Apple's next move?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Apple has their work cut out for themselves.

They are just not competitive in the pro market when it comes to the math or science markets. MATLAB and basic apps like Corel word perfect are not available in X. The pro hardware is a joke. It is bklistering fast in some things but in most it is just not competitive with the Win-Tel offerings.



I think what Apple has to do is not make a digital appliance like the iPod. They dont need an iPod for digital video, they need SOFTWARE. The iPod and all of the iApps are nice but they are not going to make ALL of the other 95% "upgrade."



I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE STRATEGY NOW.



The digital hub is not really Apple's strategy for making the other 95% upgrade. The strategy Apple is persuing is one that USES the digital hub to attract the consumer mainstream to buy a Mac, thus increasing market share.



THE REAL STRATEGY IS...



Getting 3rd party software vendors to make an OS X version of their apps.



If MILLIONS of people are buying the iMac and iBook, while a steady # of people buy Powermacs and Powerbooks Apple is increasing their market and giving an INCENTIVE to 3rd parties to bring their software to the mac.



Right now there isnt a big enough market for some 3rd parties to use there own resources to make an OS X version of their software available for the Mac.



BUT THERE WILL BE (Hopefully).



Apple needs a better processor on the high end. Apple needs more competitive hardware with more CHOICES. Apple needs to be ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE, otherwise their business plan is flawed.



Apple needs to be like they were in the late 80's, competitive.



[ 02-10-2002: Message edited by: Macintosh ]</p>
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    spookyspooky Posts: 504member
    Its simple really:



    Apple just needs to create a pro computer that blows evrything out of the water. Not 70% faster than a P4. Not twice as fast as a P4 (in carefully rigged photoshop bake offs). Something that is untouchable in all areas and actually means that the enormous price tag apple puts on its pro line is justified.



    otherwise apple can:



    1) gradually shrink into a minute niche market and like silicon graphics hope that people in the pro market stay with apple just becuase they always have.



    2) keep producing towers that are a mockery of the word 'power' and gradually find themselves lampooned on even south park.



    3) dump the pro users and concentrate on making imacs for Uncle Jim and auntie Maud. Then realise that the consumer market isn't fanatical but fickle and just cos they got suckered into buying an imac this time doesn't mean they'll do it again.



    4) start advertising for the first time in their lives (well since 1984 anyway). Especially outside the mac press. How can you increase market share when you only preach to the converted? The TES I have in front of me is the largest education publication in the UK. Plenty of gateway, dell, compaq, acer, toshiba etc but the word apple appears 5 times in tiny paragraphs.



    5) put an apple badge on the next cube and start selling that



    6) let michael dell take over



    7) Buy adobe, macromedia, avid and alias wavefront



    8) give macs away to education



    9) let Tony Head (Giles from Buffy the vampire slayer) take over



    10) bring out something 10 years ahead of the rest and shut you and me up
  • Reply 2 of 32
    Developers!,Deveopers!, Developers!
  • Reply 3 of 32
    I don't think you guys get their strategy. Rather, I think I understand it better.



    Apple wants their computers (iMac & pMac) to be the center of a digital lifestyle. The digital lifestyle entails having several iDevices, iApps and the like. When many people have iPods (and more get them everyday), and other iThings (to be released), they'll grow dependant on macs. I wouldn't want to get a pc if it couldn't work with my iDevices, and if i couldn't run all the iApps i use. Right now, I have a pc from work, and my own pMac, and I can't stand the mp3 players for windows. I only use iTunes. For me to chg platforms would require a prog as kewl for mp3s as iTunes. Other people get iMacs cuz their cool. Then, they get a iPod, cuz mp3s are cool and they want a port. playa. Now, they can't get a pc without throwing away that iPod.



    When people have lots of Apple iThings, they'll need macs. And Apple's marketshare will increase, as pcs die.



    "Today is a good day to die." -Bovis McJervins
  • Reply 4 of 32
    The digital hub strategy is not going to attract ALL of the other 95%, ever.



    It is all about powerful hardware and available software.



