Will iOs7 be the straw that broke Apple’s back?

Has the mighty Apple finally managed to slightly annoy its, traditionally very loyal, core user-base?

You may think their products are overpriced. You may get annoyed at their unnecessarily non-standard connectors, or become frustrated with their closed operating system and insular software licencing policies. But if you do then you probably aren't an ‘Appleite’ and definitely not on their target customer base.

Was the latest iOs7 upgrading a step too far for too many established users?

Apple has prepared a very successful business model through their plug-and-play approach to their systems, and I can see the appeal of these types of product to their target audience, who are for the most part, average non-technical consumers. But this time Apple appears to have missed the mark with the look of their new desktop. And in line with Apples own policy, the ‘look,’ along with simple no-fuss functionality, has always been one of the most important selling points.

Yes there were teething problems with the new operating system, then to be fair most new operating system have these, but this time a significant portion of the established user base seems to have taken a general dislike to the fundamental look and approach of the new desktop. Has Apple pulled a ‘Windows 8’ and pushed their vision of a modern desktop upon a consumer base that doesn't want it? A quick Google search would seem to support this hypothesis…

An example quote from a ‘typical?’ Apple consumer…

No it didn't solve my problem. I just have to wait out my contract. This update is so rubbish I will not get another Apple phone. It used to be a classy stylish phone not anymore not with this update.

Personally I can’t see this being a huge game-changer for Apple...
... but it should be a wakeup call, much as Vista was, and Windows 8 is becoming, for Microsoft.
People don’t like 'fancy' or radical change for the sake of it, and they have the right not to share in the ‘corporate vision of the future’ of any large corporation. Add to this that there are many alternatives that are now just as good as Apple’s product and significantly cheaper, and iOs7 could end up as a costly mistake. Apples saving grace has always been their high profile image for producing ‘quality’ products that have a certain aesthetic, not to mention a certain status, value ( ergo the 'classy stylish' mindset shown in the above quote). But image can change rapidly, it’s happened many times before, and will happen again. Houses built on sand and all that…

Don’t get me wrong...

I'm not an Apple-basher. In our household we have one full-sized and one mini iPad, and 2 iPods, as well as three apple desktops (of varying vintage).  I do think Apple has done well to make a place for itself in the modern electronics landscape. But nothing is set in stone, and a few bad decisions can have disastrous effect.  It happened to Atari and Sega, it almost happened to Sony, and may yet be happening to the mighty Nintendo. Right now Apple is still riding the wave of popularity, but if the tide can turn on those companies, which are also primarily leisure-based electronics, Apple shouldn't be complacent. And they shouldn't be relying on their, not insubstantial, loyal consumer base to bail them out or forgive their blunders.

I'm not one of the people, who appear to be waiting for Apple to fail, but I have seen it before, and if they don’t stem this bad flow of opinion for iOs7, I think they may be in danger of the tide beginning to turn...