So Apple, What's Next?
Thursday, March 24, 2005 by geekinthecity | Discussion:
While Apple Computer's market share has been minuscule their role in the technology industry is not. It was Apple who brought computing power from the mainframe systems to the desktop. It was two guys named Steve who saw that there was a need and a desire for computers in homes, schools and small businesses. Computers were no longer limited to Governments, large corporations, and the military. Although the established manufacturers of mainframe systems such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Digital Equipment Corporation made huge shifts in the ways they did business to focus on desktop computers it wouldn't have happened the way it did if it wasn't for Apple.
Once desktop computers became mainstream due mostly to IBM and the thousands of startup companies producing clones of IBM's PC's, Apple set about making computers easy enough to use and bought forth the Macintosh. Even though the Macintosh was the first mass marketed graphical user interface, it was Microsoft who copied the idea and sold millions of copies of Windows that dominated desktop computers.
Towards the mid 1990's Apple brought forth another device that may not have dominated the market but definitely showed the way. In 1994 Apple introduced the Newton PDA. Even though the Newton could only find a small core of users the Newton PDA paved the way for other PDA's such as Palm that did go on to reach mass acceptance.
As the 1990's drew to an end, it was Apple computer who changed what computers looked like. Before Apple released the iMac, computers were almost always beige boxes that didn't offer much in the area of design. Now more than seven years after the original iMac hit the market even the most conservatively designed PC's are definitely not beige boxes.
After the iMac came Apple's first successful entry into consumer electronics, the iPod digital music player. At the time that the iPod was introduced there were portable MP3 players available on the market for several years but since then the iPod has become the digital music player that every other digital music player tries to emulate. Due mostly to Apple's own iTunes online music store. The songs purchased from iTunes will only play on the iPod which will not play songs purchased from other online music services.
While Apple Computer has really only reached a small niche of customers and has never even come close to market domination Apple computer has always been the trendsetter in the technology industry. Technology always seems to be about the 'The Next Big Thing' and many people look to Apple for some clue into what that next big thing is. It would be logical for Apple to continue down the path from computing into consumer electronics. It is rumored that the company that revolutionized how people record TV shows, TiVo is a possible merger target and that Apple would be a perfect suitor. A large screen G5 powered Mac with built in TiVo recorder with a CableCard slot would most certainly be the most formidable competition to PC's running Windows XP Media Center edition.
The Video on Demand offerings from cable companies are growing steadily, most VOD only offers the same movies that currently appear on Pay Per View. Apple has most certainly been successful with their iTunes Music Store. The next step in the path is video programming for sale available at any time to anyone with a broadband connection. An Apple online video store could start with Movies and recently aired TV shows and then offer everything right down to smallest independant feature and short films and even educational and instructional videos. One has to admit there's a lot of potential here.
As Apple as come up with new technological concepts which others have emulated with various degrees of success they have always played their hand close to their chest. It's always fun to speculate what Apple comes up with and amazing what they come up with.
Once desktop computers became mainstream due mostly to IBM and the thousands of startup companies producing clones of IBM's PC's, Apple set about making computers easy enough to use and bought forth the Macintosh. Even though the Macintosh was the first mass marketed graphical user interface, it was Microsoft who copied the idea and sold millions of copies of Windows that dominated desktop computers.
Towards the mid 1990's Apple brought forth another device that may not have dominated the market but definitely showed the way. In 1994 Apple introduced the Newton PDA. Even though the Newton could only find a small core of users the Newton PDA paved the way for other PDA's such as Palm that did go on to reach mass acceptance.
As the 1990's drew to an end, it was Apple computer who changed what computers looked like. Before Apple released the iMac, computers were almost always beige boxes that didn't offer much in the area of design. Now more than seven years after the original iMac hit the market even the most conservatively designed PC's are definitely not beige boxes.
After the iMac came Apple's first successful entry into consumer electronics, the iPod digital music player. At the time that the iPod was introduced there were portable MP3 players available on the market for several years but since then the iPod has become the digital music player that every other digital music player tries to emulate. Due mostly to Apple's own iTunes online music store. The songs purchased from iTunes will only play on the iPod which will not play songs purchased from other online music services.