    Consumers are covered, pros are either being neglected or Apple is working on something.



    I am inclined to think that Apple is working on something BIG, and the G5 may not be it.



    [ 02-10-2002: Message edited by: Macintosh ]</p>
  • Reply 5 of 32
    [quote]Originally posted by thuh Freak:

    <strong>I don't think you guys get their strategy. Rather, I think I understand it better.



    Apple wants their computers (iMac & pMac) to be the center of a digital lifestyle. The digital lifestyle entails having several iDevices, iApps and the like. When many people have iPods (and more get them everyday), and other iThings (to be released), they'll grow dependant on macs. I wouldn't want to get a pc if it couldn't work with my iDevices, and if i couldn't run all the iApps i use. Right now, I have a pc from work, and my own pMac, and I can't stand the mp3 players for windows. I only use iTunes. For me to chg platforms would require a prog as kewl for mp3s as iTunes. Other people get iMacs cuz their cool. Then, they get a iPod, cuz mp3s are cool and they want a port. playa. Now, they can't get a pc without throwing away that iPod.



    When people have lots of Apple iThings, they'll need macs. And Apple's marketshare will increase, as pcs die.



    "Today is a good day to die." -Bovis McJervins</strong><hr></blockquote>



    iTunes isnt the end all be all MP3 jukebox software. have you ever seen XPod for windows? I heard that WIndows XP aint too bad either.

    <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
  • Reply 6 of 32
    Losing IDL was a major blow. RSI was on board for OS X and MP and then decided not do port to OS X.



    This is my area and I can't see myself using a Mac to get the work done. The software is just not there.
  • Reply 7 of 32
    pookjppookjp Posts: 280member
    I agree with the posts saying Apple needs to blow the competition out of the water.



    We need to silence the critics, to eliminate confusion, to be absolutley, resolutely, the best computers out there. If we had a 4 GHz G5 that beat the hell out of those dual Athlons, the PC community would be silenced. More than that, buzz would get around. People would start talking about how Macs are much faster than anything else. Right now, we can't honestly claim that.



    As for the applications, we're doing OK, but need more for X. But I think the most important move Apple could make would be to hype Microsoft Office to the world. Convince the average PC consumer the Mac can work in a PC world, the only differences being that it is faster, more stable, and more simple. They should also support the development of Virtual PC, and subsequently marketing of it. Tell the Windows world there is no sacrifice by going Mac, only benefits.



    Power and compatibilty.



    - Pook
  • Reply 8 of 32
    I think theres something else going on.



    Anyone read the slashdot comments on the 1 GHz ? Those geeks were salivating over those machines.



    Mac OS X (basically) is Linux on the desktop. Its even partially open source. I think a large portion of the /. crowd will consider migrating to X, espcially after the G5's intro.



    Then when less tech-savvy people ask these geeks for computer-purchasing advice, they might point towards X.



    The growing dissent with Microsoft will only speed this process. The eventual failure of .NET will be fun to watch.
  • Reply 9 of 32
    Apple needs to give EVERYONE A REASON to switch. Right now and for a few years there wont be enough reasons, its sad.
  • Reply 9 of 32
    marcukmarcuk Posts: 4,442member
    Really the ONLY thing Apple s missing is a really competitive highend PPC processor. Everything else is in place.



    I believe that if the G5 appears soon with x86 crushing performance, and proves to scale well, then we have the best chance of increasing market share for about 10 years.



    Quite franky, our design, software, hardware, ease-of-use, reliability, OSX, beats the hell out of the Wintel world. All we really need is the 2GHZ G5. And maybe a price drop.



    If we get this, and we still dont improve %, then I can honestly say, that there will be nothing Apple can do to improve the situation
  • Reply 11 of 32
    bigcbigc Posts: 1,224member
    A year or so ago apple was looking for PPC chip design engineers, Dorsal said he had a motherboard with DDR (probably to see if it was worth using with the G4, which is wasn't). What have these chip designers been working on, it ain't the G4 since nothing has changed, therefore the logical conclusion is that they are working something new and maybe outside the Mot camp. I'm willing to wait and see.



