Over and over again, I’ve witnessed an assumption on the part of computer users and analysts that Apple uses parts from suppliers the same way any other widget maker uses parts. Therefore, any aspects of an Apple product such as an iPhone, a Mac, etc. that is superior to the competition is simply a matter of design aesthetic or software functionality.

But this is not the case. While it’s true that Apple sources a lot of its hardware components from third-party manufacturers that also work with Apple’s competitors, Apple often goes to great length to utilize those components in unique ways or requires the addition of Apple-specific optimizations to those components. iPhone X provides a perfect example. You’d be forgiven for assuming that because the OLED display in the iPhone X is manufactured by Samsung, it’d be basically the same as the OLED displays in Samsung’s own phones.

No so.

“The iPhone X is the most innovative and high performance Smartphone display that we have ever tested.”
iPhone X OLED Display Technology Shoot-Out by Dr. Raymond M. Soneira

DisplayMate’s extensive testing of the OLED panel in the iPhone X shows that Apple has put a ton of effort into the hardware and supporting software specs for this display. Even though Samsung is the manufacturer, this is not the same display you’ll get when you purchase the latest high-end Samsung smartphone. It’s brighter, the color is richer and more accurate, it has higher contrast and superior viewing angles, and it supports Apple’s signature display features such as TrueTone to make the screen look excellent under a wide variety of lighting conditions.

So yes, kudos to Samsung’s OLED manufacturing division. They’ve made something truly special. But Apple is equally deserving of praise for the part they’ve played in this remarkable breakthrough. Once again the slogan rings true: if it’s not an iPhone, well, it’s not an iPhone.

I love my iPhone 7 Plus. I mean, I really, really love it. I didn’t care much for the larger size phone when it first came out in the iPhone 6 era, but the matte black finish on my 7 Plus looks incredible. I love typing on the large screen, and I can’t imagine going back to the smaller keyboard and cramped navigation.

Which is why, as much as I’m impressed by the iPhone X (I mean, this thing is just gorgeous and packed with futuristic technology), I’m holding out for the next generation when Apple will presumably release a Plus version of this new form factor. After enjoying the wider screen real estate for browsing websites, jotting down notes, and reading documents, I can’t ever go back to a narrower screen width.

However, fans of the regular size phones: rejoice! Trying out iPhone X today at the Apple store made it clear that this is far and away a better phone than iPhone 8. It feels like an 8 in the hand, yet you get a much taller screen (and of course a much better OLED display), dual cameras, better battery life, and all the rest of the features exclusive to iPhone X. If you ask me whether you should get an iPhone 8 or iPhone X, the latter wins hands down.

But if you ask me whether you should get an iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X, the decision becomes murkier. If having the latest-gen tech and the cool factor of using the best model means the most to you, then by all means go with the iPhone X. If, like me, you’ve grown to love the larger, roomy Plus screens and don’t want to go back to a narrower screen width, then you should get the iPhone 8 Plus—or just wait until next year. That’s what I’m doing, although it won’t be easy…the iPhone X is the most beautiful handheld device I’ve ever seen. Kudos to Apple on this one. It’s a winner.

Lester Holt of NBC Nightly News sat down with Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss the rollout of iPhone X, as well as hot-button issues that have come up in the news regarding social media’s dissemination of fake news and foreign political influence. Tim Cook’s viewpoints on these matters are certainly interesting, but what really struck me is his comments regarding Silicon Valley’s relationship with user data.

When asked about the scrutiny tech companies are facing now about how they handle privacy matters, Cook reiterated that gathering, parsing, and selling user data is not something Apple chooses to engage in. His exact quote, which it going to resonate immediately with anyone who follows these sorts of privacy issues is this:

“You are not our product.”

It is vitally important to understand what Cook is saying here. Apple’s customers are the people who buy Apple products. This is in stark contrast to Facebook, for example. Facebook’s customers are advertisers, and the product Facebook is selling is user attention. In other words, as far as Facebook is concerned, you are the product.

Additionally, when Tim Cook is asked later on in the interview if Lester Holt’s Face ID data is sitting on a server somewhere in the Apple cloud, Cook looks almost surprised at such a notion, stating: “We don’t have it intentionally because it’s yours, it’s not ours.”

It’s yours, not ours.

Oh, if only more tech companies espoused such a refreshing attitude to user data! Our data is ours, not Amazon’s. Not Facebook’s. Not Google’s. We should have as much control over our data as possible, including what data is being collected on us, how it is being secured, how it is used and by whom, and—most importantly—how to request that data be completely removed if we feel we no longer want that data shared with the company (or any of its affiliates).

What’s it going to take to turn the tide on privacy? Is user pressure and media attention enough? Do we need more privacy laws at the federal level? (That presents its own challenge because security agencies such as the FBI have their own vested interest in capturing and accessing user data!)

Whatever happens, it’s comforting to know that the biggest company in tech proactively chooses to build security and privacy into their products. They may not get it right 100% of the time, but at least they’re trying.

I haven’t yet finished the season, and I know a lot of people are still working their way through it, so I’ll refrain from discussing any spoilers here. Instead, what I’ll say is: I was really concerned that the “sequel” to Stranger Things—one of my absolute favorite TV shows of all time—would just artificially make everything bigger and crazier and more amped up…a trap that so many bad sequels fall into. I was afraid that the sheer joy-filled magic and goosebump-inducing fright of the first season would be lost in the scope of its eagerly-awaited followup.

So far I’m relieved to discover that the Duffer brothers have pulled off a truly remarkable feat: the second season of Stranger Things indeed remains faithful to the sublime essence of the first while also making everything bigger, and crazier, and more amped up. Can such a thing even be possible? You be the judge. But all I know is I can’t wait to find out what happens next. On with the show!

Art is a dialogue between two parties: the creator and the audience. If you want to sharpen your craft, it’s crucial that you get crystal clear on who your audience is.

I could show you the most clever, engaging, expertly-written blog post you’ve ever seen, but if it’s on a topic you care nothing about, you won’t give a darn. For instance, I’m not a fan of football, so if a friend shares with me a world-class article about football, I probably won’t read it. I’m not the right audience!

Find your audience. For new blogs it’s OK to experiment, try some different angles, and mess around with a bunch of topics. But at some point, if you want to be successful as a writer, you must narrow your focus.

Write for them. Once you’ve decided what your focus is and who will appreciate what you have to say on those topics, write for them! Keep those imaginary faces at the forefront of your mind.

Grow with feedback. As your words begin to resonate with your audience, you’ll receive valuable feedback which you can incorporate into your writing. But be careful: it’s easy to get pulled sideways and lose track of your main focus. Listen to feedback, but stay true to your own compass.