QOTD: What Would You Suggest Apple Do?

Page 4 - Seeking answers? Join the Tom's Hardware community: where nearly two million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Status
Not open for further replies.
You shouldn't ask people here what they want in a mac; they want a mac to be a pc.

Personally I just bought a 17" MacBook Pro and couldn't be happier; I could care less about all the plastic HPs and the Dells that would have cost me half the price but would have come with a can of bloatware and bad service. My computer is lighter, thinner, sleeker, faster clock-for-clock in Mac OSX for the apps I use, it's also greener (important to me).

Making Mac OS X for PCs would probably ruin it; you'd be once again in pirate land, virus land, driver problems land etc.

As a few other said what I think Apple should do is create a mid tower for all those folks that need more than a mini, less than a mac pro and who don't want a AIO.


 
How about a little hardware upgrade? its been like 3-4 years that the only processor you can find on a mac is core2 duo(except mac pro for 3000$!). everyone else is using core2 quad and core2 extreme even on their laptops. I wont bye a mac cause 2 cores dont even nearly respond to my demands and macpro is too damn expensive.
 
The only way that apple can compete is to play the Wal-Mart card and to undersell the competition. However if they did do that they would find that other companies have much more leiniency in their pricepoints and they would get beat out by microsoft in all markets. If they really want to get an edge up in the market though they could swing a lot of people if they could release a small inexpensive netbook that ran a slimmed down version of leopard.
 
[citation][nom]dedhorse[/nom]License OSX[/citation]
At the same time, to preserve the "stability" of their OS, release a supported hardware list (and try to keep it growing) That way they know where to point fingers if someone installs it and doesn't have a great experience.
 
[citation][nom]Nik_I[/nom]the only way i'll ever use anything apple is if they open up their operating to be usable legally on a pc. that's about it.[/citation]
This and offer true compatibility (no boot camp) with windows programs. Lack of software support is a Macs true achilles heel.
 
For all of those suggesting Apple open up their licensing to the PC market, that will never happen. The main reason why Apple has the current recognition of being essentially bug free in comparison to the PC is because they control exactly what is put into the hardware. If they opened the licensing the OS' reputation would falter as more and conflicts with various hardware configurations begin to appear. That's not including user error in building one's own rig and installing the software incorrectly or not meeting the minimum requirements and blaming the OS. Also take into consideration hackers would begin to target it more as it became more mainstream.

Bottom line is Apple like hiding behind the elite curtain. It's the primary thing that protects it from becoming just another OS with all the flaws and vulnerabilities included.

 
Buy a Apple product and it continuously sucks the money out of your pocket. No thanks! I'm a proud member of the 1% market share loss.
 
They won't change. If they change they will fail. They market to the ignorant and elitists.

As soon as they market to the masses, they will fail. There is nothing special about their hardware or OS. There is no magic experience only available on a Mac.

If I was running Apple, I would milk it as long as possible and then sell the company to a someone who doesn't know any better.

Before selling I would offer OS to windows users.

I would also offer a free ipod with a $50 itunes card with every Mac purchase.

This would increase revenue and make the company look more attractive for sale.

After selling the company I would laugh my ass off and build myself a kickass PC.
 
I'm sure no one wants to have their product that they use and love bashed by some company that thinks its best at everything.
328.jpg
 
Apple already is more competitive. They're at almost 9% market share here in the USA and climbing. That's up from 4% just a few years ago. They've already surpassed linux, and are now the 4th biggest PC manufacturer. I'd say Apple should keep going the route they're on, and don't water down their brand by licensing it out.

The strength that Apple has over any other PC manufacturer is that they control every aspect of the computer experience. From the hardware to the software to the internet store and other devices like the iPod. With HP/Dell/Acer you're dealing with multiple companies if you have a problem. If you have a Mac and there's an issue, you can bring it to an apple store for service for both software and hardware. Their customer service far surpasses any of the other vendors out there.

Branding-wise they are and will always be a boutique brand. Something that's pretty and a bit more expensive than comparable computer hardware. I think they're akin to Lexus RS while HP/Dell/Acer are the Honda Civics. That doesn't mean that they're better, it means that their brand perception is that of a luxury model. So as it stands, I think Apple is on the right track, and I can absolutely see them hitting a 15% - 20% market share here in the USA in the next 3 - 5 years.
 
Become cheap. Keep up the great style. Encourage game producers to create their games for macintosh also(starcraft)(not a real possibility of course they'll produce for majority)
 
I'm sure no one wants to have their product that they use and love bashed by some company that thinks its best at everything
 
With only 7% of market share apple should fold up its tent and get out of the computer market. Where apple's share a grade it would be "F". Apple has its loyalist, but so did Hitler. When apple goes out of business I promised my wife I'd take her out for a great dinner.
 
re: license mac os x

People have really short memories. Apple licensed their OS in the 90s and nearly bankrupted the company. The OS will never be licensed. Apple is in the hardware business - not software.
 
[citation][nom]TEAMSWITCHER[/nom]They should do nothing. They has a very successful business model- they do not sell the most units, but their margins are the highest. And with those margins they can spend more on product development to add cool new feature that continue to differentiate them. I haven't seen magnet power cords or aluminum unibody construction on any PC notebook. Windows doesn't come with any decent software.Apple doesn't cater to any specific niche, they offer the most rational line of computers in the industry, They don't put crappy 17 inch displays in low cost notebooks to compete on specs, they sell notebooks that have the all the features that people want and like, in the product design world we call that Anthropology.I know that a lot of you home-built PC fan boys may disagree with me, but the rest of the world has moved on from the desktop. Notebooks are the most Personal Computer you can get and right now Apple make the very best.[/citation]

Dumbass.

