Nailed it. If you let your whole UI, in a consumer application, stagnate, you will lose. Your software could be fantastic, but someone else will build something nearly as good, paint it a “cool” color, and eat your lunch.
The idea that phones aren’t, for a huge number of people, fashion accessories, is really funny, and extremely IT-centric, to me. Look at the way Apple releases very visible, specific features for its Pro models - it’s all signaling. My phone is purple because one year that was the new color so everyone who saw your phone would know it was the new one.
(I say this also not taking away from the opinion that it’s prepping users and developers for something they’re going to bring out in two years - both things can be equally true.)
The idea that phones aren’t, for a huge number of people, fashion accessories, is really funny, and extremely IT-centric, to me. Look at the way Apple releases very visible, specific features for its Pro models - it’s all signaling. My phone is purple because one year that was the new color so everyone who saw your phone would know it was the new one.
(I say this also not taking away from the opinion that it’s prepping users and developers for something they’re going to bring out in two years - both things can be equally true.)