Why Apple Is Wrestling With Relevance

[Guest]

According to Jobs, Apple's learned a lot in 4 years. Let's analyze what's been shown.

Why Apple Is Wrestling With Relevance : Read more

 

[jon bon wonton]

Why it's not a big deal that ABC is on the Apple TV:
Think of who owns ABC, then think of who sits on the board of directors of that company.

 

[jomofro39]

I was going to say because Apple is probably attracted to Relevance, even though I had little idea who that was at the time.
"A lot of dudes Greco-Roman wrestle to settle their differences!"-Apple
"But why so much oil?"-Relevance

 

[Accidental]

Never bought an Apple product, never will..

 

[lauxenburg]

They changed like the entire lineup overnight. Such nerve

 

[bamslang]

With more and more people becoming more computer savy, I think that people will start to notice that Apple just takes an existing technology and puts a clean, white case on it. The only thing their computers have going for them is that they had a low market share. Apple fans are going to be crying empty pockets to the Mac Store if Apple gains any real market share in the computer world. Their security is much easier to break and must more susceptible to attacks, they just were never focused on since no real business was ever done on them. Once the first big virus spreads over Macs, good luck trying to get rid of it with Apple’s awesome antivirus… oh wait.

As for their other products, the iPods are at the end of their product life cycle with regards to innovation. There isn’t much more you can do with them to actually add value. Look at the this gens nanos (or last I guess now)… I have one and I hate it compared to the previous version. Who at Apple thought it would be smart to take off the controls and put them on the headphones? Want to use better headphones? Too bad I guess, here have these easily breakable white ones and hand over some money if they mess up.

The iPad is nothing more than a toy. Once someone launches a real tablet with a real OS, you can say goodbye to its market share.

The one thing that Apple is actually GOOD at is marketing. Unfortunately for them, good marketing only goes a long way if you don’t have the products to back it up.

 

[cadder]

I liked the previous 3 gen's of Nano better. For the way I use it, those were a good size and had good functionality. I realize that the touch would have a lot more capability, but it is also larger and heavier which would make it harder for me to use. And then the iphone almost totally duplicates the touch so why would anybody need both? It seems that serious apple fans would already have an iphone.

 

[mgoblue3296]

Hey Microsoft, now's your chance to blow Apple out of the water with a sweet Zune HD2.

 

[tipoo]

I'm dumbfounded that they removed video recording as well as video playback (!!!) from the Nano. It will probably still sell like hotcakes though, as will next years model with the "new" features of video playback and capture that the fifth gen already had.

 

[Stifle]

All I can say is, people will still buy it. Apparently that is what Apple is banking on these days.

 

[Guest]

I agree, Apple is missing a huge opportunity with Apple TV. Done right, Apple TV could do for television and movies what the iPod and iTunes did for music. As it stands, it seems Apple mainly sees the ATV as a vehicle for video rental revenue. Right now the "media center" market space is fragmented between DVRs, homebrew Boxee/XBL setups, net-enabled disc players, and Windows Media Center PCs, with Apple TV being a minor player. Apple could wipe the floor with Apple TV if they had an inspired, committed, and creative vision for the product and the market, just like the iPhone did to smartphones. I don't what is to blame for Apple's lack of vision in this segment, but everyone else in this space better watch out if Apple decides to take it seriously.
Here's my suggestion, if someone at Apple is reading this. Follow the author's suggestion and make Apple TV an iOS device. Add a tuner with CableCARD support and of course, 1080p HD. Find a way to put in Blu-ray. Add enough storage to make it a useful DVR. Take the remote and make it also also operate like the Nintendo Wii stick, you can point at the screen and select what you want.
Market it direct and through cablecos, who could offer it at a discount with contract.

 

[haramir]

I have yet to jump on the Apple bandwagon and I don't see that happening anytime soon. I really don't feel the need to spend that kind of money for a glorified radio and my Droid handles essentially anything that an iPod touch or an iPhone would do. And for anything else, there is my computer.

I agree that there was no real innovation this time around, and everything seemed like minor upgrades to dying products. I also agree that the whole Apple TV thing seems destined to die a painful "Who needs this?" death.

 

[serkol]

In the past, a physical click wheel allowed users to guess the controls, adjust the volume, or jump a song forward or back. How do you do that with a touchscreen?

The new Nano has physical volume buttons. You can also slide your finger over the screen without looking at it, to select the previous or the next song. It looks like a very good and cool wearable media player, except that it does look overpriced. But I may buy one for cardio workouts, I just want to try it in a store before I buy. If it can stream music wirelessly to Apple TV, i will definitely buy it.

 

[soccerplayer88]

The only Apple product I own is the original First Gen iPod. Gotta admit that thing is a tank. I've dropped it from my 2nd story window onto cement, still worked. I've had my dog chew the hell out of it, still works. But it's finally crapping out on me. So I'll probably grab a 3rd gen iPod touch just so I can play Final Fantasy Tactics on it come mid-September.

The iPod was about the only thing they got right in my book. But that's purely based on my ancient first gen iPod.

But it really looks like they're going to leave the iPods in the closet. Which is too bad.

iPod = awesome
Steve Jobs = terrible

 

[NotYetRated]

The first thing that caught my attention in this article is "I doubt that many TV manufacturers would resist the opportunity to work with Apple"...

Do you remember how many phone carriers turned them down for the Iphone? No one wants to work with Apple. They are far too controlling. Work WITH Apple and you may as well be considered as working FOR Apple. There is no working with them. Most smart companies know this and try and keep their distance. Look at Best Buy and their Macs... though on the outside Best Buy may appear to be loving their workings with Apple, employees and managers alike would like nothing more than to be rid of them.

