What the iPhone 11 says about Apple’s present — and future

No matter how much polish and Apple magic the company put on today's big event, there was one unshakable truth that colored the goings-on: phones just aren't selling like they used to. And unlike other industry-wide trends, Apple isn't immune. The large-scale slowdown of smartphone sales has had an undeniable impact on the company's bottom line.

Casual observers may not have noticed, but that harsh truth impacted nearly every mobile announcement onstage today at the Steve Jobs theater. Two elements in particular really stood out, however:

1. Content and services taking center stage.
2. Apple rethinking how the iPhone is positioned.