Steve Jobs, Apple and Innovation
FastCompany has posted their most recent magazine article on "Steve Jobs, Apple and the Limits of Innovation".
The in-depth article covers Apple's legacy of innovation and explores why that model has not yet been successful in placing them on top in the competitive computer market. Howard Anderson, a venture capitalist notes "Innovation isn't the key to economic growth. Management is the key to economic growth."
The article explores Apple's early attitude to "build the perfect machine" and ignoring the importance of a value-driven business model. The iPod and iTunes are also seen as Apple's most recent innovations which are quickly becoming a key part of Apple's business. Apple needs to remain wary:
The in-depth article covers Apple's legacy of innovation and explores why that model has not yet been successful in placing them on top in the competitive computer market. Howard Anderson, a venture capitalist notes "Innovation isn't the key to economic growth. Management is the key to economic growth."
The article explores Apple's early attitude to "build the perfect machine" and ignoring the importance of a value-driven business model. The iPod and iTunes are also seen as Apple's most recent innovations which are quickly becoming a key part of Apple's business. Apple needs to remain wary:
Once again, Apple has pioneered a market--created a whole new business, even--with a cool, visionary product. And once again, it has drawn copycats with the scale and financial heft to undersell and out-market it. In the end, digital music could turn out to be just one more party that Apple started, but ultimately gets tossed out of.
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106 months ago
Steve's a smart guy, yes? Well, let's hope he learned his lessons and this time he's gonna end up owning the market. So far, ya gotta say he's doing a bang up job...
106 months ago
I read this article about a week ago, and it really is well written. It talks about Apple the way the company really is, warts and all.
106 months ago
why pay for innovation when you don't have to?
In smaller cases, this is what copyright law is supposed to protect - gives the inventor some time to reap the benefits. Don't know why you can't patent or protect a "hard-drive based portable digital music player" or "internet based pay-per-item digital music download service" or "computer that you don't have to build from a kit" or "word processing platform where bolded text looks bold, instead of green"....
In smaller cases, this is what copyright law is supposed to protect - gives the inventor some time to reap the benefits. Don't know why you can't patent or protect a "hard-drive based portable digital music player" or "internet based pay-per-item digital music download service" or "computer that you don't have to build from a kit" or "word processing platform where bolded text looks bold, instead of green"....
106 months ago
Does it seem to anyone else that there are more and more articles being writen about Apple and Steve than in years past? Seems everyone is out to slam us just as we start lookin good.
Regardless of whether we will get kicked out of the party I really am amazed by the amount of people switching from windows.
Its a good time for Apple, regardless of what these guys say.
Regardless of whether we will get kicked out of the party I really am amazed by the amount of people switching from windows.
Its a good time for Apple, regardless of what these guys say.
106 months ago
most of the recent articles are a lead-up to the 20th anniversary of the macintosh. its really quite impressive that the moniker has held for so long. Perfoma, Lisa, they've come and gone, but macintosh has stuck around.
106 months ago
Reading the article reminded me of the iMac's fate.
It seems lately the iMac has become pricier and pricier with newer form factors designed to gain new customers to the Apple platform, but it seems the opposite is happening and iMac sales are suffering.
I think it's time they re-purposed the iMac line as a low cost (meaning lower quality build) computer to get people to switch to Mac. Make it as cheap as humanly possible by employing some of Dell's business model.
It's only a matter of time that these new iMac owners upgrade to the pro lines or continue upgrading their macs, and the iMac is the perfect opportunity for them to do so. Lately the iMacs are expensive and starting to look to "nichey" for general consumers.
iMac don't need to be faster as much as they need to be a whole lot cheaper.
It seems lately the iMac has become pricier and pricier with newer form factors designed to gain new customers to the Apple platform, but it seems the opposite is happening and iMac sales are suffering.
I think it's time they re-purposed the iMac line as a low cost (meaning lower quality build) computer to get people to switch to Mac. Make it as cheap as humanly possible by employing some of Dell's business model.
It's only a matter of time that these new iMac owners upgrade to the pro lines or continue upgrading their macs, and the iMac is the perfect opportunity for them to do so. Lately the iMacs are expensive and starting to look to "nichey" for general consumers.
iMac don't need to be faster as much as they need to be a whole lot cheaper.
106 months ago
I dont know. This confict between innovation vs management is a bogus one to me. Looks good on paper, in a magazine article, but doesnt really mean anything at the end of the day.
There where a whole host of reasons why Apple didnt hold its dominance of the PC market 20 years ago. To summarise the situation as this guy has done is plaiin wrong.
And from where I am sitting Apple is not getting kicked out of the digital music party any time soon. Although to be fair I cannot see someting as important as the delivery of music being the monopoly of any one company at all. All Apple can and should hope for is for a big chunk of the pie, at best. But not the whole cake.
And although it seems hard to imagine from where we are now, in the future no one company will dominate the computing world either.
There where a whole host of reasons why Apple didnt hold its dominance of the PC market 20 years ago. To summarise the situation as this guy has done is plaiin wrong.
And from where I am sitting Apple is not getting kicked out of the digital music party any time soon. Although to be fair I cannot see someting as important as the delivery of music being the monopoly of any one company at all. All Apple can and should hope for is for a big chunk of the pie, at best. But not the whole cake.
And although it seems hard to imagine from where we are now, in the future no one company will dominate the computing world either.
106 months ago
Originally posted by Sir_Giggles
Reading the article reminded me of the iMac's fate.
I think it's time they re-purposed the iMac line as a low cost (meaning lower quality build) computer to get people to switch to Mac. Make it as cheap as humanly possible by employing some of Dell's business model.
iMac don't need to be faster as much as they need to be a whole lot cheaper.
eMac, anyone?
106 months ago
I didn't read the article but the gist of it seems to be that Apple does something cool and innovative but once others copy it, their better management ends up over taking Apple. So, innovations starts the show, but management finishes. Steve has never been good at management, so I hope he's smart enough to surround himself with winners at management.
A $100 iPod will go along way, but imagine a $800 iMac or $600 eMac? Or what about a new iPod with..gasp..a removable battery? Steve has to realize that some steps need to be taken to assure Apple grows. Competitive prices and strategies are needing to be addressed. Dare I say, Apple's fixed prices are a bad thing?
A $100 iPod will go along way, but imagine a $800 iMac or $600 eMac? Or what about a new iPod with..gasp..a removable battery? Steve has to realize that some steps need to be taken to assure Apple grows. Competitive prices and strategies are needing to be addressed. Dare I say, Apple's fixed prices are a bad thing?
106 months ago
i dont think apple will get tossed out of this. the reason apple got tossed out of being the best computer company back inte the 80's was because apple didnt copyright their stuff so when billy boy got a hold of it and copied it there was nothing apple could do, i think apple has a better legal team now.
iJon
iJon
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