2016 Retrospective: A year Of Apple Evolution

New iphones, Apple watch and Macbook Pro all land.

- Benjamin Kerry & Gavin

What kind of year has 2016 been for Apple? Frankly, it isn’t easy to say. Come the end of each year, it’s usually easy to point out Apple’s various highlights regarding both hardware and software; however, 2016 has been an up-and-down year for Apple. While the Cupertino company has made genuine breakthroughs and some tantalizing announcements, it has also faced various challenges, with some dispirited press reactions and even political disputes all playing a part.

HOW 2016 HAS DIFFERED FROM 2015

Think back to 2015, and you will recall Apple unveiling various products that seemed to indicate major, game-changing shifts for the company. Think of the super-thin 12-inch MacBook, the super-big 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the “future of television” in the form of the fourth generation Apple TV, and the pressure-sensitive 3D Touch interface of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. That year also saw the long-awaited retail release of the Apple Watch, kickstarting a whole new product line.

By contrast, in 2016, Apple seemed mainly concerned with consolidating what it had started in a big way the year before - so in March, we got the 4-inch iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro. At first glance, these may appear to be basically shrunken versions of the iPhone 6s and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, despite the SE’s significant omission of 3D Touch. However, look closer at both of these pieces of hardware, and they offer much more than may initially meet the eye.

THE iPHONE SE AND THE 9.7-INCH iPAD PRO