Comments

“…Microsoft will never become what Apple was.” The danger is that Microsoft will become precisely what Apple was: a geeky technology company that's forgotten about real world customers and is on the brink of extinction. It was only when Apple / Steve Jobs realised that it was a digital, multi-media lifestyle product that Apple took off again.

“…Microsoft will never become what Apple was.” Look at IBM, who you’ve also mentioned. Their rise, fall and rise again was astonishing. Who says Microsoft couldn’t do the same? All you need is a good crisis and a visionary CEO (cf. Apple).

Posted by Mark JF at August 12, 2008 9:44 AM

I'm not sure.

Microsoft seems to increasingly step down from Goliath's into David's shoes ... Maybe not as an anti-trend answer to the imperial, controlling Apple monolith. But what about the answer to Google?

Posted by Harald Felgner at August 12, 2008 9:47 AM

Why is this a surprise? There is always a backlash against a smug trend.

I read an article about 6 mths ago by a journalist who was tired of Apples press conferences (basically a big love in with critical questions not "the done thing").

Personally I glad to see this kind of thing is happening. Not because I am against Apple (I am broadly neutral) It’s more that I think it is healthier to exist in an environment that is not totally positive – it will keep Apple more on their toes.

Posted by PaulH at August 12, 2008 10:39 AM

I had a conversation with a young colleague a month or so ago who said, "Everybody talks about Microsoft as Big Brother, but it's Apple who won't let you change the battery in your iPod."

Posted by Wally Bock at August 12, 2008 2:21 PM

Seems to me that Apple has done a great job taking an excellent product in the iPod and making it a statement (a trend). White headphones?! Clearly a branding ploy - and one that has worked incredibly well.

What Apple has done is made their products experiences. You buy products from other companies. From Apple you buy an experience. You don't want the experience, you probably won't buy the product (but hey, there is a lot fewer of them).

Because of that, they are much more controlling. The experience is not merely in the product, but in its use. (That's why you can't change the battery - you can't make it so svelte and clean with a user serviceable battery. Naturally, it is also a forcing function - planned obsolescence - too.) That's also why Apple is controlling the App Store for the iPhone - you don't allow programs that are not stable or otherwise crappy. You have crappy programs that look like hell, so is your experience -- and that is unacceptable when you are selling the experience.

I agree with Paul about the love fests-cum-press conferences- but isn't this marketing as well? Smart, even if you do get tagged as having a "reality distortion field". Control the media to make that field extend very far... Dangerous? perhaps...

Posted by Martin Koning-Bastiaan at August 12, 2008 3:45 PM

"self-satisfied people carrying a ubiquitous object."

You gotta love this statement and sentiment! I very much appreciate PaulH and Martin's comments. I'm most certainly smiling.

"Maybe Apple will become what Microsoft is, but Microsoft will never become what Apple was."

We love comeback stories; we're suckers for them. (I like Mark JF's IBM story, hopefully not McCain's OK. OK. We're not talking people here. Plus, he never quite made it that first time, eh?) Some of us may indeed buy products in rebellion to the dominance of the monolithic brand. What are the stats on this--if any?

There are many reasons why we buy. But perhaps it's the sales volume that matters most. (And, needless to say, it's the product that mostly sends us to the stores aided, of course, by hot new designs.) There may not be many of us buying to merely make a statement. Personally, I don't buy as such, but the idea that others do is kind of... say...satisfying.

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 12, 2008 4:44 PM

Harald-Help me out. David's shoes may not be so bad...really. After all, he slew the giant. Isn't it rather strange to be even talking about Microsoft in these terms? Its market remains rather massive, no? But I guess design is where it's at.

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 12, 2008 4:53 PM

Wait until the millions of iPhone customers have to get the batteries replaced in their handsets and see how they like the "experience"...

In the wireless industry there are many who buy (or try get for free) handsets to make a statement. Nokia phones actually test and function better on virtually all networks for reception, connectivity, and call quality...but style and cool trump functionality virtually everytime in many demographic segments. Brand and customer loyalty? Yeah...until something newer and cooler comes along.

Posted by Dave Wheeler at August 12, 2008 8:46 PM

Nokia is everywhere and they captured the market a few years ago by making it simple. But their UI hasn't changed or evolved beyond making their icons more detailed. Apple by having imagination and the arrogance to interfere in "other markets" has put a rocket up the Nokia/Motorola's of the world and forced them to come up to speed. (By the way have you ever tried to survive on a Windows Mobile?!) Even if you don't like Apple they're good for development.. which is good for everyone.

And the iphone is pretty!

