February 26, 2013

iPhone 5: Beyond Skeumorphism

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Whenever Apple releases a new iPhone, the reception is nothing short of magical. Lines camped outside the Apple store! Record sales! Supply issues! But with the iPhone 5, something new has entered that hysteria, which frightens the seasoned marketer more than a product recall: boredom. “The iPhone 5 is Completely Amazing and Utterly Boring,” Wired magazine mourned. “The iPhone 5 forecast: a predictable 73 degrees and sunny,” The Verge complained. For a consumer society that has internalized and institutionalized change, “iPhone” and its operating system “iOS” have become words mumbled to express resentment and ennui over shiny icons.

Original Author: Kai Sam Ng