The Too-Slick Apple Event

Some thoughts on the latest iPhone/Apple Watch event…

Is there such a thing as too slick? Pat Riley’s hair may suggest not, but there is. And I think Apple’s latest event, unveiling the latest and greatest iPhones and Apple Watches, may have crossed that line. It wasn’t a bad event, by any stretch. It all just felt… too polished? Not organic enough? Too glib?

Since the pandemic, I’ve been a fan of Apple’s production of these events. They took their signature staged hoopla started by Steve Jobs and packaged it into something that could be consumed even when people couldn’t crowd around a stage. In some ways, they were better than the events of yore. Certainly more inclusive — in every meaning of that word — and a more fluid way to showcase product progressions. But as I was watching Tim Cook and company on stage — but not actually on stage, mind you — yesterday, I couldn’t help but feeling a little… empty? Everything looked good. But it just didn’t feel right. There was a tangible lack of tangibility. And thus, a lack of excitement.

Certainly part of it is that I wasn’t there. And I’m sure the people in the room will disagree with the above, at least to some extent. Then again, no one was really there, save for some camera operators and production staff. I feel as if the excitement has been dissipating over time with these staged video events. Perhaps it’s just the novelty wearing off, but I think there’s probably something to trying to do these in-person again too.

To that end, perhaps it parallels the return-to-office debate, which Apple and every other company has been in the midst of figuring out for the past year or so. Predictably, we’ve swung from fully remote being the future to fully remote being a problem. The actual situation is gray, as there are all different types of companies. But for most companies, especially those built to work in-person, the return to the flesh was inevitable and undoubtedly a good thing. Might the same be true of these Apple events?

This may sound like the opposite of what I argued just a few months ago — that Apple should do these videos for every product roll out. But I think that’s still true. I think anything Apple has released that was previously done via press release should get one of these videos now. But for the biggest events — the iPhone event and WWDC, with maybe one more event sprinkled in some years — perhaps a return to the stage, the live stage, is warranted. There’s an energy that comes from watching presenters walking that tightrope. The videos elicit no such feelings because there’s no risk. What will happen when Jeff Williams taps his fingers together? It just works. Every time.

But I’m not really even talking about demos failing — that’s no fun for anyone — but seeing how a product works in person creates a tension. There’s a natural build-up to making sure it will all work and be ready to be unveiled on stage. The Vision Pro is a counterpoint to this — it (in)famously wasn’t shown at all with the Apple executives trying it out, like Steve Jobs used to do. In part, because it wasn’t ready. But the history of Apple is littered with demos that were glued together at the last second. They probably could have made it work.

It wouldn’t have looked as slick as the canned product videos. And, to be fair, pulling out a new iPhone of a pocket for the 15th time probably won’t drum up too much excitement. But doing live demos still has value as it creates actual reactions from those using the products on stage. Not staged reactions as we’re now so used to seeing.

Case in point: after the keynote opened yesterday with a (truly moving) video about how Apple’s devices have literally saved lives, we cut to a pre-recorded video of Cook in the middle of Apple Park. “As we just saw, nothing is more important than helping save lives.” I don’t think Cook is insincere in saying that, but it’s such an awkward, canned delivery that it feels flippant. Because he didn’t just watch the video alongside us, he was in Apple Park a few days or weeks ago, filming his lines. If he were delivering that line on an actual stage, live, he might emote and connect more directly with the audience.

And I think such connections would work for many of the product unveilings too. This was the not-so-secret secret of Jobs’ stage presence in these events. They worked so well because he was clearly excited about the products. And he conveyed that sincerity masterfully, live. It’s human nature that if you’re watching someone show enthusiasm about something, as long as it seems sincere, it’s going to rub off on you. This was the key of Apple’s old events. And this is what is completely missing from Apple’s new events. Not because the products aren’t good, but it’s a presentation issue. It’s like we’re constantly watching new Apple put on a staged version of old Apple events. The fact that they often use many of the old Jobs-isms doesn’t help.

“And I’d like to show it to you now,” Cook says at one point leading into an iPhone unveil. But again, he wouldn’t actually like to show it to us now as he speaks those words in real-time, because he wouldn’t be showing us anything for days/weeks yet. It simply cannot be a sincere statement.

Now, look, some people are better at acting. Greg Jozwiak, for one, seems decidedly more natural in these videos when conveying excitement. I want to use that Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro because he clearly wants to use that Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro. Cook lacks this acting capability.¹ We didn’t need a 15-minute comedic climate video to prove that, but we got one anyway!² It’s okay, it’s not Cook’s job. But it is his job to sell Apple’s products. And so I’m trying to give some thoughts on how better to do that (not that sales have been exactly hurting!).

Anyway, that was my meta takeaway having watched the keynote a couple times now.³ Awkward climate video aside, the content was largely good. But it all just felt a bit cookie-cutter.⁴ Too much weather, too little leather.

More granular asides:

• The Apple Watch updates seem awfully minor — even the heralded “Double Tap” feature, which does look great, apparently isn’t even new, but rather an accessibility setting, repurposed for everyone to use. A brighter screen is always nice, as is a faster chip.
• The new iPhones are the best iPhones yet. Just like every year. So of course I’m going to happily buy a new one.⁵ Just like every year.
• The “Titanium” finish does look great, at least on camera. Were I Apple, I might have considered even calling the iPhones Pro the ‘Titanium iPhone’ this year. You know, just to switch things up. Are we really going to have an ‘iPhone 28’ in 13 years?! It would have been fun! This is the company that until this Apple Silicon cycle was using “Bionic” for no good reason. I guess we’ll have to wait for “Ultra”.
• The ability to do “Portrait Mode” after the fact will be huge for my family, as I always mean to use it more, but it’s something you have to think about and act upon quickly with children.
• It’s really weird that Apple didn’t unveil a new type of stand that would let you easily invoke the new “Stand By” mode in iOS 17. Yes, there are plenty of third-party stands that do this, but Apple is just leaving money on the table here — something Apple seemingly never does — and in a way, underselling a truly great new feature.
• Remember when everyone would talk about how Apple was a different type of company that didn’t talk about specs? That’s no longer the case with these Apple Silicon deep dives seemingly every keynote. I like them, but it’s a funny dichotomy. Of course, when you have the best tech, you tout it. When you don’t, you don’t…
• Related: it was interesting how much Apple talked up the new GPUs, even relative to the much ballyhooed new 3 nanometer process for the chips. And promises of great things to come in gaming — as always.
• The ability to shoot Spatial Video seems like it will be awesome for the Vision Pro if it works even half as well as advertised. Of course, it also conjures up thoughts of Tom Cruise watching videos of his family in Minority Report — probably not a comparison anyone wants to draw…
• Action Button, Action Button, Action Button. Yes, yes, yes.

¹ Another name that comes to mind that is very good on-stage and on-screen? Someone who wasn’t showcased at all yesterday: Craig Federighi. Also, don’t overlook John Ternus, who has a quiet presence that resonates.

² This video has proven to be quite divisive on the internet, it seems. My only additional thought here is that it was far too long. I prefer svelte keynotes and this entire segment, regardless of how important (or not) you think it is — and Apple clearly thinks it’s important — did not need to be that long. Also, it wasn’t particularly funny, which exacerbated the issue.

³ I tend to watch such things a couple times — so the videos also help me in that regard! (Though the live ones were also packaged up and shared later, of course — it just took longer.) Mainly because I’m trying to crack jokes on Xitter/Threads the first go-around. But also this time because I was trying to soothe a three-week old baby.

⁴ Tim Cookie-Cutter, for shame.

⁵ A “Natural” Titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max, for the record.