Posted by Luke Phillips at August 12, 2008 10:14 PM

Apple definitely has done that with the iPhone for sure and it is a sharp looking device. But the issue and comparison was with it's performance...Look at the news today however where Steve Jobs acknowledges the existence of a "kill switch" where apps purchased for the iPhone can be disabled remotely or go to CNET where there is a great deal of discussion regarding the device's reception issues in the U.S., U.K. and Netherlands to name a few. Nokia's are ugly for sure but they are reliable. If the choice is style or "substance", today's consumers often choose the former. Many devices have replicated the touch screen and what makes the iPhone unique has always been the Safari browser, its a computer that happens to place and receive calls....well alledgedly if you believe what you read.

Posted by Dave Wheeler at August 12, 2008 11:15 PM

I feel pretty, oh so pretty
I feel pretty, and witty and bright
And I pity any (phone) who isn't me tonight

I feel charming, oh so charming
It's alarming how charming I feel
And so pretty that I hardly can believe I'm real

(Bernstein/Sondheim)

Pretty? Indeed. Allegedly, if you believe what you read? Possibly.

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 12, 2008 11:58 PM

Hey Dave, I have one of those iPhones (just got it last week)- and having used Blackberrys, Treos and a host of other phones I gotta say one thing about the iPhone: Kicks their butts. Nothing I have ever used has had a good browser in it, excepting the iPhone. Email is pretty much a wash with the better crackberrys (which do you like, flicking your finger or twiddling with a wheel or ball?), the phone part need a bit of work (but it is not as bad as the reports make it sound. I have had none of the problems that others claim). The iPod functionality in it is absolutely amazing - no one even comes close to this one. Maps is very nice with the GPS. Just like Google maps on the computer and will zoom nicely. The display is absolutely stunning. Am I a bit of a fan? Yep. Completely sold on it.

Am I concerned with the Big Brother switch? Yes, I am. Does it make me regret the buy? Nope. Not at all. We'll see about the battery. I bought the Apple Care plan - so if it fails within 2 years Apple picks up the tab. When my battery went bad on my Treo - SOL - cost a chunk of change too. And my Treo was more expensive than the iPhone.

What does all this say about the experience? Let this one be the clue: My mom bought an iPhone. My MOTHER! Can you image? It threw me for a loop. I highly doubt that it was the "lifestyle" or image that sold her on it.

No matter what anyone wants to say about the iPod or iPhone - the quibbles or legitimate gripes - everyone has to admit this: They both have been game changing devices. Leading the way on the bleeding edge and being damn successful at it.

Posted by Martin Koning-Bastiaan at August 13, 2008 12:14 AM

Judith, I'm thinking if there is anyone or anything whom epitomizes both style and substance, it would undoubtedly be you!

Jitterbug Mobile would work for me. Handsets that have what appear to be 42" plasma flip-up screens and keys the size of second base at Comerica Park, exactly what the old, blind, and fat thumbed consumer such as myself needs. I recall teaching a class on one of RIM/Blackberry handsets. I put the handset down on the ELMO to demonstrate the functions and features and looked up and told the class to take a break. Jumped in the car and drove up to Walgreens and bought a pair of those magnifying reading glasses so I could see the keypad to teach the class. To each demographic group, their own!

Posted by Dave Wheeler at August 13, 2008 12:18 AM

Steve... your comments and everyone else's today were interesting to read.... my major beef with comparisons over the iPod vs Zune vs ScanDisk vs iRiver vs Whichever - are always about the device.

WHAT PEOPLE MISS is that the iPod was the most functional at its launch. It was NOT all because of the iPod.

What everyone misses in their comparisons is one piece of software that tied it all together... ITUNES !!

iTunes was developed by Jeff Robbin and Bill Kincaid as a media player called SoundJam MP. In the early nineties there was nothing like SoundJam - not on MAC or WIN. By 1999 when C&G were pushing the product - most Mac users had already integrated SJ into their mp3 management system... Apple wisely made the right choice to buy SJ and rebadge it as iTunes and brought it up to scratch with Apples move into their UNIX based system of Mac OS X.

Without iTunes - the iPod would have been another mp3 player - and with a very small market share. It's iTunes that made the iPod. The functionality of iTunes...... and until the WIN-iTunes version was released - very few iPods were sold.

This is where all the other players missed the mark - they didn't have a product like iTunes to "manage" their mp3 players. Most users did not want to have a degree in computer engineering in order to manage their playlists.

The software that other companies provided with ther release of their mp3 devices was sub-par. They might have had better units than the iPod - but they simply dropped the ball by not having a back-end that managed their playlists - from ripping, to store downloads, to movies.....

Posted by Salvo at August 13, 2008 12:51 AM

I don't understand why everyone is talking about not being able to change the battery in their iPod. I have an original first release iPod and changed the battery last year - six years after I had purchased the iPod. There are many kits on the market to change the iPod battery.

So, not true.

