Even with a year full of amazing tech, Apple continues its dominance. Every year, Apple's versatility in releasing products throughout various categories, combined with its brand appeal, keeps the company at the top of the industry. However, 2020 was not only a unique year due to the pandemic, but also because it saw Apple release a bunch of new products instead of just refreshing its existing lineup.
COVID-19 affected every company and after experiencing minor delays during the early stages of the pandemic, tech companies were quick to get back on schedule. As a result, Amazon, Google, Samsung, and others eventually resumed their releasing of new and innovative products, albeit through virtual unveilings and announcements. However, when it came to Apple specifically, it seemed like the company was unveiling and announcing new products on an almost monthly basis.
Apple's 2020 began with a typical product refresh with slight updates to the iPad Pro and Mac lineup. The biggest releases in the first half of the year were the iPhone SE and the Magic Keyboard for iPad. iPhone SE resurrected the Home Button and set the stage for other compact smartphones, such as the iPhone 12 mini. The introduction of the Magic Keyboard enabled newer iPad models to be used more like laptops. However, Apple had larger plans for the second half of 2020; its later releases are typically the most memorable and tend to dictate the company's plans for the year ahead. For example, Apple's annual fall event is often where new iPhone and Apple Watch models are announced. In 2020, the pandemic caused a delay in the production of iPhone, forcing Apple to announce the various fall devices in separate events.
In spite of this setback, the company's late-2020 digital events proved to be successful with Apple releasing the iPhone 12 series as the first iPhone models with 5G (igniting interest in the ultra-fast mobile network) and announced Fitness+, a digital fitness service exclusive to the Apple Watch. However, what was perhaps Apple's best 2020 product release was the M1 Macs powered by the company's own silicon. These M1 Macs instantly proved to be a hit, thanks to Apple's chip offering longer battery life and faster performance, compared to previous Mac models using Intel processors.
Apple's Potentially Lucrative 2021
Apple is now riding high after a number of successful 2020 product launches, and with all indications, 2021 looks to be an even better year for the company. The pandemic caused Apple stores throughout the world to shut down, forcing consumers to buy products online. As 2021 arrives and progresses, and vaccines slowly become available to more people, Apple can expect to see an increase in sales from consumers who prefer to get hands on with products and in-store shop.
Not to mention, the company won't be only relying on the products it released this year either. Although the M1 Macs are already redefining the computer industry, Apple is expected to release an even more powerful chip for its higher-end Macs in 2021, including the 16-inch MacBook Pro and iMac models. In addition, by the time some normality has returned to society and consumers are once again looking to spend, the next iPhone will almost be here, along with any other products (and services) that Apple is secretly working on behind the scenes.
There are plenty of companies that can compete with Apple when it comes to releasing new products. However, an Apple product release is simply different due to massive demand and publicity. No other company has really been able to replicate the Apple hype, and until that formula is solved, Apple will continue to impact the tech industry in 2021 and beyond, just like it did in 2020.
Source: Apple