If the competitor is i nthe position to release superior hardware than Apple was set to release in say, two weeks, why didn't the competitor release that hardware earlier? It's not like a competitor can design and bring a product to market faster than they would have otherwise just because of some information of Apple's (typically predictable) future releases.
If the competitor is i nthe position to release superior hardware than Apple was set to release in say, two weeks, why didn't the competitor release that hardware earlier? It's not like a competitor can design and bring a product to market faster than they would have otherwise just because of some information of Apple's (typically predictable) future releases.
iPod Shuffle knock offs came out pretty soon after. Depending on the product, sure it could be done depending on the time involved. Since it's clear sites like Think Secret are actively soliciting for *any information regarding Apple's future products, then you can't say there is no risk to Apple.
It's primarily because Most rumour sites do such bad jobs that Apple has not paid the price since most leaks seem to happen within weeks of a launch, but the risk to Apple's business is there never the less.
iPod Shuffle knock offs came out pretty soon after. Depending on the product, sure it could be done depending on the time involved. Since it's clear sites like Think Secret are actively soliciting for *any information regarding Apple's future products, then you can't say there is no risk to Apple.
Actually the iPod Shuffle knock-offs are illegal copies of the product, and nothing to do with any news stories about it. What's more, the shuffle itself isn't exactly the most complicated product, and has little to recommend it (other than playing DRM'd AAC's) over dozens of other products. The knock-offs simply took existing chips and put them in a case that was a complete copy. What's more, those guys aren't Apple's competitors: that's Dell, Compaq, Microsoft and Creative, not some nameless factory in China that makes stuff to be sold in street markets in the far east.
The fact that you believe that competitors get their information about upcoming products from rumour sites tells me that you know nothing about the industry. The fact that you think a competitor could put together a competitive product that manages to copy unique features from a standing start in the couple of weeks that the average rumour story gives shows you know nothing about product development.
Do you think that ANYONE could, in two weeks, get features like the iPod scroll wheel into manufacture?
Here you go - A rumour site releases the specs and pictures of a product months away from final production, competitors see it and are able to bring similar products to market taking away Apples advantage. Can you defend that? didn't think so, thanks for playing anyway.
You clearly understand nothing about product design or development if you think that's easily possible. For the Macs, competitors don't need news stories to tell them what Apple is doing: they have access to the same Intel road maps, they do business with the same chip set makers and screen manufacturers. You could probably sit the average Dell executive down and get a pretty decent Apple road map out of them.
Microsoft, of course, is a Mac ISV and gets plenty of advanced info on Apple's plans direct from the source. If you think that Microsoft and Adobe didn't get advanced info on the Intel switch, for example, you're living in cloud cuckoo land.
Finally, you seriously underestimate the design skills of Apple. Look at the MP3 player market: the iPod has been out for years, with models available to every competitor to buy and look at down to the smallest level of detail. Yet no one has yet come up with something that matches the ease of use and design of even the first model, let alone huge hits like the Mini.
The same is true in software. Microsoft has had OS X for years, and yet its efforts to bring Windows up to its level of reliability and ease of use are still stalling - Vista will be close to OS X, and maybe suppass it in some areas (if I'm being generous!) but it will have take YEARS for them to do it.
If making a competitive product is so easy you can do it in a couple of months based on a news story, how come no one's managed it in years based on having the actual products in their hands?
Comments
Originally posted by Placebo
If the competitor is i nthe position to release superior hardware than Apple was set to release in say, two weeks, why didn't the competitor release that hardware earlier? It's not like a competitor can design and bring a product to market faster than they would have otherwise just because of some information of Apple's (typically predictable) future releases.
iPod Shuffle knock offs came out pretty soon after. Depending on the product, sure it could be done depending on the time involved. Since it's clear sites like Think Secret are actively soliciting for *any information regarding Apple's future products, then you can't say there is no risk to Apple.
It's primarily because Most rumour sites do such bad jobs that Apple has not paid the price since most leaks seem to happen within weeks of a launch, but the risk to Apple's business is there never the less.
Originally posted by the cool gut
iPod Shuffle knock offs came out pretty soon after. Depending on the product, sure it could be done depending on the time involved. Since it's clear sites like Think Secret are actively soliciting for *any information regarding Apple's future products, then you can't say there is no risk to Apple.
Actually the iPod Shuffle knock-offs are illegal copies of the product, and nothing to do with any news stories about it. What's more, the shuffle itself isn't exactly the most complicated product, and has little to recommend it (other than playing DRM'd AAC's) over dozens of other products. The knock-offs simply took existing chips and put them in a case that was a complete copy. What's more, those guys aren't Apple's competitors: that's Dell, Compaq, Microsoft and Creative, not some nameless factory in China that makes stuff to be sold in street markets in the far east.
The fact that you believe that competitors get their information about upcoming products from rumour sites tells me that you know nothing about the industry. The fact that you think a competitor could put together a competitive product that manages to copy unique features from a standing start in the couple of weeks that the average rumour story gives shows you know nothing about product development.
Do you think that ANYONE could, in two weeks, get features like the iPod scroll wheel into manufacture?
Originally posted by the cool gut
Here you go - A rumour site releases the specs and pictures of a product months away from final production, competitors see it and are able to bring similar products to market taking away Apples advantage. Can you defend that? didn't think so, thanks for playing anyway.
You clearly understand nothing about product design or development if you think that's easily possible. For the Macs, competitors don't need news stories to tell them what Apple is doing: they have access to the same Intel road maps, they do business with the same chip set makers and screen manufacturers. You could probably sit the average Dell executive down and get a pretty decent Apple road map out of them.
Microsoft, of course, is a Mac ISV and gets plenty of advanced info on Apple's plans direct from the source. If you think that Microsoft and Adobe didn't get advanced info on the Intel switch, for example, you're living in cloud cuckoo land.
Finally, you seriously underestimate the design skills of Apple. Look at the MP3 player market: the iPod has been out for years, with models available to every competitor to buy and look at down to the smallest level of detail. Yet no one has yet come up with something that matches the ease of use and design of even the first model, let alone huge hits like the Mini.
The same is true in software. Microsoft has had OS X for years, and yet its efforts to bring Windows up to its level of reliability and ease of use are still stalling - Vista will be close to OS X, and maybe suppass it in some areas (if I'm being generous!) but it will have take YEARS for them to do it.
If making a competitive product is so easy you can do it in a couple of months based on a news story, how come no one's managed it in years based on having the actual products in their hands?