As Apple is rumoured to be readying to unveil a new, smaller iPhone, a storm is brewing about a blog claiming its software quality is on a downhill trend.
Marco Arment, Web and iPhone software developer, recently blogged that, while Apple's hardware is "amazing" and has "never been better", its software quality has "fallen so much in the last few years that I'm deeply concerned for its future".
Arment noted Apple's Mac OS has "embarrassing bugs and fundamental regressions", a situation he ascribes to it not balancing marketing and software development, but rather giving marketing too high a priority.
"The problem seems to be quite simple: they're doing too much, with unrealistic deadlines. We don't need major OS releases every year. We don't need each OS release to have a huge list of new features. We need our computers, phones, and tablets to work well first so we can enjoy new features released at a healthy, gradual, sustainable pace."
Arment's blog post caused an online stir, and he subsequently put up another entry, saying he had regretted the post. In his clarification blog, he writes his words spread around the Internet, but were "chopped up and twisted by sensational opportunists to fuel the tired 'Apple is doomed' narrative".
Instead of sensationalism, writes Arment, he intended to offer "constructive criticism of the most influential company in my life". He laments that his name will be on the criticism forever.
Apple has declined to comment on Arment's posts.
Meanwhile, Apple is rumoured to be ready to unveil a smaller, four-inch, iPhone. Yet, notes Forbes, there are no signs that such a device will land anytime soon, because the supply chain has rubbished the rumour mill.
Apple's latest offering - the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus - led to record sales after its September launch. Speaking three days after the international launch, CEO Tim Cook noted: "Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn't be happier."
Locally, the new devices hit the street a month later and received an unprecedented welcome, as fans queued for hours to get hold of the device in what Core described as the most successful launch yet.
Share