On the Ipod comments... Ipod's of all sorts are so over priced and irrelevant now it is absurd that people are still paying for them. The touch is the only thing they have going for them, though, if you are going to have a touch why not just get a Media capable phone? Droid anyone? Tell me what your touch does that a Droid does not?

 

[zak_mckraken]

As much as you are painfully right Mr. Gruener, those products (maybe with the exception of ATV) will still sell like crazy.

Little girl : It's the new Malibu Stacy! She is better than ever!
Lisa : She still embodies all the awful stereotypes she did before!
Smithers : But she's got a new hat!

 

[Guest]

The big concern with Apple is hinted by the author: Apple was having and taking huge leads in the tech sector and was content, I mean they were taking it easy and not in a panic mode as to what to do next. In fairness they didn't have to be in panic mode but they shouldn't have been relaxed either. I used to use a Mac; I used it before an iPod was ever made; I used it before it was a tendy/hipster thing to do. Apple via iPod and iPhone made jumps and leaps and was positioning itself to do something great. It just didn't. Macbook Pro's running i7 are horrible and when I say a Dell overheats less running Adobe, that's a pretty big slap in the face [I mean a dell....A DELL]. They keep re-designing the iPod but it keeps counting for less of their sales overall, the iPhone is their biggest budget model but Android and Blackberry are competitors and their reliance on AT&T is killing their growth in cell phones. They really don't introduce any significant designs on their Macbooks [like its really too hard to figure out that maybe, JUST MAYBE, putting HDMI's on their Macbook Pro's would be a good thing).

As a Vmac community member once said "you can love the product but hate the company". That's really how I feel about Apple but not with as much love. I won't argue that they make a nice product, but the hype and lack of "functionality" is getting out of control. iPad < netbook, Asus i7 model > Macbook i7, Android = iPhone, Windows 7 OS = Snow Lep OS. You may not agree with me on those judgements BUT Apple had an easy opportunity to be the best and it didn't.

 

[Guest]

"Let's not forget the fact that after four years of learning, The ATV still can't playback 1080p."
Come on !!! 1080p is the thing invented by LCDs to stay relevant regarding plasma TVs. For years, image quality from LCD was atrocious with dithering, washed out colors and mid grey instead of blacks. BUT you can make small pixels on LCDs cheaply while it is expensive on plasmas. Sooooo the selling point was : let's go FullHD.

When sitting at 10ft, if your set is smaller than 50", you CAN'T even make out 720p pixels so 1080p isn't really useful until you hit 60" or more ! And with a 32" set, you need to sit at less than 5 feet to start making out pixels on 720p so upgrading to 1080p would start bein worthwhile at 4 ft or less. Like putting your set your laps.
Moreover, 1080p requires so much data that only BluRay are in 1080p. Most VoD, broadcast and videogames are in 720p or 1080i.

So don't use "it does not support 1080p" as an relevant argument.
I don't want to pay more money to process more pixels I don't have content for and I won't be able to see.

 

[Guest]

I don't understand the venom...if you hate Apple, buy something else. If you like iPods, but not the new ones, buy a previous generation for less on eBay.

 

[lukeiamyourfather]

I'm not a fan of Apple but I have one of their products, a 60GB iPod from five years ago that is needing an update. Apple killing the iPod Classic is really disappointing because it was the only iPod with any appeal for someone serious about their music. I don't care about a touchscreen or "apps" for my music player, I want ample battery life with powerful headphones and lots of storage space for lossless files. Oh well, I'm sure someone else will fill that gap.

 

[Guest]

I think you've got it wrong with Apple TV. It could be big. I'm already considering ditching my expensive TV subscription in favor of an Apple TV so I can rent shows/movies and stream content from my computer.

 

[jpishgar]

Thread purged.
Please keep it topical and constructive, folks.

 

[adaman2576]

[citation][nom]zak_mckraken[/nom]As much as you are painfully right Mr. Gruener, those products (maybe with the exception of ATV) will still sell like crazy.Little girl : It's the new Malibu Stacy! She is better than ever!Lisa : She still embodies all the awful stereotypes she did before!Smithers : But she's got a new hat![/citation]

Well said... and +1 for using a Simpsons quote.

 

[dredj]

[citation][nom]soccerplayer88[/nom]The only Apple product I own is the original First Gen iPod. Gotta admit that thing is a tank. I've dropped it from my 2nd story window onto cement, still worked. I've had my dog chew the hell out of it, still works. But it's finally crapping out on me. So I'll probably grab a 3rd gen iPod touch just so I can play Final Fantasy Tactics on it come mid-September.The iPod was about the only thing they got right in my book. But that's purely based on my ancient first gen iPod.But it really looks like they're going to leave the iPods in the closet. Which is too bad.iPod = awesomeSteve Jobs = terrible[/citation]


I agree. I have an ipod classic 160gb. For someone who has thousands (upon thousands) of songs, it really is a great device. Anywhere I go I have my entire collection of music with me for whatever mood I happen to be in. Other mp3 players tried to take apple but there just wasn't anything effective with the 100+gb of storage that I needed. As far as everything else? Meh.

 

[Hilarion]

I've disliked Apple from it's very first (way overpriced) computer. They have not shown me anything since that convinces me that they are worth spending the money on. Now they consider themselves to be Apple Almighty (we tell you the only ways you can use OUR product that you have rented even though you think you have purchased it) and masters of all who buy (sorry) rent from them. They want to be the keepers of their "victims" morals also. And yet people will go to them and shell out money and worship at the Apple logo.

Have fun Sheeple.