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Apple's Bruised Presentation: A Warning Sign Rarefied Air Is Becoming Exhaust Fumes
On Wednesday of this past week Apple™ held its much-anticipated annual roll-out of new products and features to the Apple lineup. However, this latest presentation caused more head scratching as well as out right consternation than any in recent memory. There was one other, but I’ll get to that later when there’s more context as to compare.
Whether it be within the confines of media reviews or tech blogs, it seems almost to a person the reaction to this latest event was anything but celebratory. Rather, the overarching theme revolved around the questioning of: Did they just witness the initial confirmation that many have pondered now these last few years. i.e., Has Apple lost, or, is rapidly losing their soul/spirit of innovation? Or, just the outright feeling of confirmation: without Jobs – Apple is an also ran.
Like many I too was flummoxed when watching the event. However, unlike some I saw things a little differently. What I saw; and the way I saw it, I’ll illustrate, as well as counter how I believe many of the obvious missteps, as well as outright blunders were made should have been handled and addressed differently.
Although I’m going to address my assertions through my business eye (for that’s what I do professionally) as if I were called into the board of Apple in a hypothetical sense and asked my opinion. I want to make sure it’s known for the record I could be what one considers an Apple “fan boy.” I use their products near exclusively and have great respect for the company. Yet, much like if I saw a family member doing the obvious wrong things; being openly harsh, critical, or straight forward in that criticism doesn’t mean any lack of respect. Quite the contrary.
So first things first: For the first time since the inception of these stylized “Event” roll-outs one thing was clear to almost everyone that viewed it. The “presentation” along with its cinematic star quality infused theatrics more often than not didn’t help nor bolster the products or presenters. Again, for the first time that I can remember – it actually seemed to take it away.
A few things were obvious. One of these is the incessant use of the glorious styled verbiage made famous by Apple when trying to invoke awe inspired anticipation. The problem this time were the products they were introducing. There were obvious trip wires that needed to be addressed that one could see for miles. Yet, it seemed as if Apple was going to pay no attention to them and roll them out because “They’re Apple therefore you’re going love it.”
The Apple Watch™ fits into this category probably more than any other. The problem? It seems the push is to present the watch as a fully formed device which it clearly is not. Yes there is the nod that more and more applications are forthcoming. However, it is quite obvious the main focus is all too centered on fit and finish. The push about what band one can now choose and the on, and, on aspect of the details of these bands subliminally pushes one to assume – I guess that’s all they have to show right now.
I believe the watch will be a great product in the future. And it’s easy to understand it’s a work in progress that needs to be out in the public a little before prime time as to see just where the market wants to take it. And there’s nothing wrong with that. That said, the more that Apple makes this almost sycophantic push towards fit and finish currently? It doesn’t hide or subvert its obvious current limitations – it pushes them more into the fore front.
If you wanted more proof of the “We’re Apple therefore you’re going to love it” attitude that I believe allowed for the lack of self-awareness to see obvious issues or miscues. All one had to do was watch the introduction of the Apple Pencil®. It went something like this…
Ladies and gentlemen. May I draw you’re attention to the big screen behind me and behold. Never before in the history of mankind has such a device ever been thought of by mere mortal man. Ladies and gentlemen I introduce to you – the pencil!
And there on the screen stood what at first blush was a representation of the one thing Jobs railed against: a stylus. You could hear either a collective chuckle or, YAYYYYyyyyy….wait a what? The set up for this product buzz-killed its own introduction.
Another was when the new IPad Pro® was revealed to show it with its newly designed specific keyboard. What seemed at first like thunderous applause drifted quickly to be silenced by the obvious knee-jerked gasp when the big screen showed what everyone instinctively recognized as a product resembling what no one seems to use or want – a Microsoft Surface®.
These weren’t the only missteps – just the most obvious. A few others? Well, there was the “let’s show you just what you can do on this fantastic, great, super, stupendous, mind altering, supercalafragilous new product. We’ll start by bringing on our next guest speakers from – Microsoft. Even the crowd within the center went speechless. It was a clear awkward moment. Again, all self-inflicted.
Think about it. Within the span of a few minutes a new product was introduced that for all intents and purposes can really be a game changer with applications for both personal as well as enterprise use never before available to Apple. And within the course of those minutes did nothing but leave the impression this great new product has a stylus, and a keyboard configuration that looks all to close to a Surface; and cemented that impression with introducing none other than a Microsoft representative to demonstrate how Microsoft Office™ will run on it. Again, think about that. And as bad as that progression was – it was enhanced. And not for the better in my view.
The next guest or representative in the line up? Adobe™. You know that company which right before Jobs passed was still calling them out for shipping lousy software. One silently wondered if Pages® or Keynote® were going to still run on Apple products because other than what seemed as a hat tip to Garageband®; one was left feeling unclear. And remember, this is Apple’s premier event! The missteps as to the attention to detail of presentation flow was nothing less than stunning. I personally can not remember such outright blunders in previous roll-outs. And I was not alone, for what I heard from others who just wanted to see what was new reacted in ways I previously never encountered.
Here was my first confirmation that it wasn’t just me. All the above overshadowed what has been the usual star of these events: The iPhone®. Nobody that I talked to could even remember what new innovation or updates were made to the newest version. All they seemed to remember was there’s now an “S” version, but other than that, it was all about “What is up with that new iPad?” Or, “A stylus?! Are you kidding me? A freaking stylus?!! WTF is up with that?!!!”
And that seemed to be the cumulative summation I distilled from both my personal exchanges, as well as what I’ve seen in both tenor and tone reported almost everywhere.
This is, and should be taken by Apple as a clear warning sign this bruised “Event” could be the one that spoils the “whole bunch” going forward. The event showed to my eyes in stunning clarity that Apple delivered this presentation via the viewpoint and execution of: We’re Apple – and you’re gonna love our new products and upgrades because – we’re Apple, and we’re saying so because – we’re Apple.
Again, whether intentional or not. Too my eyes, it was a clear illustration of: Rarefied air has become breathing one’s exhaust fumes.
Now here’s where I take a different tack from everyone else: Personally, I believe the upgrades as well as new products are noteworthy. It’s all about the delivery as well as introduction I take issue with. And this area of difficulty is a first for Apple. How they mange their way around as well as through this obvious debacle will be one of Apple’s greatest challenges post Steve Jobs in my view. For perception is just as big as product to no other company as it is to Apple.
So that’s my descriptive view. Now let’s delve into the prescriptive.
Right off the start let’s address the greatest of overhangs that is not, nor will not, go away unless Apple itself stops trying to push it themselves: Tim Cook is not, nor will he ever be seen in the same light as Jobs. Period, end of story. Not by anyone at Apple itself, nor the public at large. So stop trying. Again, period. It’s hurting Apple’s, as well as Mr. Cook’s image, more than it’s helping. So again – stop. Please for the love of humanity – just stop.
Although I don’t know Mr. Cook personally I’m sure he’s a great guy, and we know he’s a competent executive for he has done some great things since Jobs passing in helping to lead and maintain Apple’s core structure. We also know Jobs had great admiration for his executive qualities. However, no one can replace Jobs. And the more one tries (or desperately hangs on to the idea) to replace rather than move forward is in effect moving backwards. This is why the more one tries – the worse the comparisons fester. And Apple seems to be trying far, far, too hard in this one area alone.
Let me use an analogy based in music as opposed to strictly business: Van Halen didn’t “replace” David Lee Roth with Sammy Hagar. Sammy Hagar, nor the band, tried to be Van Halen with Sammy acting as a stand in replacement for Roth. Same can be said with AC/DC. Just like with first example, after Bon Scott there truly was no replacement. So they didn’t. They added Brian Johnson and the rest is history. Whether you liked or disliked the new band was exactly the point. Van Halen as well AC/DC were: a new band, and they weren’t afraid of the comparisons. They took them straight on and made no bones about it. This allowed the band to be its own force while still paying reverence to previous milestones without any regards to “What would David or Bon do?” Apple needs to apply the same or they’ll never get out from under “What would Jobs do?”
I’ll use as proof for my assertions using a current screenshot I took from Apple’s own public webpage:
(Photo Credit: Screenshot taken of Apple’s public home page)
Why my criticism? First of all: It has nothing to do with Mr. Cook personally. The issue is: it shows or implies just how tone-deaf, blind, or nervous Apple is becoming. Apple seems to be bordering on desperate as to be trying to create a replacement figure, and it’s now far too striking as to evade the inserting for subliminal comparison (whether intended or not) of Cook as Jobs. And far too many have an instinctive gut reaction too it. And it’s not in the affirmative.
Jobs was, and always will be, the comparison to these events as well as “the face” of Apple. Now and for the foreseeable future. If the solitary person in this type photo is not Jobs, it should only be the closest thing possible to him; and it’s not a person – it’s the product or the logo. Anything (or anyone) else stands right out as “trying too hard” in pushing a narrative. Since the passing of Jobs no person for the immediate future will meet the mark. The only “one” that can is – the product/products themselves. Anything less hurts the image as well as brand of everyone involved by my calculations.
I believe unlike many (and I’ll wager it’s the Board itself that is the most confused on this subject) the more Mr. Cook removes himself as “the face” of Apple and puts forth the product as “the face” the more Jobs-like Apple remains in the public eye, as well as the lessening of many of the unfair comparisons Cook as well as Apple has to constantly dodge or defend against. This is where Apple is being its own worst enemy. They desperately need (as well as want) to move out from under the Jobs comparisons as time and products march on. Yet, it seems Apple itself is the one unwittingly making that trek all the more harder.
Then there were the introductions of new or improved products. Here there were far more miscues as well as missteps than I can remember. So I’ll take just the one’s that are in my front-of-mind.
First there were the transitions from introduction to video presentation. In a word, for someone who understands the importance of theater and seamless transitions: They were horrible. Apple once excelled at these – until recently. At this event? They were clumsy allowing for misconceptions to fester. No, not in the content and production value of the videos themselves. It was in the hand-off from presenter to video. They simply just didn’t flow.
There was no better example of this than when the Apple Pencil® video was shown. Personally I cringed. The video’s introduction did not match the content. The content was great, but you were trying to get over the idea that this was not a stylus – first. And it felt that way. For anyone paying attention this was an obvious flaw. And it was obvious the one’s who should have been paying attention (i.e., Apple) were not or could not see it.
The attention to details such as this was always prominent and seemed to never be lost on Jobs. However, at this event it was conspicuously not there.
And while we’re on it let’s talk about the Pencil. Not only was the roll-out worse than bad. It actually may have set back the whole adoption cycle months if not years just based in ridicule. For nearly everyone remembers one of Jobs’ strongest arguments against anything was – the need for a stylus. And the way the introduction of the Pencil was presented did nothing to alleviate that memory. In fact, it brought it out front-and-center. It’s a shame because the Pencil truly is so much more, but again, the presentation did little to change that initial perception.
It would not have been hard to take this issue head on and maybe have some fun with it. Make it their own post-Jobs product launch he would be proud of. It could have easily been done in my view if the obvious hurdles would have been addressed right from the get go, rather, than trying to act as if no one would remember the past. The diametric forces of awe-inspiring and ridicule enforcing left it up to the product itself to overcome them. A tough task when everything is running perfectly. Quite another when it’s happening within obvious missteps or miscues.
An easy way to have overcome many of the obvious would have been to remind people of a few things like: When Steve was around one thing he was not afraid to do was to change his mind if one could prove that he should. (which he did many times, but you had to prove it first to convince him, not just express or think that he should) Steve would tell anyone who asked “As soon as you need a stylus you lose” and we still believe he is right. That’s why we don’t and won’t make one. So today I introduce to you a technological instrument so advanced we gave it the only name that could match it for context, simplicity, and ease of use. Ladies and gentlemen I introduce to you today – the Apple Pencil.
It took me no longer to think of the above than to type it. It’s not perfect, but it’s far better from what was presented. i.e., act like no one’s first reaction will be: It’s a stylus! Again, this is a detail I believe would have never been allowed circa Jobs. It was far too obvious for initial reactionary ridicule. Yet, that’s exactly how it went off.
Then there was the other obvious calamity. The gut reaction to the iPad Pro with its new smart cover keyboard. Again, here we saw Apple acting as if it there was no such thing as the Surface. It was breathtakingly tone-deaf for what would be the obvious reaction. You almost could feel the collective gasps worldwide through your monitors. Again, I personally was stunned on such a misstep.
My argument is this all could have been so easily addressed and possibly as I’ve stated again, and again, been a turning point in the post Jobs era. And in a good way.
If the new IPad had been presented differently showing its new size and features for general use as associated with the current versions only. They did some of this but it was far too little. What they should have done was introduce and infuse with a little more depth some of the new features and reasoning why a physical keyboard will be necessary for upcoming partnerships with new collaborative partners such as those announced with IBM™ and highlight it with more detail. People get that.
Say things like: As game changing as the iPad was to the home and business we’ve discovered there more possibilities than ever, and these possibilities demand two new features unparalleled by any other brand today. First, with our larger screen size new enterprise functions and uses are now available that were not conducive to previous iPads. Although the bigger screen allows for a more natural feeling keyboard we know by listening to all of our customers they want an Apple designed and built dedicated IPad removable keyboard. I’m here to tell you, we heard you – and we listened. And so I introduce to you today, what at first may look like another brands however, I respectfully say: It is anything but – and here’s why…”
Instead the keyboard attached version went up on the big screen and did nothing but put front-of-mind “what the heck is that? A Surface?! That’s the new thing?!!” The following dissertation felt like Apple believed customers had never seen a similar product. No matter how well crafted and design specific for IPad this new keyboard is. The timing and delivery for its introduction, like the Pencil, was a self inflicting buzz-kill for it. I say again, this all was so blatantly self-inflicted it was painful to watch from my view.
One place that has yet to lose its luster, or fall into the lame, are the informative product videos showcasing Jony Ive. Here is where the Apple of yesterday still shows through today. Even though Ive is not shown there is gravitas in voice and reputation for we all instinctively understand many of these products are associated with his creative vision much like Jobs. However, these unlike the “Event” shake free of the post-Jobs gravitational pull. Why?
The product is the feature – not a person. It’s not lost on anyone that Ive is still responsible for the products creative attributes. But it does one thing that Apple Inc. itself has not yet learned. It allows Ive and the product to stand on their own in a post-Jobs world of Apple. And I believe not only are these displaying a tenor and tone Jobs would approve of, I believe they are showing the way Apple itself needs to start addressing this issue far more head on than seemingly trying to either avoid it, or push a persona in the fear of they don’t know of any other way. That way is right under their own noses yet, they seem somehow patently blind to the obvious.
Apple isn’t about Jobs anymore. He’s gone, and he’s not coming back. And the more Apple tries to fill that void, the deeper and wider the chasm becomes to fill by their own hand. Apple is no longer about a person – it’s about the product. And the product is the only thing capable of bridging that gap or hole left with the passing of Jobs. And the sooner Apple realizes it, and takes that to heart. The faster and better both Apple, their products, as well as the management and employees will be. Where they can all get back to doing what Jobs would be the most concerned with as well as probably proud of. i.e., Running a great company steered by smart people creating insanely great and revolutionary products second to none.
And as for that only other “Event” I mentioned at the beginning? I could think of none other than the one that caused an even more visceral knee jerk reaction than the one hosted by Jobs himself. That event?
One of the first where he introduced none other than Bill Gates on the big screen as a new partnership between the two rivals. Again, Jobs could have easily tried to hide the fact or, never speak about the collaboration he made with Gates at the time. There possibly was no worse time than then to even discuss such a possibility; never mind an already done deal. Yet Jobs did just that. Jobs instinctively knew – you can’t hide the 800 pound gorilla or act like it’s not there. You have to get past it one way or the other come hell or high-water. And they did just that.
Again, the lesson for Apple today is right there in the Apple of yesterday. All they have to do is look. For the only thing in my opinion holding Apple back from moving forward and beyond – is Apple itself.
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Maybe if Cook sucks DARPA's dick, they will release 3D projector technology.
Unfortunately, it will remain classified as a national security secret.
Government afraid someone may fly fake planes into buildings.
computers are really only used for propaganda anymore http://www.philiacband.com/propaganda.html
Well, tomorrow all hell should break lose so it doesn't matter anymore he :)
SHEMITA BABY!!
They'll just halt trading a few hours.
Waiting for bond markets to collapse.
Jesus Christ, only an article about a fucking Apple presentation could be this meticulously tedious.
The cult is strong at Apple.
I am Chumbawamba.
I thought hell had already broken loose last week.
What?!
Germany gonna increase its allotment of muzzies cause nobody else wants them?
Well, the German leaders said that the Germans welcomed them but... they didn't really ask the germans.
I say we need to help those people but we shouldn't let them all live in our cities.
Build big living places with small buildings where they can live like Syrians but contained.
I was in Antwerp this morning, and I can tell you, 2/3 of all people there are all foreigners. It's just crazy.
And the plan is to let more come in???
Welcome to the USA.
Lax border security since the late 70's.
Just don't let them sell you on a one time only amnesty and then they'll control the borders meme.
The American public has been ass raped with that one one too many times.
Cultural sublimation. Who is having all the kids?
Pretty soon wiener-schnitzel will be outlawed because it is phallic, and the Catholic and Lutheran churches turned into Mosques; my question is, why do so few understand what is happening?
Same goes for Apple; I've been saying it since Steve Jobs died - they are one bad product release away from disaster.
THINK DIFFERENT is pretty ironic. Owning apple products is nothing but conformity.
To think different now you need to have no smart phone, avoid social networking and use a plain old computer that just gets the job done.
When Steve died, I said they'd lose their way in 2 years. I misjudged how long they could milk the existing products by just changing the specs slightly. I still think when the phone hits market saturation, they will have nothing to replace it. The silly watch is strike one.
I think most Apple products today totally suck but in their defense Apple has NOT been a true product innovator in decades... huh? Here's what I mean: They innovate at doing things better than those on the bleeding edge. The original iPod... they were no where near being the first to offer a digital music player but when they did it really raised the bar. They pretty much created the micro-purchase... now you can buy your Charbucks with a credit card. But that tactic too has now faded and they are really just offering other's innovations on their products in the hopes of containing market share loss. They don't even apply other's innovations to their own products very well anymore. They're a completely "me-too" company now.
Sudden Debt, hate to burst your bubble but SnP futures are up strong. Perhaps banksters are getting wet over the thought of a little more war action.
"Running a great company steered by smart people creating insanely great and revolutionary products second to none"
yeah but .. even if you do that, your customer data can still get hacked and then you're screwed.
hugs,
nolie
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noel_Biderman
Maybe Apple should cut down on their raging faggotry.
Probably has to do with the hubris of inventing a car or some shit.
Already been done.
Oh, 911!
I forgot.
The cult of Apple much like the cult of Microsoft.
Everyone pray at the alter of Apple/Microsoft.
Fuck Apple
Alien fagships next?
Get ready to be abducted.
Save us Tom Cruise.
Anyone see this hilarious Quizno's ad? They make fun of Burning Man so now Burning Man is saying they may sue Quiznos. It is funny as hell.
Burning Man is just more corporate shit. Just like U2 (tax cheats0 shilling for Apple and endless other products for $$$.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBVBHRD5lNU
Some may say Quizno's is hypocritical but they do not to pretend anything more than a sub shop plus their spokesman is not a pedo like Jared (trabesman) Fogel.
I've never been to a Quino.
Probably because food doesn't come to mind.
Stupid name for a sandwhich store.
Don't know about their politics, but Quizno's makes the best sub sandwiches of ANY National Chain...
Burning Man, corporatization of the 60's counter culture.
60's counter culture was a cia hack on traditional American society.
Apple: corporatization of the 80's counter-culture...
The chosen worship at the temple of EUNICHS!
Zero innovation there now. The first thing that Cook did after taking the helm is use his position to come out of the closet. I was like who gives a shit who you like to screw. What about the products and the innovation? That guy is a lost cause. All my coworkers sitting around watching that circle jerk last week for 2 hours while I rebuilt servers was annoying the shit out of me. I felt like telling them all to get back to work and stop wasting time.
John Chambers at Cisco beat him by 15 years.
Nobody talking about the new controlled, permissioned walled gardens on the phone: Apple and GOOG. Just like the bad old days of AOL and Compuserve, two universes with no interop and no freedom to do what you want
compuserve had content, but it was like $12 an hour for dial-up. tapcis was a must have...
Is it just me.....but.....has ANYONE ever seen Tim Cook and Ellen DeGeneres in the same room ?
Someone had to say it. +1
Great freelance work opportunity for anyone... Work for three to eight h a day and profit in the range of $5000-$12000 each month... Weekly payments... Here is what i do... www.wallstreet34.com
Apple had two original ideas:
1) Downloading music fom the internet onto mobile devices
2) Apps to run on mobile devices.
They then thought of platforms on which these ideas could be used:
iPod, iPad and iPhone
Blackberry had one original idea:
Putting a qwerty keyboard on a phone for e-mails
It was a good idea for a while.
Its almost like people forgot when Jobs wasn't at Apple the last go around. I wouldn't be surprised the company doesn't exist in 5 years.
yep, pretty much impossible to replace someone like jobs.
the company will either slowly dissolve
or quickly collapse.
cook aint helpin.
Being the iHomo, he's there to fuck it in the ass until it bleeds to death from being ass raped repeatedly.
I just want to say : FUCK APPLE
They have been shit since day one. They have looked up their customers since day one. They have sold out their customers since day one. They have overcharged their customers since day one.
Surely I dont know any flawless company, but apple score 200 out of 100 on the Hitler scale. May it rot in hell.
apple pretended to be 'open architecture' and that microsoft was 'closed', but truth was the opposite. microsoft gathered drivers for myriad hardware peripherals from 3rd parties...
You must be very young.
Apple's graphic interface was, for decades, vastly superior to those found in PCs (and made mostly by MS). The operating systems were also far more stable, and the system more intuitive.
That was in the 80s, early 90s but their superior product was like VHS to Sony's Betamax.
VHS triumphed because Sony kept the Betamax technology to themselves.
Microsoft triumphed because Windows ran on the PC which lots of manufactuers could make.
That and Microsoft practically giving away Windows and every other software package they produced. They still do to this day.
Well, what do you expect when you purchase a second rate knock off from Microfag.
Apple might have had more market share if they hadn't projected an air of superiority about their earlier products.
Drove the little people right into Bill "The Sterilizer" Gates' arms.
Microsoft didn't make PC's which was a great part of the problem, crap harware made in who knows where with crap drivers making the whole PC unstable to the point where MS had to write the drivers themselves through MS certification process. Apple made great hardware now MS does as well.
Microsoft were never innovators and their Windows platform wasn't stable until XP, so they were crap at software too.
Solaris (on Unix machines) and Apple had stable windows platforms when Microsoft was still on MS-DOS.
Microsoft were good at business and marketing and that is it.
microsoft had its share of great programmers... like the time toutonghi's team outdid sun on java...
True, XP was stable. It only took them 5 years worth of updates and patches after its release to get it to that point.
Tinky, you must be very young. Apple's GUI was a knockoff of Xerox PARC, where Xerox management couldn't find their way to the bathroom. The Unix based operating system was in fact more stable. Both were wAAAAAy more expensive.
Try asking a newbie question on the iPad or iWhatever on how to do something. The flames will scortch your nose hairs, 'cuz it is soooooo intuitive that you must be a true scumbag that you can't figger it out.
- Ned
I'm well aware of its history, which is irrelevant. The question relates to Apple's products, which were far superior to Microsofts for decades.
Way too long.
We need Steve Job's head in a jar.
Maybe a Steve Jobs version of Max Headroom.
Filled with Tequilla!
Man! Can you imagine how much that jar would be worth on Ebay if you let it ferment for a decade?
Just another "Apple is dooommed!" article.
Nothing to see here people.
Despite all he wrote, the fact is, Apple's biggest threat to it isn't "lack of innovation" and all that it entails, but *BANKERS*. Bankers are destroying the middle class and soon Apple is going to find it ever more difficult to sell anything to anyone at any price.
I've always wondered why the "captains of industry" haven't gotten together to fight the banksters. The banksters are a collective threat to everyone.
Except for the part where Apple IS doomed.
Snake oil salemen all.
What next, fall back on P.T. Barnum's "There's a sucker born every minute".
The iPocket and iSleeve next?
The iZipper would be a hit with fags.
The strap-on iDildo with built in camera would be just orgasmic to LBGT community.
Then the fags could watch themselves in realtime getting fucked in the ass.
And your point is? That's how the economy runs. The smart fleecing the dumb. Give me one example where this isn't the case today?
That phrase was coined as far back as the early 1800's, so what does that tell you.
From Wikiquote:
"Commonly attributed to Barnum, there is much testimony of contemporaries that he never actually said this, and in "P. T. Barnum Never Did Say "There's a Sucker Born Every Minute" R. J. Brown asserts that it actually originated with a banker named David Hannum, in regard to one of Barnum's hoaxes: a replica of the Cardiff Giant."
Obviously, a banker would know all about a fool and his money being easily separated.
over $200 billion in cash.
nothing to see here.
That would pay for the US .gov debt accumulation, for
about what . . . 2 months.
http://fortune.com/2015/01/31/washington-has-its-eye-on-apples-158-billi...
The part that was shear asshole from Apple was that the Apple TV was released at different price points for 32gb and 64gb when it's the size of a mini desktop (mini is pushing it now). Fuck that noise. You can get a mini desktop for the same with 8gb of RAM over a TB of space. And they previewed no home automation with it. If you buy that new Apple TV, you're an asshole. Buy an HP mini desktop with Linux on it.
IMO, without Jobs, Apple has enough product line inertia to stay profitable for a long time. Microsoft, since Gates, has gotten just as bureaucratic. The rapid change in improvements couldn't keep that pace forever.
Maybe not so much with $700 or $32/month phones. They do have their laptops priced about double what a twice as good PC laptop does so maybe that will help.
Like I said above its just like no one remembers how Apple was doing when Jobs was kicked out.
What would be interesting is if Apple innovates something new instead of streamline copying everything thats out there.
they might as well join forces. microsoft gets worse every year too. spyware. it's all just spyware. as in, hey, check out the new improved spyware!
Every Apple and Microsoft product should come with its own colonoscopy camera so that they can upload videos of everyone getting fucked in the ass by both of them.
The most revolutionary thing Apple could do is actually build their products in America.
Also, Steve probably had himself cloned.
All these billionaires and their egos are going to be cloning themselves and bequeathing their estates to themselves rather than their kids.
In twenty years rich people will rather raise their clones than have children - until they figure out how to live forever.
There's a market Apple should develop - iClone.
The Boys from Cupertino.
They want to do it by 2045, but with robots/avatars.
And it looks like it won't be just the rich doing it:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/13/us/cancer-immortality-cryogenics.html?...
The cylindrical late model Mac Pro is assembled in the US with a fair amount of US pooduced items (with the great migration to China a lot of things just aren't made domestically anymore). However that model accounts for much less than 1% of revenues.
Just wait until they unveil the new highly polished apple i-turd with it's scratch and sniff app.
The worshippers will be sleeping on urine soaked sidewalks to get one.
Well, if you are going to demand Apple2 make a clean distinction from Apple Original, why railing so much against stylus? It is clearly a non-Jobs Apple, so one of major arguments of the article is a doozy. It is clear that Surface is a superior product to iPad, so their nervousness is understandable.
I personally have dropped Apple from my shopping lists ever since I had to pay $400 to get the same obsolete $40 and 3 year old graphics card on my iMac, plus their refusal to service Mac Air keyboard due to water damage (few keys were missing). I should note that serviceability was one of my original points for purchase.
Sorry but Cook is (a huge part of) the proble.
He has alienated a good deal of the thinking planet with his alliance with Obama, algore and Pope Frank. Global Warming!!! The most important hurddle we face???
BS
Deal with your company and make friends. Stop trying to suck up to the PTB....and quit changing your product line in ways that strand loyal users with loss of their business software requirements just to please the fan boyz,
Sour grapes , who wants in on my I pencil sharpener start up?
Still using an iPhone 4, not following their consumer song - a $800-900 phone for every 3 years.
DARPA made Jobs, Gates, and Fuckerface billionaires.
Ancient technology packaged in a new box.
Apple is not a great company. Apple is a world wide drug pusher and pimp.
Young fools shouldn't be so gullible.
But, that's what makes them fools.
There's a Mexican slang that applies perfectly: huelepedos
Translation: Fart Smellers
Would you like to drop by and catch a whiff of my Dutch oven?
the number one customer for apple products are governments. free phones, mandated school pc's. apple will last as long as fiat last...then it dies.
With commendable honesty, Mark St. Cyr admits to us that he is indeed an Apple fanboy, as if we couldn't guess that already from his drooling and puppyish "please-please-please-let-me-offer-my-humble-advice-to-Apple" article. Ah, the eagerness of young hearts who have never felt the prick of the rose's thorn. All they want in the whole world is just to be a part of the story; having Apple deign to take notice of him would transport Mark to the ecstatic heights of the Seventh Heaven.
The problem, Mark, is that Apple is doomed in spite of your unshakable belief in it. It has nothing to do with you. It is because it was an unsustainable cargo cult from the beginning. Apple is the cirque du soleil of tech companies, a mystery religion that rewards its adherents with periodic product releases. As a true believer, you want them to return to the supposed purity of the original revelation, only that never existed except in your mind. In this Vale of Tears in which we actually live, Apple was nothing but a money-fleecing leviathan which is now quickly falling apart, as does every empire which is built on mere power and bombast. The Alexandrian dream never long outlasts the passing of it founder.
And in the balance, Steve Jobs has been instrumental in wrecking an untold number of lives and plunging our waning civilization into that farrago of confusion and tyranny known as "The Information Age." That, and the natural forces of entropy, will ensure that the judgment of history falls most unfavorably upon Apple, and will soon relegate it to the annals of "what were they thinking?"
Didn't Apple turn to banking and financial terrorism because its products suck. Stockholders are not going to harm a corporation that evil.
What the flaming frig?! This article is a pile of Wap mobile technology!
Apple are moving away from Jobs' ethos and people are starting to see it.
iPad pro? Or a Microsoft surface?
Who needs a stylus? The Apple pencil!
A phone should fit in your hand. Meet the iphone 6+!
Tim Cook is keen to get out of Jobs' shadow (and that's a good thing), but I get the impression that he thinks that to do that, that means staying away from Jobs' way of thinking. Which is what I believe will damage (not kill) Apple. Personally, I think Jobs' picked the wrong guy to lead Apple. He should have chosen Jony Ive.
From Jobs point of view, he picked the ideal successor . . .
A sucessful Founder ALWAYS picks someone who will
FAIL
which INSURES your legacy as immortal, and your successor
as a fool.
So inother words Hillary is running Apple's new campaign now too?
( Very strange indices futures drop 1 minute before previous close. See the 5' and 15':
http://www.investing.com/indices/us-30-futures-advanced-chart )
Are people finally starting to see what Apple products really are?
Overpriced existing technology just repackaged in fancy boxing and locked in Apple's universe?
Apple is dead and the time is ripe for a new start up to take is place.
I like that bottom image with Think Different when the audience all look bored/tired and using all the same bs laptops that cannot even run a decent game on'em.
Ah, the silly song of the fan boy. M'dear, I'll stomp on your Appleolatry and raise you three. I have detested them since they introduced the Mouse, and within two years of being forced to use the thing, I developed severe and permanent tennis elbow from the strain. Graphic interface, pfah. *I* never had a problem with keyboards.
I celebrated when Jobs died. I knew that Apple dominance could not long survive the death of its cult-idol. Without Jobs to demand that the entire industry adopt STUPID new technologies that do the same things that existing tech does, only for three times the price, we might be able to slow the technology boondoggle and stop having to buy a constant stream of expensive new products just to "be compatible" with what some rich game-boys in New York with crap for brains think is "cool". The money can be put to much better use buying crystals to power my magic wand.
Apple products are "trendy" and their entire niche is "we are the expensive under-featured product you buy as a status symbol" its like waving a 900$ dildo around saying "look at me"... and thats why everyone on welfare has one lol . . . pretending to be "rich"...