Now to the iPhone:

I don't know. There are third-party vendors who have released battery kits - and it doesn't take long to put a new battery in yourself... similar to the iPod kit.

To echo other comments today - I have a Nokia 6300 - it serves my purposes. I won't be purchasing an iPhone yet - simply because I don't need all the bells and whistles.

The Nokia sync's my address book, phone directory, to-do and calendar to my computer - and backs up my sms messages as well - and that's all I need. The reception is good on the Nokia and as long as I can make and receive phone calls today - I am not in a hurry to try the iPhone.

Posted by Peter Weston at August 13, 2008 12:55 AM

Steve Jobs "Kill Switch" sounds more like publicity and scare-mongering. There are many applications availble for the iPhone by indep.software developers.

I doubt he's going to be able to stop them. It's pointless - when BitTorrent technology continues to grow and grow - leaving services like CNet to supply software to newbies.

Most software for the iPhone available on various trackers works fine in the latest iPhone release.

Posted by John Butler at August 13, 2008 12:59 AM

Peter - you're quite right about battery kits for iPods. The problem is, they invalidate the device's warranty. So if your iPhone or iPod is still under warranty, you either risk invalidating it or you lose your phone for however long Apple will take to put an expensive new Apple battery into it. I do quite a lot of 2-day trips and try to keep my baggage as light as possible. I don't want to carry a charger + European adaptor with me. I want a phone with a comfortable 2-day life and a spare battery just in case - which is why I won't buy the iPhone. I agree with you about Nokia though. As pointed out elsewhere, their software interface is getting a bit aged and clunky but almost without exception, their phones are robust and reliable bits of kit.

Posted by Mark JF at August 13, 2008 2:20 AM

Oh, Dave, you are the man. Thank you, my friend for your words.

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 13, 2008 7:41 AM

Go, MOM! Go, Apple! That's great, Martin!

Design is most certainly where it's at. But if the iphone was crap it wouldn't sell...period. And...regarding the comparison to other phones, it really doesn't matter if the iphone is believed to be better or not. It only matters what is believed.

Design, marketing, word of mouth, young people by the millions wearing those white ear phones in their ears-- this is what matters. Have you seen how many are worn at the olympics by the competitors between showtime?

I wonder what's playing, probably a little of everyting. You can believe it that many tunes include popular American music at such an international event. But I doubt it if the The Boss, the Beatles and the Eagles are rocking the earphones of the olympians, great though they are. Are there remixes of their music?

There hasn't been another color headset yet; well, at least, I haven't seen one. This is distinguishing factor that matters. Thanks, Martin, for your observance. Though, I wouldn't call it a ploy. This seems to have a negative connotation to it. It's genuis! The distinguishing marketing factor--DESIGN!

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 13, 2008 8:03 AM

Peter - I was at the Dollar Store the other day and noticed that they were selling battery kits "compatiable" to the iPod and accessories too. Yes, I was at the Dollar Store and not the Apple Store! (Help a sista out. Is a battery simply a battery?)

Maybe the reason Microsoft made Vista so difficult is to prevent pirating. But I am not a huge fan of the program. It appears that many others aren't either. Has this effected sales?

Salvo - Thanks for your mentioning of the distinguishing iTunes.

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 13, 2008 8:20 AM

Mark - so true! The iPhone's battery is its achilles heel. 1 1/2 days - but play some YouTube videos and you can watch it drain. But I can charge it with my laptop, so if I am bringing my laptop with me, I am fine.

I know many people that have become disgusted with Vista and wither downgraded to XP or switched to a mac. I have to admit, Vista is not an impressive product. It looks really nice, but compatibility issues and slowness of the system functions, these are problems. Vista looks like it would be much nicer, but the actual experience is not so good. Now you get yourself a VERY nice system and Vista is snappy and seems to have less problems. But how many people really want to do that? I bought a new desktop for work a couple months back. Vista? No. XP. I can't afford to mess around. And I am not alone. That is a really bad sign for MS.

Posted by Martin Koning-Bastiaan at August 13, 2008 8:50 AM

One of the interesting things about microsoft is the difference between internal and external image.

Externally everyone seems to have a big downer on them. Evil Microsoft etc But I have known a couple of people who have worked for them and they say it is one of the best IT companies to work for - emphasis on employee welfare and a great culture. Note this didn't come across as uncritical, cult like praise more just rational acknowledgement that they work for a great company that looks after them.

I find it hard to square these two images.

Posted by PaulH at August 13, 2008 10:40 AM

I too bought a new laptop recently and I went back to XP. So, I guess pretty doesn't always pay. Although, my brother had a good point when just over lunch he said "Art is all."

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 13, 2008 12:51 PM

Great to be back in the fray.

