“Author seems to think EVERY new product and update should be “disruptiveâ€.”
Many companies exist quietly for years making a profit making and selling plumbing supplies. This is not dishonorable work for them, their employees, or their stockholders.
The truth is, that most technological changes/improvements have been incremental over the last several years, and “the next big thing” -the Internet of Things - hasn’t caught on yet for several reasons.
The products he’s lamenting aren’t “disruptive” are really extensions to existing lines, rounding out support for customers who find the product not quite to their liking, as they’re outliers.
Watch? it’s an extension to the iPhone. If you don’t have an iPhone, you’re not in the target market - period (until the product develops enough, over several years, to earn its independence). If you do have an iPhone, it’s _not_ a given that you’ll want one.
iPad Pro? the full-size iPad just isn’t big enough for some. Nothing wrong with making a “giant size” version for people who _would_ get one _if_ it were that big. It’s not intended for the general public.
12” MacBook? some people want a really stripped-down notebook, yes without any more ports than power & headphones. Again, not for everyone...it’s for those edge-case users wanting something special beyond the “one size fits all” products.
And yes, the core products are doing really well right now, not demanding a “wow! new! disruptive!” every cycle. Just keep incrementally improving the core, and customers will keep returning; be “disruptive” every cycle and people will give up for want of continuity.
I wonder what this author will think of the “disruptive” iPhone 7 featuring no headphone jack, forcing users into either Bluetooth headsets or proprietary Lightning plugs. Any bets he writes a screed about how Apple is going to fail because it’s too disruptive?