Recession, creativity and outlook.

[Astro_Digital]

Has Apple lost it is creativity for at least MP3 players?

I say YES.....

It has been two years since we got a glimpse at the first generation iPhone and since then what has will received minor upgrades, GSM, and non-phone version, the Touch.

We got the iPod video the generation 5 iPod several years ago, then got nothing but minor updates over the years.

The nano, changes shape.

It is all so boring.

Now Apple has dropped DRM to free us from iTunes and iPods.

My outlook for Apple is more minor updates and that is all.

Apple to me has lost it's creativity.

Now I seem to remember a few people mentioning we are in the worse recession in decades, and people do not want to buy MP3 players. The recession ends only when corporations step up and meet the challenge.

Build products people want it is no more important than now.
Give us something so new and great we would say, YES I must have it!!!
People start buying, companies will need to hire, creating more consumers.

Give us no or minor upgrades people say, why should I buy? I have it already!! The products do not sell, companies layoff.... "THIS IS WHERE WE ARE". I purchased a new iPod every September for many years, this year Apple gives us a new on the fly playlist button and minor hardware changes. So for the first year in many year I saved my $300, $400 sorry Apple....

Apple wake up show us creativity now, when we need it the most, in a recession. Winners take risks and this is the best time in decades to take a risk.

The way it is going Apple, will and should lose market share, and if somebody else steps up and gives us a WOW product first, Apple will lose. History will show the first decade of the 21th century the decade of the Touch, iPhone, Classic and Nano; and then nothing. People will wonder what happened to Apple.

Sorry I see no bright future for Apple or the product line. I want Apple to win I just do not think the will, but who knows in 9 months we all may say FINALLY Apple it is about time !!!

[Surf Monkey]

Seems like an over reaction to me. They had one year in which no really stunning products were released. So? Be patient.

[bobb-mini]

Jobs is preocuppied with his illness.

Apple is preocuppied with the line of succession.

[Astro_Digital]

Excuse me about not caring about Jobs.

Does Jobs engineer, develop, prototype, source the parts, manufactures, do the marketing, build, and then ship the iPods. I am sure there are other people and if jobs can no longer do he should step down. The Apple corporation is not a Kingdom there is no succession.

Two years with iPhone, Touch clones.
Four year minor iPod video updates.

You not read hear about Motorola? Motorola developed the best selling phone in history, the V3 and then nothing. For two years Motorola gave People only minor updates and on the third year nobody want them.

The iPhone has just taken over the spot of best selling phone and it is soon going to be two years old. I doubt times of changed in the third year..... well lets see. I tell you there are signs the iPhone is losing it's appeal. Rogers the sales were good but the were 33% off target, and this was before Canada entered the recession the Americans forced on the world. I read forums, people are dropping the iPhone, the iPhone is not as new and shiny as people first thought. Some people say they want more flexibility, some want a keyboard, some complain about battery life, high data costs and the list goes on.

Look where Motorola is now with the phones, nothing new in September I think Apple will follow quick.


Now if already happened with the iPod Gen 5, the iPod Video. First year everybody wanted one, Year two got a brighter display better battery life, Year three got cosmetic changes and WHAT A SURPRISE, year four Apple said they are not selling. They downgraded the hard drive, gave us Genesis and what thought everybody that is not interested in the Touch will want it?


My mistake, once again I should not expect people on the forum with a name like "iLounge" to have an open mind. Anywhere else I may get people to agree with my logic.

I will post the same message on my own personal forum as an experiment.
I suspect most people will say how much they hate Apple in general. Yes some people do not like Apple. They hate way Apple closes it products, from cradle to grave, how Apple controls is customers, and how expensive Apple is.

[S2_Mac]

Excuse me about not caring about Jobs.

Then you've completely missed the history of the rise and fall and rise of Apple. Way back in 1976, it was Wozniak doing the prototyping, engineering and OS; Jobs did the marketing, capitalizing, and strategizing (and the industrial espionage, if you like ;-) The results -- Apple ][, Mac/Lisa, LaserWriter, popularizing the micro diskette, mouse and GUI, etc. -- were insanely great.

When the Pepsi Generation took control (Sculley, later Spindler), Apple turned into the boredom-fighters you seem to want. Too many product lines and unqualified retailers (think: Performa at WalMart!), a horribly undisciplined supply chain, and too many failed products. Cool enough stuff, but the company's leadership didn't have enough fire in its belly to make things like Apple Interactive TV Box, Power CD player, Pippin console, QuickTake camera, and Newton PDA succeed. Not to mention the OS black holes of Taligent/Pink, Copland, Gershwin....

