I consider Apple to be a special case in the tech world because of their unique business situation.
(great picture, right? I’m a Software Design major, not a Graphic Design major)
Microsoft got some flak from the EU for bundling Internet Explorer with Windows – why doesn’t Apple get served with the same kind of lawsuit for bundling Safari with OS X? Because Apple is a special case. Steve Jobs took a leave of absence, but why doesn’t Apple (a publicly traded company) make details about Jobs’ health publicly known, even when there’s evidence that Apple’s stock prices are directly affected by Steve’s health? Because Apple is a special case. A lot of computer and software manufacturers move on to supporting Blu-Ray, but Apple doesn’t. Why can that happen? Because Apple is a special case. Apple implements an almost-Draconian approval system for apps in their App Store for the iPhone/iPod Touch (recent case in point). Despite horrendous backlash, Apple keeps the system in place. Why hasn’t the tech community at large boycotted the iPhone? Because Apple is a special case. Apple still doesn’t support Flash for the iPhone. Why does something like this happen? Because Apple is a special case.
Beginning to see a trend?
Time and time again, Apple has gotten away with the kinds of feats that any other company in any other industry never would have. Sure, I can just point you to a bunch of articles that talk about these individual cases, but I think the more interesting thing to do is explore how and why Apple is in this extremely unique situation. Some might say that it’s because Apple’s products are better than everyone else’s, and having such great products is worth suffering those flaws. Others might say that it’s because Apple doesn’t have a big enough market share for its issues to be a big deal. Either of these could be true, but I think it has more to do with Apple’s place in the industry.
Apple software can only run on an Apple operating system, which can only run on an Apple computer (well, kinda). Almost everything Apple-related is made by Apple. Because of that, the only market that Apple has to compete in is the Apple market, and since Apple is really the only company in the Apple market, Apple is its own market.
The effects of Apple being its own market are felt in a lot of places. I think that the reason Apple’s App Store has been as successful as it has is because it’s so easy to write for the iPhone, because it’s the only phone developers have to deal with because it’s the only phone in the market! Can you imagine if Microsoft announced an Apple-esque mobile application store? Can you imagine all of the hassles that Microsoft would have to go through in terms of certain apps only supporting a subset of current Windows Mobile phones? Can you imagine if something like that happened? Oh wait, it just has. It had to happen eventually, given Apple’s success with the App Store (and to a lesser extent, having to keep up with the other big mobile OS providers). Admittedly, it seems that Microsoft has done the right thing and waited until the debut of Windows Mobile 6.5 before opening their new store.
Another effect of Apple being so closed can be seen when Apple releases (or doesn’t release) a new product or feature. When Apple finally do announce Blu-Ray support, Apple will make a huge deal about it. The rest of the tech world will say “we had Blu-Ray in computers years ago, this isn’t anything new” – the thing is, it will be a big deal because this will be the first Apple computer to support Blu-Ray! That’s the first computer in the whole market! The same kind of thing can be seen across Apple’s computer line – Apple almost withholds new technologies, so when new technologies are announced, it’s a huge deal to the Apple community. You want some examples?
- Hard drives in Apple computers are (by default) smaller than those on Windows-based machines with similar system specifications, so when Apple starts putting bigger hard drives in their computers, it will seem like a big step up because the only viable comparison is with the previous Apple computer.
- There aren’t very many USB ports on Apple’s laptops (and certainly no SD card slot) compared to other companies’ laptops – if/when Apple bumps this up, Steve Jobs will cause a heap of hullabaloo, even if it has been the standard in the rest of the computer industry for the past couple of years.
- Up until last October, Apple’s MacBook line of laptops all had Intel’s X3100 integrated graphics chip, when the industry standard for notebooks of that system size, price and specification was a dedicated video card (and even now, Nvidia’s GeForce 9400M isn’t a proper dedicated graphics chip).
There are other examples, but suffice it to say, Apple being its own market (and being the leader of that market by default) is something that affects the way Apple does business.
Whether or not Apple should be allowed to be in the kind of situation they are is an interesting question, but not one for this blog post, or even one for me to answer. One thing is certain though:
2 Comments
I think that’s the reason why Apple is successful.
It sets itself apart by being different. They’re not just another ‘me too’ company, they lead.
Actually, they lead not in technology, but in the coolness factor.
I’ve worked on both PCs and Macs in my tech career, and could never justify the economics of Apple machines. PCs could arguably do more for the money, but Macs might be easier to use, maybe.
I was lucky enough to get an iPod touch last Christmas. Never even wished for one – and in fact, I was seriously contemplating to exchange it for something else.
However, something ‘magical’ happened. Today, I use it everyday. The wifi is cool, the touchscreen is cool, the looks are cool.
Every kid and adult wants to be cool; and to own an Apple product means you’re cool.
Bottomline: deep down inside, every kid and adult longs to be liked by his/her peers.
Steve Jobs has mastered the art of marketing. He’s really selling “coolness”, and for that, Apple can do whatever it wants.
I agree man. But I think/hope that as Apple creates a larger and larger footprint in the market and expands into the realm of the ordinary business user, legislation that has been hampering (and let’s face it, targeting) Microsoft, will catch up with them.