I’m an Apple fan (ok, I admit it) and I really like 90% of the designs and products put out in recent years. BUT, I really hope they don’t release a hybrid iPod/Slate/tablet thingy at the event on 27th January.
It’s not that I don’t think they’ll make sense of the form factor (look at all the fake designs that have sprung up and the professional mock-ups) or that it will create a versatile gadget with a gazillion un-dreamt uses. What I really don’t like is the sheer manipulation of the market and it’s users. In much the same way Cameron’s movies have redirected the money tree back towards the monopolisers, this ‘new newton’ will do the same thing. I’ll expand on the metaphor; independent cinema gets it’s best ever plaudits in 1996 (The English Patient, OSCARS galore) next year it’s uber-budgetted, mainstream, Hollywoodland, studio factory based Titanic. Lately, we’ve seen an amazing expansion of creative, international films (Slumdog Millionaire) vs. parts 5 and 6 of franchises or even reworked comic book heroes. Then, cameron does it again with style over content, studio life-force enhancing Avatar. Course it will win all the OSCARS this year! See what I mean? No… well look at this:
[Diagram removed from web by owner]
This shows falling prices of laptops and desktops in the US, one of the cheapest places in the world to buy hardware (only Hong Kong has cheaper Macs than USA). Netbooks, although limited in use and capacity have stolen the buyers! And there’s less profit margin in a netbook.
“Tight credit and economic concerns have certainly taken a toll on PC shipments in the last couple quarters, but the move to portables, fueled by mininotebooks and falling prices, has mitigated the impact,” Loren Loverde, IDC’s program director for Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker, said in a statement. The netbook surge this holiday season, limits Apple’s options. The company could slash prices to compete, but that would sap margins without guarantees of market share regains. Apple has no netbook to sell, so it’s cut out of the margin-sapping market segment. An analysis of it’s policy:
“Survivors of the recession will adapt to the new economy. No matter where or when the recession ends, it won’t be where it started. The old economy is gone, massive spending with it. Apple already does this. Years ago, the company reduced the number of products it sells and simplified its remaining product lines. Product refreshes are fairly infrequent compared with other technology companies. Apple maximizes the production/development cost-to-margin ratio for as long as possible. The process reduces manufacturing and distribution costs. Product A releases with got-to-have features or design for which early buyers are willing to pay a premium. Typically, the big desirable feature is unique, meaning not common from competitor products. Over time, Apple upgrades select components, either offering more for less or reducing prices. Eighteen to 24 months, or more, later, Apple releases a fresh, redesigned new model and restarts the process. For the iPhone and iPod, the new models come about once a year.”
So when the current markets are exhausted, you have to create a new market! Roll on Apple’s Avatar… people will rave and adore it even if it is all just style over substance.
Posted by damoward 
