As Apple prepare to launch the much anticipated iPhone 7, several rumours have been doing the rounds.
This is to be expected. It only happens before an Apple (iPhone) launch. Pictures are circulated of what the product might look like with speculative pieces accompanying them.
The most recent criticism, if you could call it that, comes from Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who left the company back in the 1980s.
One of the biggest rumours about the new iPhone is that Apple will be doing away with the headphone jack and opting for something wireless. At this stage, it’s just a rumour.
Wozniak expressed his reservations about this possibility.
“If it’s missing the 3.5mm earphone jack, that’s going to tick off a lot of people,” he told the Australian Financial Review. “I would not use Bluetooth … I don’t like wireless. I have cars where you can plug in the music, or go through Bluetooth, and Bluetooth just sounds so flat for the same music.”
When I first read his comment, something bothered me.
It wasn’t that he had an opinion, but I think it was that he was speaking from the “outside”, and not as a member of the Apple team.
At the end of the day, Wozniak, like you and I, has the right to have an opinion.
But more often than not, when giving our opinions, there is an underlying motive. Whatever it may be.
I am not sure if they are paid and who pays them, but critics probably have the worst job in the world. They sit back and watch people getting on with their lives, achieving great things, just so they can say “something”.
There is a famous saying that “dogs only bark at moving cars”.
Most of the time, it is true.
Show me a critic and I will show you someone who has an underlying motive: bitterness and jealousy.
But show me someone who is committed to making something better – nine out of ten times, they are a part of the team.
I’m not saying Wozniak is bitter, jealous, or that his opinion is not valued.
I’m saying that if you truly care about a product or organisation, then join it and bring your influence to that space and turn things around!
This is not a stab at Wozniak, but his comments made me think about how critics influence much of our daily actions, yet they contribute the least.
I am also not saying buy the iPhone and never criticise it – you are free to buy whatever you please.
But in your world of influence, are you the Wozniak – commenting from the outside – or the Tim Cook, trying to make a difference from the inside, building the team and bringing the change you want to see?