Apple is considered one of the most premium brands out there, be it in the smartphone industry or in the PC industry. However, while we talk about the former today, we saw Apple trying to foray into a new segment of Plus sized phones with Apple iPhone 14 Plus and saw them finally getting rid of the infamous notch up top on the front. But how did it work for them and what path it treaded on during this past whole year? Let’s try to decode that in our Report Card series for 2022 for Apple!
Apple 2022: The Number Game
Apple, as usual, launched a limited set of devices in 2022. However, we did get an extra smartphone this year compared to the previous year, taking up the number to 5, instead of 4 in 2021. Apple’s iPhone lineup for 2022 consisted of the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus which replaced the mini models of the past two years, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max and the iPhone SE 2022. These 5 devices were available in 17 variants in total, compared to 14 in 2021 which is a 21% rise.
3 variants were launched for each of the non-pro models, and 4 were launched for each of the Pro models. These 17 variants were launched at a price point above Rs 40,000. 2 variants of iPhone SE 2022 were launched for less than Rs 50,000, while one was launched for a price above Rs 50,000. The remaining 14 variants of the iPhone 14 series were all launched at a price above Rs 75,000, accounting for a total of 82% of the phones launched by Apple in 2022.
Apple 2022: Hits & Misses
Hits
Apple made some interesting decisions this past year with a slight change at the front of the iPhone 14 Pro models. They introduced Dynamic Island, which is a pill-shaped cutout that interacts with the user’s taps and is a practical use of space with all sorts of animations and other features which we talked about in our review of the iPhone 14 Pro. We think it was one of the major hits for the company as it also has a high tendency for being copied, which we are already seeing coming from brands such as Realme.
Another hit from Apple was the iPhone 14 Pro Max, its biggest and most powerful iPhone till date. It had enough power for a content creator to edit his/her high quality 4K videos on the go without the need to carry a powerful computer. It basically engulfed a whole creator studio under it, including great cameras paired with a powerful software and hardware combo.
Lastly, we think Apple made the right decision to partner with Flipkart for the hits. The e-commerce platform played a major role in boosting the sales of Apple’s products.
Misses
As for the misses, we think both Apple and the consumers are now confused with Apple’s lineup of devices. The introduction of the iPhone 14 Plus model has killed the Mini series, and people seem confused about where this Plus-sized model belongs.
Next, the iPhone 14 was also another miss for the company and this was the first time in the last few years that Apple’s iPhone felt more like a rebrand of last year’s iPhone without any major upgrades.
Apple 2022: Top 3 smartphones
Out of all the devices launched this year, we feel these were the top 3 smartphones of 202 launched by Apple:
#3: iPhone 14 Plus
The iPhone 14 Plus comes third in our list despite the confusion it created, because of the experiment Apple tried to do with a bigger screen at a lower price point than the Pro Max model with the same sized screen.
#2: iPhone 14 Pro
At second comes the smaller of the Pro models, due to its compactness and the same amount of power it got as its bigger brother, the iPhone 14 Pro Max. It had the same dynamic island as the Pro Max, the same A16 chip and a lot more.
#3: iPhone 14 Pro Max
A complete work setup can be a perfect definition for the iPhone 14 Pro Max due to the power it brings with itself and the number of features. Despite the premium price tag, it can be the ideal choice for professionals, journalists, photographers and other power users.
This was it for our report card 2022 for Apple. The company had its share of ups and downs during the year, and it will be interesting to see what it has in stores for us next year, especially when all sorts of leaks for iPhone 15 series are popping up around the internet, including button-less Pro models, a periscope lens at the back and more.
