On its third birthday, Apple's iPad looks back at years of comical criticism
Apple's iPad is three years old today, providing a good opportunity to look back in hindsight on one of the most successful technology products to ever debut, and also one of the more poorly received by industry critics.
As noted by Asymco blogger Horace Dediu, a history of incessant iPad naysaying has been chronicled by Terry Gregory's iPad Death Watch.
The list starts with critical comments by Microsoft's Steve Ballmer and Google's Eric Schmidt ("You might want to tell me the difference between a large phone and a tablet" he said in January 2010).
Their predictable negativity about Apple's then new iPad was joined by columnists of all stripes, who compiled lists like the one by About.com titled "5 Reasons Why Apple's iPad Tablet Will Fail."
Dan Lyons wrote at its launch, "The press weren?t cheering and whooping. I didn?t see anybody pee their pants. Not one! [?] I wanted to see more. It?s a big iPod. What is there to do there? Play a video game on a bigger screen? I thought it was ?paving the cow path?. I really thought it was underwhelming."
Lyons was essentially right about one thing: the entire tech media at the iPad's unveiling simply didn't get it. As an attendee to the event, AppleInsider couldn't find one journalist there who found the new device promising.
Hours after the iPad's unveiling, the phrase "iPad a disappointment" became a "spicy" trending topic as ranked by Google.
The next month his tune changed to, "flaws and all, the iPad is indeed in a class all by itself. It?s a new kind of computing device."
At the launch of iPad 2, Thurrott stated, "In reality, Apple sold tens of millions of iPads last year and is on track to sell tens of millions more next year. In reality, people are buying iPads. In reality, they?re not buying Windows 7-based tablets. And in reality, they never will. Furthermore, businesses are buying iPads, too, and piloting them in ever faster numbers."
Like many other columnists in the tech industry, Thurrott quickly changed from a defensive doubter of the entire idea of the iPad to begrudging accepting its success, followed by a quick assumption that the rest of the industry could immediately duplicate Apple's work and take its market share.
Two years ago, in April 2011, he wrote, "Although the expected iPad competition never really heated up last year, 2011 is going to be a different story, with a slate (ahem) full of Android-based tablets, the HP TouchPad, the Research in Motion (RIM) PlayBook, and others."
One year later, all of those experiments had flopped. Thurrott was much more impressed with Microsoft's own new Surface in 2012, which has since collapsed in failure.
The iPad Death Watch provides three years of caustic, bitter criticism that Apple must find a bit delicious today, having sold more than 100 million since it went on sale in early 2010.
The predictions and criticisms reflect those captured in the parallel iPhone Death Watch, which offers an equally entertaining look at the lack of imagination and foresight of Apple's fiercest critics.
As noted by Asymco blogger Horace Dediu, a history of incessant iPad naysaying has been chronicled by Terry Gregory's iPad Death Watch.
The list starts with critical comments by Microsoft's Steve Ballmer and Google's Eric Schmidt ("You might want to tell me the difference between a large phone and a tablet" he said in January 2010).
Their predictable negativity about Apple's then new iPad was joined by columnists of all stripes, who compiled lists like the one by About.com titled "5 Reasons Why Apple's iPad Tablet Will Fail."
Dan Lyons wrote at its launch, "The press weren?t cheering and whooping. I didn?t see anybody pee their pants. Not one! [?] I wanted to see more. It?s a big iPod. What is there to do there? Play a video game on a bigger screen? I thought it was ?paving the cow path?. I really thought it was underwhelming."
Lyons was essentially right about one thing: the entire tech media at the iPad's unveiling simply didn't get it. As an attendee to the event, AppleInsider couldn't find one journalist there who found the new device promising.
Hours after the iPad's unveiling, the phrase "iPad a disappointment" became a "spicy" trending topic as ranked by Google.
Flawgic ad absurdum
One of the most vocal critics of the iPad was, unsurprisingly, Windows Enthusiast Paul Thurrott. After initially stating at its launch, "It seems like a high priced, unnecessary trinket to me," his tone turned a bit more hostile a few months later when he wrote, "Anyone who believes this thing is a game changer is a tool."The next month his tune changed to, "flaws and all, the iPad is indeed in a class all by itself. It?s a new kind of computing device."
At the launch of iPad 2, Thurrott stated, "In reality, Apple sold tens of millions of iPads last year and is on track to sell tens of millions more next year. In reality, people are buying iPads. In reality, they?re not buying Windows 7-based tablets. And in reality, they never will. Furthermore, businesses are buying iPads, too, and piloting them in ever faster numbers."
Like many other columnists in the tech industry, Thurrott quickly changed from a defensive doubter of the entire idea of the iPad to begrudging accepting its success, followed by a quick assumption that the rest of the industry could immediately duplicate Apple's work and take its market share.
Two years ago, in April 2011, he wrote, "Although the expected iPad competition never really heated up last year, 2011 is going to be a different story, with a slate (ahem) full of Android-based tablets, the HP TouchPad, the Research in Motion (RIM) PlayBook, and others."
