The next step in iMore's evolution!
iMore launched along with the original iPhone, when pocket computers were still limited to early adopter tech enthusiasts – exactly the people who made up the staff. Since then we've continued to cover every rumor, announcement, and bit of news that followed. A few years ago, though, we began to notice something: It wasn't just the early adopter tech enthusiasts who were using iPhones any more. It was the mainstream. The majority. And they weren't interested in every bit of news. They just wanted help on getting the most out of the technology they owned.
We've gone from only us whiz bang future boxes to everyone in our families, all of our friends, and all of our colleagues having phones and more that do amazing things. And we've gone from only the niche tech sites covering Apple and iPhone to every major publication covering them constantly.
That means we were right to be so enthusiastic so early on, but it also means we now have to evolve for the new, more mainstream world.
Just like our massive mainstream audience doesn't care at all about our news coverage or opinion editorials, our hardcore enthusiast audience doesn't much care for all the basic help and buyers guides we've been publishing. And don't even get me started on the reaction to Pokemon Go...
We had two very different groups of people we were committed to serving and delighting, but everything we did for one was either lost on, or actively annoying the other. So, when the irresistible force is on a collision course with the immovable object, what do we do?
The only thing we can: we yield.
If we can't make both groups happy the way we were, we'll work even harder to make them happy in a new format. So, that's what we're doing. And here's what it means:
'No more news.'
Starting today, you won't find any more news stories on iMore. We've Scarlet Witched them. That doesn't mean you won't be able to load up iMore and see what's happening in the Apple community, though. You absolutely will. We'll just be doing it in a different way.
For the most important stuff, where Serenity, Gartenberg, Bader, or myself feel like we have something substantial to contribute to a story, we'll be analyzing them in a way that we hope provides clarity, context, and some common sense. And maybe — just maybe — in a way that you'll find surprising. (No spoilers! Stay tuned!)
We just won't have a team of news writers constantly re-blogging stories all day.
For other news, including app and game updates, product and feature announcements, community opinions, and noteworthy developments, we'll find new and hopefully more interesting and valuable ways to bring that to you.
For the noise, well, we're incredibly happy to simply let that pass us by.
Better best
Complementing our new approach to news is our new approach to everything we do that isn't news, including our in-depth buyers and users guides. We've been doing them for years, and over the last year we've been doing more of them than ever.
We've also been expanding beyond just Apple hardware, software, and services, to cover everything that works with it — from fitness trackers to connected lights, Snapchat to Pokemon Go.
We're going to be taking that to the next level as well. We'll be improving not only the way the guides look, but the amount of effort we put into them as well. It'll take a while to really ramp them up, but I've seen the designs and helped build the prototypes, and I'm beyond delighted with them.
I can't wait for everyone to see them, especially everyone who needs just that kind of help.
Even more 'more'
The changes outlined above are only a few of the ones we're going through right now. To get where we want to go, we've had to reconsider and reimagine everything.
For example, we'll be discontinuing the iMore for Android app. At the same time, we're working on an incredibly great new iOS app. Not very many people used the former, and we think that, with some focus, we can make something really special for the latter.
We've also been evolving our podcasts, adding Apple Talk for deeper industry insight, and expanding the iMore show to return it to its community roots.
There'll be a lot more to come as we roll into what's going to be an incredibly stacked September, with... well, just wait and see!
Thank you for joining us for everything so far, and we look very much forward to your feedback and everything comes next!
