Consumer Electronics
Apple has been given some high rankings in the consumer electronics field by some popular magazines. However, even with all the press, Dell is still making faster strides.
Dell has Portable MP3 player, Printers, LCD HDTV's, Dell PDA, Wireless Router, Wireless Cards and Dell Projectors.
If Apple wants to be like Sony as a consumer electronics company, then maybe they should start out with being more like Dell.
Dell just came out with iLife-like software. I have not seen or used it yet, but it represents a start......
Dell has Portable MP3 player, Printers, LCD HDTV's, Dell PDA, Wireless Router, Wireless Cards and Dell Projectors.
If Apple wants to be like Sony as a consumer electronics company, then maybe they should start out with being more like Dell.
Dell just came out with iLife-like software. I have not seen or used it yet, but it represents a start......
Comments
That's just it. Apple doesn't want to be a stalwart in CE. Yes the iPod had seen phenominal success and Apple has created a seperate division to handle this but their focus is going to remain on their core competency which is Content Creation.
In fact I think you'll find all this hyperbole about Apple becoming the next Sony coming from the same journalistic idiots claiming Apple should exit the computer business.
It's funny how people think the extent of Sony is Walkmans and other CE devices. Sony manufacters CCD's and they have excellnt IP in Optical Tech. They produce high end editing gear that cost more than houses.
Apple needs to keep their CE devices narrowly focused on Music and Video. There's plenty of room there to make decent coin. Apple has already made computer peripherals like Scanners, Printers, Cameras etc.
Dell is no competition. The DJ is still being demolished by the iPod despite it's "longer battery life" and cheaper cost. Apple DOES make LCD HDTV displays just no tuner, wireless routers and wireless cards. You DO realize Apple had Wireless tech before any PC company right?
Nothing on the PC side challenges iLife. Period.
Scanners, price is so low for consumer scanners that they would have a hard time making money and competing with the brands that would make the scanners for them (HP, Cannon, and Epson)
Printers, again price is very low. The money made in this market is in consumables not in the devices. Since Apple would probably have someone else make it for them, there would be compatible cartridges and no need to buy the Apple branded ink or toner.
Both of these products are also very will supported in the Mac OS, basically plug in play.
Wireless router and adapter cards, AirPort right. So they have that as well.
Apple has said that there will be more "Digital Lifestyle" devices to come. Rest assured that Apple will target areas of the CE market that they can bring something to in terms of usability that is not available in the market today, just as they did with the iPod.
Brand consumer devices. For example an Apple designed Sony Ericcson
phone with a glowing Apple logo on it, Mac OS theme & very easy syncing
functionality. (And some other cool new apple tech that I haven't thought of.)
Or an Apple branded Samsung DLP tv with wireless monitor spanning with a
powerbook.
Why does Apple have to go it alone all the time? They're not the only companies
coming up with really cool stuff, (example: The new Samsung DLP coming out
this fall with TI's HD3 chip which offers 1080p picture & 1920 resolution.)
Originally posted by hmurchison
"Digital Hub" is not a concept but a marketing pitch. Computers have been doing Audio and Video for over a decade but now it's vogue to play consumers like their dumb with stupid slogans. Anywhoo the next battlefield will be getting these newfangled digital tracks into the livingroom. Not one company has come out with the "perfect" home media player. Here to hoping Apple is first.
From Websters: "An abstract general conception; a notion; a universal"... so I think the concept of a Computer being used as the central apparatus, for other devices, is also being used as a marketing slogan, as you point out. Video is one of the elements under the "Digital Hub" umbrella. Video editing has been around for a long time. The concept of the Computer being the central nervous system for a handfull of other devices has become the defining label for a new era that made the business see a future for the Personal Computer when everyone was planning the funural.
Methinks Jobs had better rethink his philosphy about TV. Yes TV has been something you "can" switch your brain off to do but I really don't want Apple to be caught with their pants down on this.
1080 screens are going to blur the line between TV and computer monitor. Let's start looking at consumer electronics more progressivly and widen the focus. There are some cool products that can be made if developers put a little creativity in it.
The one major digital area they missed out originating was Tivo - and they could have probably done a better job with it.
In terms of addressing my market segment - a switcher 2 years ago and the PB replaced in May - I'm waiting for the next generation iMac with a G5 chip and all the trimmings of the PM trimmed down to an AIO without 9 fans. That will replace an old Dull at home and another iMac will seriously be considered for use in the office.
Allocation of other funds (as I can save up) will be a gig stick of memory for the new PB.
Then I have to worry about other things, like work that needs done around the house - aghhh!
The simple fact for me is that Apple is best when they are being Apple. They have an urgent need to renew a lot of excitement in the PM and iMac range with major announcements, then deliver a new G5 PB and THEN move the iBook & eMac to G5's. That's where I think they are heading between now and the new year.
Scanners and printers have razor thin margins.
Cell phones and PDAs have small margins and intense development cycles. Better to let someone else handle the development and just make sure you integrate, although I do think that Apple needs Palm to stay around and ensure compatibility.
Tivo also has thin margins. Although the Home Media Option was a good start, Apple could expand on this relationship quite a bit. If Tivo Series 2's can share video, why not let me watch video on my computer screen through some DRM managed method?
Originally posted by TKN
Cell phones, scanners, PDAs, and printers are all losers for Apple.
So was MP3 players untill Apple made an uber cool one and could charge a premium...
PDAs you could argue are ripe for some new technologies, especially in the smartphone arena, but I don't think there is room for the sort of quantum leap that there is for the iPod. Even if there is, Apple would then be directly taking on MS in yet another field in which MS has determined to dominate and will compete intensely.
Originally posted by TKN
Yeah, but where is the room for innovation on a scanner or even a printer?
PDAs you could argue are ripe for some new technologies, especially in the smartphone arena, but I don't think there is room for the sort of quantum leap that there is for the iPod. Even if there is, Apple would then be directly taking on MS in yet another field in which MS has determined to dominate and will compete intensely.
Often we might think there is no room for innovation, when there is. For one thing we might not have the finger on the button on what's happening technology wise in the industry. On top of that we just don't have the vision, and that is why you and I do not have to say "Goodmorning Mr. Ive" every morning
This is not really a direction Apple wants to go in, and frankly I think Dell's numbers in the coming quarters will bear that out. Besides, I don't think there's much of anything Apple can bring to the table. Dell's just rebadging Lexmark printers (ewww) and selling them cheap. That's not a strategy that plays to Apple's strengths.
Originally posted by Amorph
Remember that Dell is going into peripherals to be more like HP, which is busily trying to be more like IBM, which not infrequently will have two or three internal divisions competing bitterly for the same customers!
This is not really a direction Apple wants to go in, and frankly I think Dell's numbers in the coming quarters will bear that out. Besides, I don't think there's much of anything Apple can bring to the table. Dell's just rebadging Lexmark printers (ewww) and selling them cheap. That's not a strategy that plays to Apple's strengths.
I agree. But what Dell has done right is marketing. Everyone knows what they do, and what they make. Anyone looking at a computer knows they need to think about Dell, but you don't usually put Apple on that list.
I think even IBM realized it is pretty lame to compete against yourself...al look towards the competitors. For a great read check out "Who says Elephants can't dance?" IBM is working on eliminating the internal competition and working on fighting everyone else...which leads to great things. Over the past few years, IBM has really stepped it up.