While Apple Computer has really only reached a small niche of customers and has never even come close to market domination Apple computer has always been the trendsetter in the technology industry. Technology always seems to be about the 'The Next Big Thing' and many people look to Apple for some clue into what that next big thing is. It would be logical for Apple to continue down the path from computing into consumer electronics. It is rumored that the company that revolutionized how people record TV shows, TiVo is a possible merger target and that Apple would be a perfect suitor. A large screen G5 powered Mac with built in TiVo recorder with a CableCard slot would most certainly be the most formidable competition to PC's running Windows XP Media Center edition.
The Video on Demand offerings from cable companies are growing steadily, most VOD only offers the same movies that currently appear on Pay Per View. Apple has most certainly been successful with their iTunes Music Store. The next step in the path is video programming for sale available at any time to anyone with a broadband connection. An Apple online video store could start with Movies and recently aired TV shows and then offer everything right down to smallest independant feature and short films and even educational and instructional videos. One has to admit there's a lot of potential here.
As Apple as come up with new technological concepts which others have emulated with various degrees of success they have always played their hand close to their chest. It's always fun to speculate what Apple comes up with and amazing what they come up with.
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Leauki
Reply #22 Thursday, September 29, 2005 11:55 AM
It's true. It is an interesting phenomenom. It could be a law, but I don't think it happens all the time.
What does happen is that many Mac users like myself, immidiately feel a need to defend Apple and ourselves, because some Windows users will always declare that the reason they use the same OS as everybody else is because they don't want to be told what software to use and that they want a flexible (new word for closed-source?) system.
Reply #22 Thursday, September 29, 2005 11:55 AM
| You raise ANY Apple topic and the whole thing devolves into a "WHICH IS THE BETTER OS?" discussion, or a "WHY SHOULD YOU BUY A MAC/PC" discussion. |
It's true. It is an interesting phenomenom. It could be a law, but I don't think it happens all the time.
What does happen is that many Mac users like myself, immidiately feel a need to defend Apple and ourselves, because some Windows users will always declare that the reason they use the same OS as everybody else is because they don't want to be told what software to use and that they want a flexible (new word for closed-source?) system.
Pam Johnson
Reply #23 Tuesday, October 11, 2005 12:02 AM
Reply #23 Tuesday, October 11, 2005 12:02 AM
Okay everybody lets bow down to the great and all knowing god. . . .Apple computers and Steve Jobs. Just think if it was for them the computer would no have ever made its was into our homes, or into the work place.
God!, I so tired of hearing how great Apple is; if is so great a computer why isn't it setting on every desk on planet earth. And, yes I own an Apple Mac as well as my to sons. There has been a Mac in our house since December 1987, but that doesn't mean it is all that great. Since XP I spend very little time on the Mac. Sorry it just not as much fun. Try and use programs like Desktop X, Style XP, Windowbilinds, Winstep, Etc. There are so many things you can do in XP that you can't do on the Mac.
Still there is one thing to remember a computer is only as good as the individual using it, or who has learned what its potental can be.
Pam
God!, I so tired of hearing how great Apple is; if is so great a computer why isn't it setting on every desk on planet earth. And, yes I own an Apple Mac as well as my to sons. There has been a Mac in our house since December 1987, but that doesn't mean it is all that great. Since XP I spend very little time on the Mac. Sorry it just not as much fun. Try and use programs like Desktop X, Style XP, Windowbilinds, Winstep, Etc. There are so many things you can do in XP that you can't do on the Mac.
Still there is one thing to remember a computer is only as good as the individual using it, or who has learned what its potental can be.
Pam
RiddickRom
Reply #24 Wednesday, October 12, 2005 8:19 AM
I gave up believing that quality had anything to do with popularity when the pokemon craze hit.
Reply #24 Wednesday, October 12, 2005 8:19 AM
| if is so great a computer why isn't it setting on every desk on planet earth. |
I gave up believing that quality had anything to do with popularity when the pokemon craze hit.
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Reply #21 Thursday, September 29, 2005 11:03 AM
A pinePod?
SEEKING "A WEAKER NO. 1". So, some music executives were probably thrilled when iPod rival Creative Technology (CREAF ) announced that it had captured a patent for the user interface of its Zen Micro music player. Since the patent may also apply to the iPod's famous interface, Creative could potentially seek hefty royalties from Apple.
And Craig McHugh, president of Creative's U.S. unit, aims to use the patent to chip away at Apple's reputation for being the industry's only innovator. "When people hear we have the patent that makes these devices so easy to use, who really is the inventive company? It could cause people to reevaluate what they think [about Apple]."
The whole article:
What's the Next Verse in Apple's Song?
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2005/tc2005096_6224_tc210.htm