Skip to main content

The iPhone and the Next Big Thing

This decade has largely been defined largely by Apple products in the consumer space. The first part was all about the iPod, and the last part, the iPhone. This is where the lines and excitement were. In the 90s, it was about Windows and PCs, with Windows 95 as the likely high point. Before that, it was largely about Atari or VCRs, depending where you were in that decade. We are now fast approaching 2010, and starting to wonder what that decade will be focused on.

There are a lot of contenders: 3D TV, smartbooks, plug computers, eBooks, personal transportation (someone will get something like the Segway to be popular), and cloud services that could define the next decade. And nothing says it couldn’t be a blend of several of these (or none of the above), either.

Recommended Videos

But since we are half way through the year, and most of us still have stars in our eyes from the excellent job that the Apple team did at their developer’s conference, let’s talk about the products that could define the next decade. But first, let’s talk about the current Big Thing: the iPhone.

The Amazing iPhone

The only thing keeping me from getting one of these when the new hardware comes out in a couple weeks is the lack of a keyboard. Apple has addressed almost every other objection I have, including encryption, battery life, and tethering (which will cost a little more). I thought I’d never say this, but I’m starting to get iPhone Lust.

The iPhone is both larger than most people used to think was attractive, and has a screen keyboard, which most people used to hate, yet it is the phone that a huge number of these same people lust after and line up for. You probably noticed, as good as the Palm Pre was, not a lot of lines when it released last weekend.

The reason: From the time of launch to present, Apple has executed sharply, marketed brilliantly, and made improvements that kept people coming back for new phones. What made the device a hit, and most of those that came before it, was a good product, great marketing, and an inherent capability that folks didn’t know they could get in a product. That suggests, whichever wins, that a lot will have to do with the ability for the company that comes out with it to make magic, and that means marketing and PR.

To be clear, it won’t be just a wonderful product that becomes the next big thing, it will be a wonderful product coupled with the right way of presenting it.

The Next Big Thing

The next big thing has to be big, disruptive, and make us do things differently. Atari got us gaming at home, video tapes got us movies at home, the PC killed word processors and gave users back control over their core technology, iPods transformed music and led to the iPhone, which is making GPS products, movie players, hand held gaming systems, and regular cell phones obsolete. Given that each big thing appears to have a bigger impact than its predecessor, I’m a little concerned that the next big thing may be the very real robot out of the movie Terminator (making us obsolete).

But, with each step, each new thing got increasingly personal. So, I think the next big thing will be a blend of technologies, but something that probably makes the smartphone, laptop, and MP3 player obsolete, probably using the cloud to provide services.

Right now, our cell phones are on our waists, our Bluetooth devices on our heads, our laptops in our backpacks, and our MP3 players are often clipped to our clothing.

Wearable?

As a result, I also think it is likely it will be wearable. We increasingly want these technologies wherever we go, and unless we have a major plague, (which unfortunately is likely), we’ll still want to go a lot of places. In addition, we are also clearly on a heavy design vector with products; even workstations are now being designed by folks like BMW, suggesting something approaching clothing, and maybe a more personal kind of design as a result. Maybe you’ll even be able to design it yourself, kind of like you can with t-shirts or shoes or cars today.

Looks like some others are already exploring this, but what do you think the next big thing will be? Something revolutionary, or just another smartphone, media device, or personal computer?

Rob Enderle
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rob is President and Principal Analyst of the Enderle Group, a forward-looking emerging technology advisory firm. Before…
Apple price hikes are closer than we thought, starting with iPhone 17
The back of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Apple might raise the prices of some of its best smartphones. We've been hearing about potential price hikes for a while now, but a new report tells us they might happen sooner than many of us might have thought. Curiously, Apple is said to avoid blaming tariffs -- a common reason for price hikes in tech -- for these adjustments. Here's why.

The information comes from the Wall Street Journal. The publication reports that Apple is considering raising the prices of its fall lineup, which means the iPhone 17. This leak lines up with a few other ones of a similar nature that we've already seen, which is why the grim speculation is starting to feel an awful lot like reality, but of course, nothing's confirmed until Apple itself says so.

Read more
Leaked iPhone 17 cases show just how big camera bump could be on Pros
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Render

There have been plenty of rumors surrounding the next phones expected from Apple before the year is out. Many are suggesting Apple is planning to launch an iPhone 17 alongside the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models, whilst also introducing a super slim iPhone in order to compete with Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S25 Edge. 

Multiple renders have leaked of all the rumored Apple devices, giving us an idea as to what we might be able to expect come September when they are expected to be revealed, and now a set of case images have leaked supporting the previous renders.

Read more
You Asked: Sony A95L vs. Bravia Mark II, and iPhone 17 Air battery life
You Asked Ep. 90: A95L in 2025?

On today’s You Asked: Should you go with a 77-inch A95L or 65-inch Bravia 8 Mark 2? Will the expected iPhone 17 Air have poor battery life? And, is burn-in still a problem on some of the latest OLED TVs?

Best 55-inch TV

Read more