Maybe if all you do is check your AOL e-mail account and look at pictures of LOLcats then a laptop works fine.

However if you need a decent quad core processor and/or graphics card, laptops are definitely not the way to go.
 
Apple should start selling their OS for installation on any x86 machine (minor technical challenges aside). There will always be a contingent of foaming at the mouth Apple fanatics to buy their overpriced aesthetics. But that approach is clearly not winning the war. Mac penetration is abysmal. They've saved the company but they're a boutique vendor. I would love to see if people really love their OS or just their look. It would not be bad at all to have a serious contender in the OS realm.
 
[citation][nom]Nik_I[/nom]the only way i'll ever use anything apple is if they open up their operating to be usable legally on a pc. that's about it.[/citation]

Dittos!

However, I wouldn't expect great things from it. I would buy it just as much to support competition for Microsoft as anything else, but I think that it's shortcomings would be brought to the light of day if they did so, with people other than fan-boys (-girls) using it. It certainly would be no cheaper than Vista Ultimate - which begs the question, if you want a Unix-based OS why not go with one of the Linux distros? Apple's OS is essentially the most polished, and expensive, Linux distro there is. Polish and support (I assume Apple's support would be first-class) go a long way though, or most of us would be using Linux right now.

One thing - stop running idiot ads that put down us PC-users!!! I was SO glad to see Microsoft's response to the Apple ads; I have never understood why people put down customers of their competitors - how is essentially calling me derogatory names going to endear me to your product?
 
How would I suggest Apple grow their business?

*MEDIA- Since Apple makes relatively little on the media it sells, why not change the game completely and offer subscription content (while still using Fairplay); the media giants would love the recurring revenue (and therein getting them off Apple's back once and for all). Tie in HD television shows for a few bucks more, and they would increase their stranglehold on all things digital.

*iPODS- Yes, iPod is number one in digital media players (in terms of sales). With the subscription idea I've listed above, think of how quickly these little pods would be filled. Apple could tout newer iPods with greater capacities- or even wireless syncing of data & media. Everyone updates, investors are thrilled.

*iPHONE- Yes, Apple has sold a few million iPhones and that's great! But if they want to capture the market and start moving users to other areas of the business, they need to think a little differently. Look at Blackberry- they have separate devices for consumers and business/corporate users. Launch an iPhone for enterprise with a few 'must-have' Apple apps and features. If AT&T wants to renew their contract for a couple more years, force them to subsidize a new iPhone Nano- offering it for FREE to consumers (after applicable rebates of course). The Nano tie-in to otherwise stale negotiations will get this iPhone train moving much faster.

*WEB- I don't know why Apple doesn't try to corner the "creative" aspect of the web. Yes, Macs are great for doing creative work through their elegant interfaces, etc. but the web is where everyone is at. Launching a portal that offers a hodgepodge of Mac style YouTube videos (from iSight cameras of course), Online streaming of iTunes subscription songs/video, and an online based Dashboard would give Apple a great chance to make some serious money. Tying the web experience that they would now control, into their own OS would further adoption. Spotlight with ApplePortal.com search anyone?

*MobileMe- Cut the price in half, offer more storage with any Mac purchase (This fosters old-time Apple loyalty). If you want it after you buy a Mac, regular price.

*MID/NETBOOKS- Netbooks seem to be all the rage lately. However, considering that they have razor thin margins, I would suggest that Apple ignore the market. I may be wrong, and time will tell but look at other trends, hybrids and subcompacts were greeted with 2 year waiting lists when gas was $4. Now? Toyota is reporting fewer sales of these types of cars. Netbooks are great for the market, and if this trend continues for more than a few quarters, Apple should reconsider it's stance. But with low processing power, cramped keyboards (for some) and small screens- you simply cannot have a first class experience on a Netbook type device. Instead, Apple should roll out ads, highlighting simple tasks that the iPhone and iPod Touch can do. Or, cleverly use the 'I'm a Mac' type ads to poke fun at the Netbooks while the Mac type guy- with a swipe of a finger is sending mail to the PC's Netbook while he fumbles to read it on the small screen. When this recession ends and consumer spending returns to normal levels, the Netbook trend may change.

*MAC- Bring back the Mac! Seriously, Apple has Macbook, Mini and Pro series but what ever happened to Apples' Mac, sans any witty monikers? Apple seems to have already relegated themselves to selling a Mac with no screen (Mini), so why not sell, Mac- a Mac with a Quad Core processor, decent ram and dual hard drives for a couple hundred less than iMac? This would be a great way to capture market share, if they put their heart into it at least. Imagine a grand scale ad campaign harking back to the famous ad of the 80's, introducing our hearts to the Mac- it would be great.

*OS- While others on here think Apple should open the OS up to just about any computer or device, I have to disagree, for now. Look back at the Vista launch, numerous driver issues and hardware incompatibilities. Top tier vendors and partners of Microsoft publicly berated the software giant for lack of time and resources to optimize their wares for the OS. Apple sticks to a specific set of hardware- ensuring that the devices "just work" (it's more than a gimmick, they really do work), all the while optimizing the hardware for their software. Simply throwing out their OS into shark infested waters would not be a good idea. Covering more price points and finding new ways to capture customers will be key.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom