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All posts tagged "competition"


Friday, April 22, 2011

Competitors Don't Understand How to Beat the iPad

Posted by Michael Knutson in "Apple Talk" @ 09:00 PM

http://www.businessinsider.com/want...eat-ipad-2011-4

"When unveiled in 2010, Apple didn't know why iPad would be a major hit.* After spending most of the keynote explaining some of iPad's basic features, such as email, reading books, and surfing the web, Apple left the fundamental question of why iPad would become popular to the marketplace to answer.

*I didn’t write “if iPad would be a major hit”, but instead, “why iPad would be a major hit.” Apple has a history of releasing major products only after it knows it is worthy of becoming a hit."

Why? Apple has transferred innovation to the user. Apple offers initial satisfaction, followed by continuing satisfaction and enjoyment. Competitors don't really understand why people are buying iPads. Walk into any Apple Store (or Best Buy) and look at faces as people play with iPads. Electronic crack. The bottom line is that the author feels that they are winning on emotion (winning hearts and minds), taking cost out of the equation. His feeling is that the only way that competitors can be successful is either by making a low-price commodity item (does this mean a throw-away tablet?) or by out-innovating Apple. With Apple having a stranglehold on the components market, competition on price alone will continue to be difficult, so that leaves beating Apple at introducing new features or even developing something completely different (Monty Python, anyone?). With nearly 20 million iPads sold, I wonder how many of the niche players will simply drop out of the competition.


Wednesday, March 30, 2011

It Really is Mostly About the Software

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad" @ 09:30 AM

http://www.9to5mac.com/58456/its-th...17-tablet-apps/

"Dying to compete with iPad, rivals are drumming up speeds and feeds in the absence of quality software. Unfortunately for them, the game is software, not hardware. Blogger Justin Williams took time to sort through Android Market and count apps that are featured for Android slates."

Compare the 20 or so apps the author found that met his criteria (specifically written in Android 3.0 or written specifically for the tablet platform) to the over 65,000 that Apple has in their App Store and you can see the advantage does go to Apple. I've seen the Xoom and I do like it's form factor, but when it gets right down to it I have to agree: the apps are where it's at, especially when you consider games such as this one. So even though Dell and HP are throwing down the "Apple's not all that" comments, and Microsoft sounds like they are throwing in the towel when it comes to the tablet market, I still think Apple is in the driver's seat when it comes to the tablet market. What are your thoughts?


Friday, October 8, 2010

Are You Rooting for Microsoft?

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "The Competition" @ 02:00 AM

http://www.businessinsider.com/here...-mobile-2010-10

"We were a bit surprised to hear Apple lover John Gruber say such nice things about Microsoft's forthcoming Windows Phone 7 software, after he had a chance to play around with it last week."

But then surprise turned to understanding as Frommer points out that Microsoft is no longer the enemy, and fanboys of Apple no longer have to try and downplay everything coming from the Redmond campus. Who is the enemy? Why Google of course! First it was the Android going after the iPhone, and now it's Google TV trying to push aside the Apple TV. I suppose I can see his logic, saying Microsoft and Google are very similar in the smartphone market in what they bring to the table and their business models (bring software and let someone else make the hardware). Personally, I just like the competition, since that tends to get the consumer more in the end. What are your thoughts?


Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Google TV Site is Official Now

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "The Competition" @ 08:00 AM

http://theappleblog.com/2010/10/04/...t=Google+Reader

"Google today launched its official site for the upcoming Google TV. The site details many of the new product's features, and I suspect it's designed to give at least some who were considering buying an Apple TV pause. Google won't be shipping any actual hardware running Google TV until later this fall, but even the mini-site itself is a good opening salvo against Cupertino."

I'm considering one of these, for the simple fact that it has so many more options than the Apple TV. The big question though, is cost. We still don't have a price on this thing, but I'm intrigued by the number of partners they have signed up including Netflix and HBO. I don't think I would go with the TV version as I'd prefer the box, but again, without a price it's kind of hard to make an informed decision. If you are curious, take the Google TV tour [link].


Competition for the iPhone 4 Retina Display?

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "The Competition" @ 07:00 AM

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/...inus-the-brand/

"WVGA's so 2009, isn't it? Sharp has broken Android's usual 800 (or 854) x 480 mold this week with the introduction of the IS03 for Japan's KDDI au network, boasting a full 960 x 640 on its 3.5-inch screen -- matching the iPhone 4's so-called retina display -- along with Advanced Super View (ASV) technology, delivering the same kind of viewing angle benefits you find in IPS."

For all it's advantages, including the 9.6 megapixel camera, it is only available in Japan. Wonder why they say "so-called retina display," isn't that what it is called? Regardless, I like the fact this phone has the ability for the contactless payment system and the image stabilization option, as well as the support for Global Passport CDMA. Oh and it is soon to be available in three colors. Lot's of advantages, if you are in Japan.


Thursday, December 24, 2009

Price War in France With The iPhone

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple iPhone & iPod Touch" @ 07:00 AM

http://www.cultofmac.com/end-of-car...w+(Cult+of+Mac)

"An iPhone price war currently underway in France may be our first glimpse of what we can expect if, as rumored, AT&T's exclusivity deal with Apple runs out next year, and the iPhone comes to other carriers."

Ah the free market forces at work. We can only hope that AT&T's hold on the iPhone does run out next year. Not that I would switch, as AT&T works fine for me in my area, but I'd definitely feel the benefits of a little competition and enjoy every minute of it! 


Friday, March 20, 2009

PC Magazine Thinks Apple Gets Upgrades Right

Posted by Vincent Ferrari in "Apple iPhone & iPod Touch" @ 12:00 PM

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,281...,2343326,00.asp

"Apple's upgrade strategy helps their users and the company in a bunch of different ways. It lets users buy iPhones with some confidence, knowing that they're not going to get left behind next year. It lets developers aim at the latest platform, without having to worry about supporting the older versions of the iPhone OS. And it keeps users with Apple because they don't enter a new buying cycle, thinking of new choices and potentially churning off to the latest new thing."

Sagan brings up an excellent point. RIM and Microsoft, two of the biggest direct competitors in the Smartphone arena, just can't get more than a point-release out to customers. If you throw in Nokia, you rarely see any groundbreaking upgrades to a phone OS that doesn't require the purchase of new hardware.

He also hits the nail on the head when he says that it makes customers more confident in the product knowing they won't be left behind if an upgrade comes down the pipeline. That's one of the reasons I so love my iPhone; unlike they myriad other smartphones I've owned, it's still just as useful as the day I got it because of an upgrade to the OS.

A free upgrade to the OS.


Thursday, March 5, 2009

App World (The BlackBerry App Store) To Open Soon

Posted by Vincent Ferrari in "Apple Talk" @ 09:00 AM

http://crackberry.com/blackberry-ap...tails-announced

"Developers can sign up to begin submitting their apps for inclusion in the launch of App World if they haven't already and consumers can now register to stay notified of updates. To purchase from App World a PayPal account will be required, and RIM has tossed a page up on the site directing people to create their accounts."

Ugh. Paypal? Five bucks says it won't work with my security key. Something tells me this knock-off of the App Store isn't going to take off the way Google's knock-off did on the G1. The funniest part about App World is that when the iPhone came out, we were told that there were thousands of available apps for BlackBerry devices and the ecosystem for apps was very vibrant. I guess that was just hooey and no one was actually using them, otherwise why create a new distribution model? I reckon most BlackBerry owners have never added one single app to their phones up until now (I work in a company filled with "stock" BlackBerry handhelds). Amazing how it took Apple demonstrating the obvious (if you make it easy, people will buy) to get RIM, Microsoft, and Google to follow along.


Monday, January 19, 2009

Palm's Pre May Finally Be Legitimate Competition

Posted by Vincent Ferrari in "Apple iPhone & iPod Touch" @ 08:00 AM

I remember it very clearly. It was January 2007, and I was sitting in my office furiously refreshing the page on my work computer reading the liveblogging that was going on. It was finally here; Steve Jobs was announcing the iPhone. It was a device thousands upon thousands of loyal Apple customers were dying for. A phone designed to work with their platform, not hacked to "function" with it. Out of the box, it was designed to sync our contacts and calendar, give us e-mail that was better than anything else on the market, and a web experience that no one on the market could match. I'll never forget how my mind boggled that day, and I haven't felt that way about a product announcement since then. Today, however, I think another company has finally done something that I never thought I would see: developed a competitor to the iPhone that could take a bite out of the iPhone, and surprise of surprises, it's Palm. Read more...


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