What a great week away – a working break and well outside my comfort zone. Not getting anywhere near a keyboard for 7 whole days! Didn’t think I could do it … but keyboard withdrawal didn’t seem so bad after all.

I’m one of the few people on the planet, it seems, who doesn’t actually give a toss about this stuff between Apple and Microsoft. And actually I don’t care. My mobile phone works ok; my PC is all I need it to be. Am I too easily pleased?

Posted by Trevor Gay at August 13, 2008 6:42 PM

Re: Comment Posted by Mark JF at August 13, 2008 2:20 AM

Hi Mark, Thanks for your feedback. You are right about the battery life.

My mistake - I should have said my comments were about changing the battery - when and if the battery no longer re-charges.

When my first generation iPod's battery life decreased to 4 hours per charge a day - the quote I received from the Apple Store was $99 to change the battery.

A D.I.Y. kit with battery for $30 was a better buy - and 20 hours of playtime!!

Posted by Peter Weston at August 13, 2008 6:49 PM

To add to Comments made by Mark JF and Martin Koning:

A doctor I know purchased the iPhone a few weeks back and his complaint was that he had to switch off his phones 3G access to get 30 hours out of the phone.

With 3G running - he was getting around 24hrs.

Unacceptable for him - he does not have the luxury of hooking the phone up to a charger in his day-to-day activities. The battery life is something Apple needs to address immediately if they want more professionals hooking up to a 3G provider and access data on the go.

My $199 Nokia 6300 lasts a lot longer than the iPhone (okay, it's not 3G!).

My Nokia now has the IPHONE THEME - so the menu's "look" like an iPhone!

If you have a 6300 - here is the link to get the Nokia iPhone Menu Theme:

http://klauskjeldsen.dk/2007/06/12/nokia-6300-apple-iphone-theme/

.

Posted by Peter Weston at August 13, 2008 6:56 PM

Honestly I cannot stand those who just want to "rebel" against mainstream products simply because it's so popular. It's USUALLY popular for a reason and becoming "anti" - it's just lame.

Posted by Nick Stamoulis at August 14, 2008 3:02 PM

Lame or not it is a part of the human condition and therefore impacts buying habits.

As we move more and more into features being a commodity and emotional resonance being a key differentiator we have to get more understanding of this.

One man's expensive status symbol is, to another, a sure sign of an inability to make their own individual choice.

Bling to one person is a crass lack of taste to another.

If a product is popular because it is popular than by definition individuality comes from seeking an alternative. I don't see it as anti more a statement of individuality

Posted by PaulH at August 15, 2008 2:45 AM

Not so much Goliath stepping into David's shoes as David hitting Goliath over the head and rendering him semi-unconscious. Apple simply struck gold.

Without Apple's control the brand would've gone to pot.

Posted by R_Dorrell at August 15, 2008 4:39 AM

Good "bling" distinction. I also think that control is not a bad word; it's just that we never really control others. But the attempt at market share? Why not--with an excellent product, cool design, an ear to the customer, and a certain humiility with the thought that this could all go away?

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 16, 2008 8:33 PM

I resonate with what Salvo said. Apple did put together an entire eco-system around the iPod. It may not have clicked without the iTunes to accompany it. It didn't just create a device. It went upstream and stitched together the content along with it.

But really I think a lot of us - me for one, just loved the fact that here was this company coming in from nowhere and changing the rules of another industry. I loved what they did to the music industry in that way - and what they've begun to do to the phone industry. These guys are industry changers.

Where the disconnect happens is when the 'outsider' game-changer becomes the establishment. Then I guess a lot of us don't quite click with him anymore. Establishment is ubiquitous - and ugly, right? :-).

Posted by Porus Munshi at August 18, 2008 1:59 PM

Bravo, Porus Munshi!

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 18, 2008 11:28 PM

Thank you Judith Ellis. I'm taking a bow :-).

Posted by Porus Munshi at August 19, 2008 9:28 AM

You're taking a bow, Porus, and I'm smiling :-).

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 19, 2008 6:44 PM

For a smile from you Judith, I'll keep taking bows :-).

Posted by Porus Munshi at August 20, 2008 11:54 PM

Ubiquitous is the right word.

Do the same people who don't like Apple's dominance refuse to buy Gillette razor blades? Starbucks coffee? From Walmart? A Big Mac?

The most bizarre thing is that despite 70% market share anyone that buys an iPod still thinks they, the person and the iPod, are cool. It's kind of like saying to your friend: "Check out this new coffee place I've discovered - it's called Starbucks".

I love Apple and the iPod but I don't consider a company bigger than Dell (by market valuation) to be "the rebel alliance".

Posted by Lincoln at August 21, 2008 2:21 AM

Lincoln - Words and impressions are powerful indeed.

Porus - Nice.

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 21, 2008 7:43 AM