Deep within Apple’s offices, a focus group zoned in on the number one change they wanted to see with a phone.
“I hear all of your features, said Participant 47. “AI functionality, a water-based keyboard, and a new flip phone. It all sounds great, but it doesn’t fix my problem.”
“What’s your problem?” the focus group leader said.
“It’s too easy to call people accidentally. I accidentally call people all the time. It happens when I’m closing an app or when I hang up on a phone call. It seems like everything I’m doing results in me accidentally calling someone.”
“How many of you have this problem?” the focus group leader asked. The leader noted that all but three hands shot up.
“What about you? Why don’t you have this problem?” the leader said, focusing on Participant 12.
“I delete every single call I ever have, so I don’t have this problem anymore. It’s hard never to have call logs, but it’s worth it not to call someone accidentally.”
“There’s also the ghost call problem,” participant 7 noted. “You accidentally hit call, and even if you hang up, it will show a missed call from that person. It’s out of control.”
“Well, we didn’t address that problem,” the leader said. Just then his phone rang. “Hello?”
“Hi, this is participant 47,” the participant said a few feet away in the room. “I didn’t mean to call you. I hit the wrong button.”