I am a bit of an android fan-boy though so im a bit bias, I seriously cant stand even using iOS, the menus are all layered, buttons where you dont need them, its very clunky and inconvenient, you really cant take it seriously from a business minded perspective (atleast thats how I see it) stuff that takes you 2-4sec to do on android (work related) take you minutes of navigating slow loading menus on iOS..... doing something as simple as migrating pictures from your iPone to the cloud is like a daunting tedious task.... while on android i click 3 buttons and everything zips away automatically (try sending 100+ construction progress photos to drive on iOS and you will see what im talking about), not to mention the lack of a real OTG port on Apple products.... you cant even connect a damned OTG thumb drive to an Iphone without buying some stupid 90$ adapter.... its just a joke the entire product line is a joke.
Apple products are designed with leaving as many features out as possible so they can sell you the rest of your phone as accessories later for 30~50$ a pop.
Look at people who have Apple products, half of them have like 30 accessories in their back-pack just so they can use their fucking phone.... meanwhile I dont even put a fucking case on my Samsung S5 cause the fucking thing is bullet proof/water-proof/has all the expansion slots built it, the fucking thing even has an IR transmitter in it to allow me to control my media center/receiver /tv at home ^^.... I mean cmon its no fucking contest.
Apple will cruise as long as possible on the current product line with little or no seriously innovative products. With the cash they have this could go on for a while. The iphone demand may drop off then they'l have to do some soul searching, but till then it's all pink gasses for tim.
That presentation is to please the FanBoys and the chumps that fork over money for Apple's overpriced gadgets.
This is what Tim Cook and other executives really care about.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B51-74tGswAXbUdpQm9qNzdBQU0/view?usp=sh...
Exactly.... hype.... dump... reveal (unhype) buy, rinse repeat.
I've been using Macs since 1985 - they have been reliable and have allowed me to do my job without worrying about viruses, crappy components, etc. Yeah, I like them because of that and because of the variety of apps available....
Apple is not worth the price and is used by the creative-liberal types for the most part. There are exceptions, but few in number. Apple represents, imo, the poster child for the fall of America as it has become a society based on consumption and lacking in moral character. It is not just Apple; it just happens to be the most "in your face". Look at the Nike shoes and men are wearing pink and the soles are made of Nerf material and they cost a ridiculous amount of money for what you actually get.
Again; just how I see it; I recognize that people see things differently, but most would agree that we are a moral failure as a nation from the top to the bottom.
"Has Apple lost, or, is rapidly losing their soul/spirit of innovation?"
Corporations have no soul and especially no innovation. That ground is covered by the people they and the other corporations fire or replace with machines.
100% agree with the article. I really liked the product changes - but, the presentation was sloppy.
Two things I notice:
(a) Totally agree that Apple's competition is Apple itself
(b) I worry that Tim and other executives are very worried and conscious about the market reactions & people's perceptions, instead of just focusing on what they do best - build great products. They are getting distracted because they have never been in this situation before where these guys had to lead through such a superior edge over their competitors and to manage through success. Jobs had seen enough ups and downs that he never feared failure - these guys have never faced it at an epic level, and they worry about the failure. That's a problem. Apple's success under Jobs happened because Jobs gave no shit about anyone or anything - he knew what was the right thing to do for consumers. Tim and team are not there yet. It will take an epic failure for them to learn this simple fact, and by then, it might be too late
Apple makes laptops. smartphones and music playback devices. So do many other companies. Nothing they make is necessary. Apple and every product they ever made could disappear and the world would not be any worse off.
Apple is not special, fanboys. It's all marketing, and you are buying it.
Why are there multiple ads of a fat woman with a bra(box) on the right hand side and I cannot stop it?
Two words for ya, Khild: Adblock Plus.
A visionary built the company, and got squeezed out. The greasy bean counter politiians ran the company into the ground in about 10 years. It hung on another 5 years until they begged Jobs to come back. With jobs gone, the mountain is a lot bigger this time, so it will take a lot longer to destroy, but the same smiley, greasy bean counter politicians are hard at work destroying the company again. 100.00 pencil? That's the BEST Apple can come up with? A little smaller iPad? That's IT? They have GOT to be kidding.
the end of apple started when they hired Ive. I hate to say it but that industrial designer took Apple away from form following function and promoted style over usability.
c'mon, a round mouse? That was the beginning of the end.
Now we have charging cables with no intuitive orientation... light grey text and icons on glossy white surfaces... now a round $100 pencil that will surely roll off your desk and end in a $-100 crash... I could make a list a mile long. From a true design standpoint Apple's ID group absolutely sucks Chewbacca's bawls.