This comment section is fascinating. Some people are arguing that they don’t need the technological bloat of a touchscreen on their laptops. Others are specifically arguing that Apple doesn’t need to add touchscreens to its laptops, despite the fact that Apple consumers have been asking for this feature for years.

Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with having a touchscreen on a laptop. Six years ago, I bought an Acer laptop on sale at Costco, and it came with one. It has proven to be a genuinely useful feature, not some unnecessary gimmick or bloatware. You don’t have to use it, but having the option is certainly nice.

The primary issue, of course, is how late Apple is to the party. Apple has a long history of adopting existing technologies years after its competitors, then marketing them as though they’ve reinvented the wheel. While Apple certainly deserves credit for some of its innovations, particularly during its earlier years, the company’s reputation for innovation often seems to have more to do with its marketing than with being first to market.

Touchscreen laptops have existed for a very long time. Yet now that Apple is reportedly bringing the technology to its MacBooks, some people are acting as though it represents a revolutionary leap forward. It doesn’t. It’s an established feature that Apple is finally choosing to adopt.

The same argument applies to Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone. Foldable smartphones have been on the market for years, and the technology has matured considerably, even if issues such as the crease in the middle of the display remain. Apple entering the market might bring its own refinements, but it won’t be inventing the category.

The problem isn’t that Apple is adding unnecessary features. The problem is that the company has cultivated a brand culture in which ordinary product updates can be presented as groundbreaking innovations. Its exceptionally loyal customer base often seems willing to accept higher prices and fewer options simply because the product carries the Apple logo. And with the amount of competition in the technology market today, I find that level of brand loyalty difficult to justify.

In my opinion, consumers should stop rewarding Apple for charging premium prices while taking its time adopting features that competing manufacturers have offered for years. Lower the prices, deliver something genuinely compelling, and give people a real reason to upgrade beyond the logo and the ecosystem.

Or, better yet, bring back the iPod. I’d buy one of those in a heartbeat.