    Apple is still making profits and the new imac is bringing in new customers,(its actually a nice little package and is fast enough for th majority of the people). Mac enthus keep talking about the other 95%. Well, 90% of the 95% winblows users have no idea how to tell a fast machine from a slow machine. These are the people Apple needs to catch and I think the new imac will help in that area. The 90% of the winblows users need to understand that the software they need (office, email, internet and photo stuff for picture sharing) is the same on the mac (actually a lot prettier looking and simpler to use) as it is on winsnows and files can be shared. Apple needs to show the compatibilty and quit playing the "who has the fastest machine" kids game (which actually they aren't playing but everyone on this board wants them to).



    However, this is the FutureHardware board and taint nothin wrong with dreaming of what could be. But Apple needs to make money and gain market share. I don't think they can do that worrying about the fastest machine on the block.



    I am sure Apple can make a real fast machine for the select people that would want one, but I doubt it would make economic sense to sell 10,000 quad G4 with rapidio, etc. just to play a game with the intel crowd.





    Again, Apple is still making profits and that a lot better than most of the PC sellers.



    (second thought, maybe the chip designers that Apple hired have been working on the insides for the cube and the circular imac boards and there ain't no G5. I want a faster (than my dual Ghz) machine but speeding up the G4 ain't gonna cut it. Just have to wait and see)
  • Reply 12 of 32
    Motorola is run and worked for by monkeys. High scaling G5's? Yeah right.
  • Reply 13 of 32
    [quote]Originally posted by Bigc:

    <strong>A year or so ago apple was looking for PPC chip design engineers, Dorsal said he had a motherboard with DDR (probably to see if it was worth using with the G4, which is wasn't). What have these chip designers been working on, it ain't the G4 since nothing has changed, therefore the logical conclusion is that they are working something new and maybe outside the Mot camp. I'm willing to wait and see.



    Apple is still making profits and the new imac is bringing in new customers,(its actually a nice little package and is fast enough for th majority of the people). Mac enthus keep talking about the other 95%. Well, 90% of the 95% winblows users have no idea how to tell a fast machine from a slow machine. These are the people Apple needs to catch and I think the new imac will help in that area. The 90% of the winblows users need to understand that the software they need (office, email, internet and photo stuff for picture sharing) is the same on the mac (actually a lot prettier looking and simpler to use) as it is on winsnows and files can be shared. Apple needs to show the compatibilty and quit playing the "who has the fastest machine" kids game (which actually they aren't playing but everyone on this board wants them to).



    However, this is the FutureHardware board and taint nothin wrong with dreaming of what could be. But Apple needs to make money and gain market share. I don't think they can do that worrying about the fastest machine on the block.



    I am sure Apple can make a real fast machine for the select people that would want one, but I doubt it would make economic sense to sell 10,000 quad G4 with rapidio, etc. just to play a game with the intel crowd.





    Again, Apple is still making profits and that a lot better than most of the PC sellers.



    (second thought, maybe the chip designers that Apple hired have been working on the insides for the cube and the circular imac boards and there ain't no G5. I want a faster (than my dual Ghz) machine but speeding up the G4 ain't gonna cut it. Just have to wait and see)</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Stop saying 90% of the people are stupid, because they are not. The number of people that are just dumb consumers is probably about 5% of the total market. Who knows, thats not important. Dont be blinded by your Apple faith.



    Dont be content with what is. Be uneasy and know that it could be better.



    Apple should and has the capability to make the best computers but they are not.



    What are they doing? I am worried.



    "To boldly go where no Pc has gone before?"



    Where exactly is that?



    [ 02-10-2002: Message edited by: Macintosh ]</p>
  • Reply 14 of 32
    bigcbigc Posts: 1,224member
    Never said anyone was stupid, only that 90% of the winblows users aren't power users and don't need 2.2 Ghz wintels to send emails and telephone calls ( I know a few of these types, they aren 't stupid just have no need)
  • Reply 15 of 32
    spookyspooky Posts: 504member
    I've just been to a computer fair and 15 of the people I spoke to had NEVER heard of apple never mind the imac. I have 4 pc magazines at home at the mo and there is not a single mac advert in them.



