I can’t recall a bigger year for Apple since I started writing about them. 2012 ushered in a whole new era for the company. Changes at the top in the wake of Steve Job’s much too early departure will resonate for a long time to come.
There’s almost too much news to talk about regarding Apple in 2012 that it’s really tough to even start! So let’s just begin with the hardware. Once the Retina Display was introduced to the iPhone, we all knew the inevitable: Apple would phase in the Retina Display in all of its product lines, and justly so. It started with the third generation iPad earlier in the year and creeped its way into the MacBook Pro and then the iPod product lines.
Regarding the first big release in 2012, the iPad 3, (or to the confusion of consumers around the world, the “New iPad”) while not a radical change in form factor, was a pretty big leap forward in technology. Much faster and with a gorgeous display, it was hard for many to pass up. Our technicians made quick work out of figuring out a fast and efficient way to repair the iPad 3, although the iPad 2 still holds the number one spot in terms of repair quantities.
As the iPad became more and more ubiquitous, schools around the United States began to adopt this technology in the classroom as a learning tool. And who do these schools turn to when they need high volume repairs? I need not say. We specialize in iPad repairs by the masses.
But I digress. Next comes the MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro with Retina Display was an Apple fanatic’s dream come true. Although pricey, many were quick to adopt this product.
The biggest changes of the year, though, did not come around until September. This was when things got a little crazy. The iPhone 5 was announced to cheers and jeers around the world. Many people were not impressed and were underwhelmed with the new phone. While there may appear to be a sense of “new phone every year” fatigue, the numbers speak for themselves. The phone sold like crazy and put up record numbers amidst the so called “Scuffgate” and “Apple Mapsgate”, which many believe ultimately lead to the end of Scott Forstall’s career at Apple. Let me go ahead and get this out though, the iPhone 5 is my favorite Apple device of all time.
The iPhone 5 wasn’t it for 2012 though. Just a few weeks after the iPhone 5 announcement, Apple had more. And they did what Steve Jobs publicly said he wouldn’t do; Apple released a smaller iPad. The iPad Mini is what people wanted and Apple delivered just in time for the holiday season. I applaud you, Apple. Well done. The device is gorgeous and holding one makes me want one in addition to my iPad 3…..uh oh. Apple released an iPad 4 the SAME YEAR as the iPad 3! Goodbye 30-pin dock connector, hello Lightning Connector. And just when you thought they were done, Apple announced the iPod Touch 5 and the iPod Nano 7, both of which garnered rave reviews.
This is just a small outline of 2012, though. Each one of the items I mentioned above are giant news stories on their own. Needless to say, this was a huge year for Apple and for iResQ. As iOS devices become more ubiquitous, iResQ becomes more needed in the industry. Just remember, it is always cheaper to repair your device than to replace it.