Skip to main content

Here are 6 old technologies Apple wants you to think are revolutionary

We know, we know. Apple takes its time to do new technologies “right,” not “first.” But if you watched Apple’s September 12 announcements for the iPhone 8, iPhone X, Apple TV 4K and Apple Watch Series 3, you might be wondering just how long it takes to perfect an animated 3D turd.

While Apple acolytes inside the newly minted Steve Jobs Theater breathlessly applauded new “features” paraded on stage by Apple VPs, the rest of us were feeling a wave of déjà vu. OLED screens, wireless charging, 4K … haven’t we seen this stuff before?

Yup. Even by its own standards, Apple dredged up some almost embarrassingly dated technologies for its latest round of refreshes. In case Tim Cook’s teary-eyed reality distortion field threw you for a loop, we thought we would provide some perspective on how long Apple’s new features have existed in competing devices. Put on some Black Eyed Peas, because we’re going back to a time people took will.i.am. seriously.

Nick Mokey
As Digital Trends’ Editor in Chief, Nick Mokey oversees an editorial team covering every gadget under the sun, along with…
WWDC 2025: everything you need to know
We expect to see new versions of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, visionOS and tvOS at WWDC 2025
Apple WWDC 2025 logo

Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference (or WWDC 2025 for short in the case of this year's iteration) is a major event where significant software updates tend to take the center stage.

At WWDC 2025, Apple is expected to showcase changes to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS that will substantially improve how we interact with the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

Read more
I’ve used the iPhone 16 Pro Max for 6 months. Here’s why I love it
The back of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.

I bought the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max when it was announced and have used it every day since then, racking up six months of use, and yet I’ve written very little about it. It’s time to change that, explain why it is technically my only “permanent” phone, and why I think it’s superb.
How I use my iPhone

I have two SIM cards. One is my “main” SIM card which is attached to the phone number I use, and the other is all about data, and they both live in different phones. My main SIM is switched in and out of review Android phones all the time, while the SIM I use mostly for data only lives in my Apple iPhone. They’re both always with me, and since September 2024 I’ve used the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max alongside whatever Android phone I’m reviewing.

Read more
The Apple Watch badly needs the iPhone 16e treatment
A person wearing the Apple Watch SE 2.

Apple isn’t very quick to update its lower cost products, but there’s one model which badly needs its attention: the Apple Watch SE. The company’s willingness to let the SE languish for several years is now affecting its bottom line, and when the Apple Watch Series 11 arrives later this year, an Apple Watch SE 3 needs to be there alongside it.
Hitting where it hurts

In 2024 shipments of Apple Watch models declined by 19% compared to 2023, according to Counterpoint Research, and a quote in the report stated, “The slowdown of the existing Apple Watch SE lineup and the lack of new SE models contributed to the decline.” While the entire smartwatch industry slowed over the same period, Apple saw the largest fall in shipments, which points to something being awry with its current product range.

Read more