    I think the reason for this is that apple knows full well that it cannot compete at the moment and putting an ad in a pc mag (to gain market share) would make the G4 dualie look stupid alongside the pc offerings especially at the price.

    Being a mac user is not about making do. Its not about making excuses for apple. Its about insanely great products and apple has to realise that insanely great does not simply refer to the casing design.



    The G5 has been so hyped in the rumour mills and apple has not done anything to quash those rumors that never before has so much hinged on what apple do next with the Pro line.



    For all our sakes it had better be insanely powerful
  • Reply 16 of 32
    [quote]Originally posted by Bigc:

    <strong>Never said anyone was stupid, only that 90% of the winblows users aren't power users and don't need 2.2 Ghz wintels to send emails and telephone calls ( I know a few of these types, they aren 't stupid just have no need)</strong><hr></blockquote>



    90% is a number that you are just pulling out of your ass.
  • Reply 17 of 32
    snoopysnoopy Posts: 1,901member
    I agree that Apple needs a great professional Mac, but they are limited by what processors are available. This is not making excuses, but just stating an obvious fact. I'm sure Jobs would love to have a 2.4 GB G5 tower Mac to sell, if there were such a chip. Well, I am sure something is going on in the chip department at Apple, but what? We can only guess, and since these things don't happen over night, we may have to wait longer than we would like. Everyone is getting on edge about this issue, and I sure understand why. As long as Motorola chips are lagging behind the industry, the Mac has a much harder time competing. Many think something is brewing hardware wise because Apple just bought a very high end graphic effects software company. (I know nothing about such things.) So, what does Apple do in the meantime?



    Like others, I think the digital hub strategy for consumers is good, and the new iMac is simply outstanding. I am still holding my breath hoping it is truly reliable, with all that stuff in a tiny case. I believe a lot of people underestimate just what a great achievement the iMac really is. At first glance, it looks like a funny/cute LCD monitor. Then you notice that it has a CD-ROM drive and connectors. "Cool, I don't have to go under the desk to hook up or insert a CD-ROM. Where did they put the computer? It's WHERE? You must be kidding." So, I believe Apple is doing what they can now, with what they've got. Building customer awareness and market share is vital.



    I hope Apple has some big winning products coming soon in the high end professional market. After that, who knows what the best strategy is? To get developers, it's OS X that needs to get used in a big way, and right now that means more popular Mac hardware.
  • Reply 18 of 32
    All apple needs to do is advertise.

    They need something that will sell their god damned computers.



    Look at dell, look at that annoying kid, who, in fact, has sold many dells.



    Apple needs something, and their commercials must be TV, and list some god damned SPECS. I have NEVER seen an apple TV commercial list specs/price/mhz myth.
  • Reply 19 of 32
    snoopysnoopy Posts: 1,901member
    Advertising is a topic we could spend lots of time discussing. It is very expensive, and not always the best way to generate sales. I don't think we can guess at this, and I'll bet Apple knows how effective it would be to advertise. If they are not doing it much, they may realize there is a better use for the dollars it would cost.



    Dell did not alway advertise like they do now. When they were starting out, they had other, more effective, ways to increase sales at that time. Times have changed, and now they believe advertising is the way to go. Apple may begin to advertise on TV later, when the time is better for it, when it will produce a greater effect. I do agree that the ads they do run seem a little wimpy. Also, I'm not saying Apple is making the right choice on advertising; they could be wrong. On the other hand, it may not be the best use of Apple's resources at this time.
  • Reply 20 of 32
    Just wondering how many of you are actually using the high end powermac at this moment, probably none I would guess. So as far as your opinions of the machine, I don't give them much credibility. I am using my new G4 dual gig everyday and it kicks ass. I also use a AMD machine and XP, so I know Apple is doing just fine, and the G5 will come soon enough. So keep crying if you like, or enjoy what is avaiable now.
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