When Jobs returned bearing NeXT goodies, Apple was at death's door. After setting the Apple business house in order, Steve control-freaked the iMac into existence. Yes, J. Ive led the team, but virtually every drawing was approved by Steve. Ditto with the G4 and G5/Intel iMacs and the Cube -- Steve was just a PITA in driving those products (seriously -- he was hated for his stranglehold on those projects; talk to Apple employees). And then there's the snake oil salesman side of Steve -- "PowerPC processors are the ablsolute best...until we switch to Intel." This was another huge company-saving move. And who else could have summoned the moxie to kowtow to MS and pay them to keep Office alive on the Mac, while never giving an inch on Mac's superiority? ;-)

iPod was another massive gamble -- like those earlier Sculley/Spindler failures it started life as Mac-only -- and it was Steve's drive, savvy, and #####ishness that kept it alive and growing. And what a feat, launching the iPhone...where's the HP phone, the MS phone, the Sony phone? Combined with great acquistions -- Shake, Logic, Final Cut, SoundJam, etc. -- Apple is sittin' pretty these days. Not sure if I'd like Steve as a person, but as a lifelong gadgeteer, an almost 30-year customer, and a 10-year stockholder, I respect the hell out of him. These things you like about Apple -- well, say thanks to Steve.

[XVI]

What about the upcoming tablet?

[Astro_Digital]

Jobs is just an engineer not the end of the world.

If the tablet comes? and who says it will? Last I read it is rumor only. The tablet would mean little to me.

1) I am concerned and iPods only. I already hate Macs, too expensive, AND NO BLU-RAY
2) If I wanted a tablet, I buy a Windows !!! netbook.

[bobb-mini]

Originally Posted by Astro_Digital

Jobs is just an engineer not the end of the world.

HE IS???? <GASP!>

As any newcomer (relatively speaking) to the Apple world, u KNOW NOTHING about Apple's history, which is very important to your query.

No time to give u a speech, suffice to way JOBS is APPLE, and if ur interested on Apple's future products, u SHOULD CARE what happends to Jobs and who's replacing him, if any.

[Astro_Digital]

Jobs is not Apple he is just a man.
Ford went on after Henry Ford died.

You are right though I could care less about Apple. I own no shares, do not work for them. Like many other companies, all the products are engineered in the US and built in China.

I care about the MP3 players, and that is all. If I cared about Apple I buy one of their overpriced, non-Blu Ray computers and like all Apple fanboys say how much Microsoft bites but run Windows on my Mac anyway. I already said that is not happening.

If Jobs steps down and Apple makes more poor MP3 choices. Well I guess I buy whatever works for me.

I would be laughing at Microsoft now. Getting the Zune improved as much as they can and hoping Apple once again alienates the people who used to buy iPods in September.

[bobb-mini]

Nobody told u to love Apple or become a fanboy, God forbid.

I assume you are here because there is somethings in iPods u like.

All am saying is, Jobs is what makes Apple special, whether u hate their Mac, or in some small ways, like their iPods. Currently wo Jobs, Apple may become just *another* consumer company.

A few months ago there was an article about the Japanese foremost mobile expert who says the iPhone could had never be invented in Japan.

Look at the iPhone, now *everybody* is jumping onto the touchscreen bangwagon.

[hyroboarder]

I think Jobs is Apple itself. I did a 5 page research paper in early high school and know a little bit about the company's history. Back in 97 (I think) when he became interim CEO he basically singe-handedly turned the company around 180 degrees. If Jobs were to leave apple, I might almost think of stop buying their products. He is truly my idol.

I think and many of you might agree ipods aren't anything special anymore. I felt like such a BA when I bought my first 20gb 4g. Now everybody has one, it's just a normal thing you know?

As for the creativity, I agree and think the classic should see a big change myself. Make it MORE of the "adult" ipod with more mature features. Shaking the mp3 player to find a random new song is not a dealbreaker for me when choosing ipods. The classic should be a juggernaut. Huge hard drive, wi-fi synching, ipod dock and charger included in the box. You know what I'm saying?

[Surf Monkey]

Since when is Apple obligated to update everything all the time? Maybe you don't remember a decade ago when Apple product updates went under the radar for everyone but the most obsessed fan boys?

Has it crossed your mind that Apple may be feeling like their current product lines are performing well and don't need updates? Or that they may be slowing the cycle in order to make some really revolutionary introductions this year or next?

Seriously, hydroboarder, what is it that you think Apple OWES you? Why are you getting bent about this?

[Jimmy97]

I fail to see where he mentioned that Apple has to update everything all the time.
It's definitely time for an update to the classic, unless Apple wants to start losing market share (yeah, right). But still...
I'm definitely one of those who thinks the classic is far from over. Just because they didn't update it last year doesn't mean they're dropping it. They don't want to give you a HDD based touch. That's because they have the classic. So until SSDs catch up to HDDs, or they give you a touch with an HDD (never happening, give it up), the classic's gonna be around with regular updates every 2 years or so.

[Surf Monkey]

Classic could use a capacity bump back up to 160 or more gig, but I don't think it "needs" an update. The things that Apple makes that NEED an update are the Mac Pro, the Apple TV and the Mac Mini. Everything else could go another year or two without any changes whatsoever.

[Jimmy97]

Mac mini before the others. That thing is ridiculously outdated.