year year, I get a brand new apple phone for $199 and sell the previous model for about $350 on ebay

[Barry Moss]

11:12 AM on 09/18/2012

I know exactly why I'll be buying an iPhone 5, so please spare me the articles that say people buying this product are sheep with no idea why they are buying a new product other than to have the latest thing.
Not everyone buys every new iteration of a product. In fact, most of us don't. In my case, I've been happily using an iPhone 3GS for just over 3 years. But the accumulated new features make it worth while for me to upgrade. Primarily I want LTE, a higher resolution display, and more memory--the iPhone 5 gives me all of those plus some other goodies.
So why not get an Android Phone instead? Certainly Samsung makes some nice phones. So here's my list of reasons for sticking with Apple:
-- All of my currently purchased apps continue to work with the iPhone5. I don't need to repurchase all of them for the Android platform.
-- I don't need to move all my music from iTunes to another music management systems.
-- One app that I really want and use a lot is only available on the iPhone.
-- My iPhone will be able to take advantage of iOS updates for 2-3 years, meaning that I'll continue to get new features for the life of the phone. Most Android phones are never supported for an OS upgrade.
-- The Apple App Store is much better at screening malware than Android.

[covalent]

11:08 PM on 09/17/2012

"And come Sept 21, I'll probably be standing on line with millions of other Americans buying an iPhone 5. Only this time, I won't really know why."

If you keep buying Apple products that you decry, what kind of message do you think that sends to Apple?

Skip the 5. Buy the next iteration. Your perceived performance boost will be better and Apple will have worked out most of the kinks. Love my 4S -- and part of that is because I came to it from a 3GS, not a 4. Likewise, I went from an original iPhone to the 3GS, skipping the 3. That cadence has worked out pretty well for me.

[Patient Zero]

09:56 PM on 09/17/2012

I have a 3gs. It works. Why on earth buy a replacement?

[Chuck Dick]

11:03 PM on 09/17/2012

Your phone sucks.

[Patient Zero]

10:26 AM on 09/18/2012

It seems to work. 

[icposse2000]

09:06 PM on 09/17/2012

There are two companies that make any money in mobile. Apple owns 70% of the profit. Samsung, the company that just lost a billion dollar plus verdict for copying Apple, owns the other 30%. Everyone else is losing money.

The iPhone 5 has a larger screen, better battery, faster processor, much faster internet speed, arguably the best industrial design and materials of any smartphone on the market, the most-intuitive operating system, the best ecosystem, and the largest number of apps (esp. quality apps). It is a refinement of every iPhone that has come before it, all of which topped the smartphone satisfaction ratings, generally by a large margin.

But sure, post some mindless drivel about the fact that millions of people buy the iPhone 5 for no apparent reason. No reason other than that it is arguably the best smartphone on the market. Period. It's really just that simple.

[sporty1jro]

12:06 AM on 09/18/2012

That's why everyone argues that the iPhone is not. Every improvement you listed was already in other phones 2 years ago. Operating system is intuitive? I almost threw my friends iPhone 4S against the wall when neither she nor I figure out how to make an option work on it. I tried the same option on my Android, and it took 3 keystrokes and 30 seconds to figure out. She looked at me frustrated since she brought it and regrets buying it after playing with my Android for the afternoon. The iPhone is arguably a very good smart phone on the market, but it is far from the best.

[His Shadow]

11:16 PM on 09/23/2012

"Every improvement you listed was already in other phones 2 years ago."

Really? In the world of abandondware phones that fall out of fashion after two months, everyone is getting updates? Everyone is on the latest OS? Everyone has access to the latest and greatest features of the supposed Android ecosystem?

The iPhone is the best selling phone in the world. The iPhone gets OS updates straight from the manufacturer, and isn't released with a two year old OS and promises of upgrades that never come.The iPhone is sold into the most expansive and complete ecosystems in the world.The iPhone has the highest customer satisfaction of any other phone on the market. And now, the iPhone has been completely redesigned from the ground up while the competition is still crapping out plastic copies that are obsolete when they hit the shelves.

But you go ahead and think Apple has to sweat the competition.

