One More Thing

When I started writing this article, the dust had settled somewhat on last Tuesday’s “Let’s Talk iPhone” event and the world had not yet become aware of Steve’s passing. I had been ruminating on why there was a collective letdown surrounding the announcement of the iPhone 4S, and I wanted to break down why.

So, it wasn’t the much-rumored iPhone 5. But it wasn’t that simple.

The 4S has amazing features—among them, a “blazingly fast” dual-core A5 chip, an 8 megapixel camera with advanced optics (including a much-improved light sensor), full 1080p HD resolution video recording, Siri, a “personal assistant” that interacts via voice commands and a completely redesigned antenna (remember Antennagate?)—but people were expecting more. Something was missing…one more thing.

Steve Jobs had a unique brand of showmanship—an understated flair for the dramatic. He wasn’t bombastic or showy in the traditional sense, but he had an amazing passion for his products that directly translated to the user. He’d delight fans when he’d all but close a keynote by saying, “Oh, and there’s one more thing.” Then, something amazing would appear and we’d all decide we needed it immediately.

Accustomed to so many groundbreaking products that ultimately proved to be “gamechangers,” people clamored to find out what would be unveiled at these events beforehand, and thus, the rumor mills started churning. Steve changed everyone’s expectations—he raised the bar and let everyone know what they needed before they even knew they needed it.

The iPhone 4S is essentially an iPhone 5, but in a familiar package. However, we were expecting the unfamiliar, though the irony is that we were convinced we already knew what it would look like and what it would have.

So, we got what we didn’t expect; Steve was absent from the event, but ultimately, his presence was felt.

I, for one, think the iPhone 4S (along with iOS 5 and other features) looks great, and I’m excited to upgrade when I can. Though the mood was different (and a bit somber, looking back), Tim, Phil and Scott did a great job (and will continue to do a great job) in Steve’s absence.

Oh, but there’s one more thing: Thank you, Steve, for settings our standards high and creating a vision that we can be proud to represent.