One year later, all of those experiments had flopped. Thurrott was much more impressed with Microsoft's own new Surface in 2012, which has since collapsed in failure.
The iPad Death Watch provides three years of caustic, bitter criticism that Apple must find a bit delicious today, having sold more than 100 million since it went on sale in early 2010.
The predictions and criticisms reflect those captured in the parallel iPhone Death Watch, which offers an equally entertaining look at the lack of imagination and foresight of Apple's fiercest critics.
Comments
Happy Birthday
Amazing how often the experts couldn't find their backside with a pickaxe a compass and night goggles.
Years later, the tech community still has their heads deep up their backsides and thinking their inferior ways are better for the joe-consumer.
"Who wants a large iPod Touch named after a feminine product?" - I remember that one well, right on this very forum from a rabid, multi-username and banned troll that would not go away.
Quote:
Originally Posted by shen
I seem to recall such discussion around these forums as well.... How the iPad was a terrible name ...
I find all that stuff about the name very funny now.
Mot of the (ahem) "leading members" of this forum (or those that think they are) believed the name to be a complete fail.
The tech writers and pundits getting it wrong is understandable IMO, what I find more shocking is some of the so-called "visionaries" like Bill Gates not getting it at all. I have never understood why anyone thinks Bill Gates knows shit about technology or science. He so clearly doesn't at all.
The best of the best advertising campaigns is still... "Amateur Hour is Over. The BlackBerry PlayBook is Here!".
I've not understood the "told ya so!" responses by a lot of the Apple bloggers over Apple's success with the iPad versus what the general tech media thought in early 2010. When the original iPad was released it came with iOS 3.2, which wasn't spectacular (I guess it was solid, but just OK compared to what we have now). If the shackles of iOS 3.2 hadn't been loosened, I doubt we would have seen the sales that we've seen. I've read those quotes looking at them through the lense of what we knew then (limitations of iOS 3.2), not what we know now (iOS 4,5,6).
It will be fun to do a similar one for AAPL stock price on April 3, 2016. (Actually, we probably won't have to wait that long.....).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Mot of the (ahem) "leading members" of this forum (or those that think they are) believed the name to be a complete fail.
(I am not arrogating myself in any way to claim 'leading member' status.....) I was one of those who felt a bit queasy about the name.
Five iPads and one Mini later, I think I am finally OK with it.
Happy Birthday iPad! Still waiting to add one of you to my life, maybe when you're a bit older.
EDIT: I started reading the iPad Death Watch site and could only take a short bit of it
I watched the iPad launch and Steve Jobs seemed to be the only guy in the room excited about it. It didn't wow me at all and it seemed to be a big iPod Touch. It seemed that the techies (like me) were bored but mom & pop were thrilled. When sales went through the roof I was surprised and very excited for Apple. I held out for the iPad 2 (with FaceTime) as my first one and love it. As Steve said, you really needed to hold one and use one to see that it was a better way to experience the Internet. I am glad he lived long enough to see that his vision was right and that he had (yet again) changed computing forever.
“Google plans ‘to market a tablet of the highest quality’ in the next six months”
Eric Schmidt, Chairman, Google, 19 Dec 2011
That's OK Eric, the world need followers as well as leaders.
Quote:
Originally Posted by shen
I seem to recall such discussion around these forums as well.... How the iPad was a terrible name and a crap device and that after the Apple fans had bought theirs it would die a sad death. Just like the iPhone before it. And the iPod before that. And OSX before that.
Amazing how often the experts couldn't find their backside with a pickaxe a compass and night goggles.
Because it's all about hatred for Apple. I've never seen this situation with any other company. The pundits described in this article cannot fathom how a company like Apple came into existence or remains in business. They hate everything about the company and everything the company makes and they're not shy about telling you so. They wish nothing but evil and pestilence on the company and would dance on its grave if it came to pass. Every product introduced by someone else is immediately labelled an Apple 'killer." When that product fails to kill anything they simply move on to the next, and the next, and the next. This has been going on for over thirty years now and shows no signs of stopping. The fact that so many critics of the company choose to join and post vociferously on sites like AI just supports the theory. You would think if you didn't like a company or its products you would just ignore them a go about buying what you like. But not the Apple critics. Not only do they not like the company they become activists in seeking its destruction. You don't see this kind of behavior in any other market segments.
Thankfully, the iPad 2 fixed almost everything and the reviews around the Internet reflected that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lkrupp
You would think if you didn't like a company or its products you would just ignore them a go about buying what you like. But not the Apple critics. Not only do they not like the company they become activists in seeking its destruction. You don't see this kind of behavior in any other market segments.
Couldn't agree more. In order for some pet (often POS) product of theirs to win, Apple has to lose.
Yet, I find it oddly satisfying that these maroons are so strong in their anti-Apple sentiments that they are relentlessly, shamelessly, self-esteemlessley willing to make fools of themselves (the iPad simply being another case in point).