[Brian E Young]

10:30 AM on 09/18/2012

All of those comparisons are true compared to the 4S, but not as impressive compared to what is available on Android. You can pretty much choose the screen size, processor, carrier and design of your choice and there will be an option for you. Considering that Samsung made $6 billion dollars this past quarter alone, the damages to Apple are just part of their R&D cost. Especially considering the suit only affected older phones

[China14]

08:13 PM on 09/17/2012

Studies show that arguing over cellphones makes you a failure in life!

[China14]

08:08 PM on 09/17/2012

OMG you Brookes Brothers bots clearly haven't seen The Men's Wearhouse fall lineup this year. The stitching is much better and you get two suits for the price of one with The Men's Wearhouse but you Brookes Brothers fanboys will still shop there because you are all bots!

[China14]

08:03 PM on 09/17/2012

Samsung should wait until September 2013 to release the Galaxy SIV. This way both the iPhone 6 and Galaxy SIV can battle for Q4 earnings and the winner will EAT THE LOSER'S ENTRAILS!!! RARRGHGHH!!!

[China14]

07:58 PM on 09/17/2012

Why are people so butthurt over which phone is better than the other?

[Stephen a Fazekas]

12:28 AM on 09/18/2012

because they think these companies actually give a crap about them, If apple and samsung could find a way to make money raping kids they would as long as the punishment is less than the profit

[Matthew Chase Ruffino]

07:13 PM on 09/17/2012

Oh quit bashing the iPhone. My sister has the S3 and I have the 4s. But literally I can already do everything she can and then some. Yes they finally have added a quad core and up the ram to 1gb. But really why the hell would you need anymore if the phones os runs perfectly. It's like kicking a dead mule. Oh the new power plug omg help!? Seriously? Apple HAS BEEN USING THE SAME DAMN PLUG FOR 10 YEARS. while other manufacturers have switched from their own proprietary to mini USB then micro while apple has been using the same one. If you ask me it's about time. Plus don't even get me started on jail breaking. As I can do anything an android can and them some without flashing a new rom or baseband like I had to on my inspire. This article is irrelevant an I'm sorry you couldn't come up with something better.

[sporty1jro]

12:00 AM on 09/18/2012

Actually the American S3 is dual core and has 2 GB of ram. "why the hell would you need anymore if the phones os runs perfectly"? So why has the iPhones ram increased 4X since it's introduction? Using your comment it must be because iOS is becoming more inefficient with every phone. Maybe some manufacturers just don't expect their customers to upgrade every 11 months for minor changes like iPhones do? New power plug? Throw out everything you've purchased to work with the old plug, or pay another $29 for an adapter. Worse yet, some cars unfortunately were set up with cradles for the iPhone. The adapter won't work in this case. Micro USB is $3 a cable and works with EVERYTHING! Too bad your unquestioned love for Apple can't acknowledge some of the valid points of this article.

[DRaymond]

06:43 PM on 09/17/2012

It really is rather simple.  Apple users have both a bunch of money in apps and content and a bunch of their self-worth tied up in their iDevice ecosystem.  Switch from that and they have to re-buy all those apps and re-buy the content on something besides iTunes.  Apple can run off of the momentum from that for years.

[China14]

08:05 PM on 09/17/2012

Good point.

[suldog123]

11:58 PM on 09/17/2012

You had a halfway coherent thought until you decided to relate self-worth to the iDevice ecosystem. How does a 100% integrated app store that works seamlessly from iPhone, iPad, Macbook, iMac, Mac Pro, and even PC have anything to do with self-worth.

You want to talk about worth...how much is your time worth? Mine is worth a great deal.

Would I rather buy a phone with a completely integrated experience where all my apps, music, movies, games, pictures and books are available regardless of which device I am on or which device I upgrade to. Or would I rather waste my time on the 80 different Android apps stores, 5 different service provider skins, that all run on an extremely fragmented OS? I will take the quick, easy and seamless experience.

Apple wins the user experience battle hands down. That is why they have millions upon millions of users buying new ones when they come out. Everything just works.

[DRaymond]

02:06 AM on 09/18/2012

You don't see the relation to self worth?  Well you obviously have never met one of those Apple fans who act like their life is on another plane of wonderfulness from other people because of the stuff they own while unwittingly parroting Apple marketing jargon like 'completely integrated experience' and 'everything just works'.

On the other hand, maybe you have met one of them.