iPhone 5 ‘could’ be a pile of doggy do-do and still be a roaring success

As we celebrate the life and times of Steve Jobs, the dictator .. err … drive and vision behind the incredible success that Apple has become the subject of various discussions about what might have been the last thing that might have been touched by the hand of god .. err … Jobs.

One school of thought is that the iPhone 4S got the ‘S’ designation as a subtle reminder that this was Jobs’ last project before passing way.

Let me just state that this is one of the stupidest suggestions yet and really such an idea would be absolutely too gauche to even make it pass the first laugh test. Not to mention the fact that the idea would have most likely gotten the person suggesting it a pink slip, and escorted out of the building as his iPhone was ripped from his chest pocket.

The other thing about the 4S release of the iPhone was that really, with the exception of maybe a few things, this was more of a caretaker release of the iPhone. Nothing radical, nothing really earthshaking – even Siri for as cool as it might be the reaction outside of the US is pretty mixed.

Oh and what is with that gawd-awful faux leather stitching crap that is surfacing in some of the user interface. Really? I thought that kind of mimicry of ‘real world’ biz look had buried at the Clippy stake along with Microsoft Bob.

The other school of thought believes that if we really want to see Steve Jobs’ legacy, beyond that of creating a company that will forever be more than the people that make it up – boardroom or otherwise, we will need to look to the iPhone 5.

It is believed, if any real faith can be placed in rumors, that Jobs’ full participation in the iPhone 4S was not the same as it would have been under normal conditions. Some are suggesting that Jobs’ knowing his condition and the time that he had left spent all of his available time working on the iPhone 5; which is expected to be launched next year. As a side note I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the launch of the iPhone 5 happens on the same date that Jobs passed away – a final tribute.

If this is indeed the case that Jobs put his last golden touch on the iPhone 5 this will make that one phone an instant cult classic (and I’d be willing to predict will break every single sales record for any smartphone past and future). I won’t even hazard to guess what the iPhone 5 will bring to the table when it comes to both what is inside it and the beautiful industrial design that will wrap it all up in a package almost guaranteed to set new standards.

The fact is that the iPhone 5 could end up being a stinking pile of doggy-do-do and be plagued with lemonade quality problems but that won’t change the cult effect that will drive people to line up like never before to have a piece of modern history. Some will probably never be even removed from the beautiful packaging that is synonymous with the Apple design ethos, and even when we move on to the next generation that one single phone will have a place of honor on our mantelpieces to show our grandchildren and pass around like family heirlooms.

But, you can be sure of one thing, the iPhone 5 will in fact be the best iPhone ever created by the company that is Jobs’ legacy. Sure there might be some problems, after all nothing, not even an iPhone, ships without some little gotcha rearing its ugly head at some point.

However I don’t believe that as good as the iPhone 5 might be that Jobs would want anyone to consider it to be his legacy, but rather just another brink in the wall of the company that he rescued from oblivion; and made into one of the most powerful tech companies today, as well as being the most disruptive consumer oriented company doing business today.

There is no doubt that no matter what Apple does with the iPhone 5 it will be incredibly successful and chances are that if Jobs did indeed put the last of his time on this earth into it then it will be a great iPhone, on so many levels; and I would be willing to bet dollars to donuts that any guessing about it between now and launch will be wrong.

And maybe that is Steve Jobs’ greatest legacy – he always kept us guessing and when that one last thing was revealed we loved him for it.