The future of Apple?

[dwell]

Who cares about individual phones? It comes down to market share, and Android will eventually take over. Mark my words.

Who cares what OS runs the phone? Especially the case with Android where there's little to nothing tying one Android phone to the next. Wow, you can claim a bunch of phones run Android behind the curtains, then what?

 

[Linflas]

Who cares what OS runs the phone? Especially the case with Android where there's little to nothing tying one Android phone to the next. Wow, you can claim a bunch of phones run Android behind the curtains, then what?

The difference is that they are willing to license the OS to multiple hardware vendors which will end up allowing a lot of variation and innovation in the Android based phones.

 

[MrChad]

I think that in the short term Apple will be just fine. The people running Apple today share many of Jobs' goals and visions. Down the road, who knows? Successful technology companies like Apple have been able to adapt and even transform their business to suit the market. Apple went from a computer company of the late 90s to a consumer electronics and digital content eCommerce provider of today. Jobs' ability to recognize these trends and guide Apple's transitions helped lead the company to great success. Not all companies are so successful (see HP).

After portable music players, smartphones and tablets, what is next on the horizon? Will Apple be in a position to capitalize the new markets, or will they fall back to a position where they are constantly playing catch up (like Microsoft is today)? I think we'll know the answer in about 10 years.

 

[darkewaffle]

I don't think Jobs living or dying would really impact where Apple is headed. I think they're basically a flash in the pan in a macro sense, on fire for a few years before falling back in line sometimes in the somewhat near future.

 

[ViviTheMage]

I do not think they will lose a lot of steam ... the 4s was probably a big let down, but the fanboys will come.

 

[Krynj]

They do? Why's that?

I don't remember where I read it, but, I believed they plan on picketing because -- wait for it -- he's a sinner.

 

[Genx87]

I looked at Jobs as the glue of the company. He provided the vision while people below him delivered the product.

It will be interesting to see what happens when his hand picked minions leave the company. Will the core of the company be able to keep the vision of Jobs with new blood? Or will it start to unroll?

 

[dwell]

The difference is that they are willing to license the OS to multiple hardware vendors which will end up allowing a lot of variation and innovation in the Android based phones.

Different business approach. The beauty of the iPhone is the OS is tightly integrated with the hardware. It's a seamless experience. Android on the other hand is a bunch of disparate parts cobbled together.

 

[Krynj]

I'm sure they've got a lot of ideas and products in the hopper. I really hope they continue to push the boundaries of technology. Who knows if they will, but, only time will tell.

I was reading this thing on Engadget earlier, and they had posted the statements of some other notable names in the tech world. I forget which one said it, but somebody mentioned that despite all Steve has given the world, in a sense, he felt like Steve was just getting started. And I totally agree with that. His death wasn't sudden, so I'm sure they've got lots of new stuff lined up for the future.

 

[purbeast0]

Android has rapidly been gaining market share. With the 4S flop, it's only going to skyrocket.

As for PC's, the price will keep Apple in the minority. Most people can't afford a computer over $500 these days.

4s is only considered a "flop" to android fanboys, people who had no interest in apple anyways. so i don't think your "flop" is going to be as catastrophic as you think.

 

[PingSpike]

I think Apple's minimalist and stylistic approach has a fair amount of wisdom and represents innovation in that more feature obsessed players didn't go there. That said, I never really felt like the consumer electronics as a fashion accessory was a long term strategy. I think they were hoping to become the default platform out there but I feel like they weren't willing to sacrifice control or revenue now enough to let it get where it needed to be. The big players out there got big by doing similar things to what Apple did so they can't outrun them while they aren't paying attention...because they're paying attention. Microsoft is sort of a limp dick when it comes to phones but Google is still young enough to make big gambles and upset the party.

 

[Krynj]

4s is only considered a "flop" to android fanboys, people who had no interest in apple anyways. so i don't think your "flop" is going to be as catastrophic as you think.

I'm an Android fanboy, and I don't think the 4S was a flop. The hardware improvements are rather substantial. I'll likely never buy an iPhone, but it would have been awesome to see a new design as well. Like I mentioned above, I only have an iPod, but I always look forward to new Apple products. A bigger screen would have been nice, but I bet they're saving that for iPhone 5.

 

[dwell]

Apple's entire business strategy is pretty transparent: Make technology that is accessible to everyone. They were able to pull it of because all decisions were filtered through Jobs. Other companies can't seem to pull the same thing off because everything is filtered through endless committees.

 

[sonambulo]

Apple will stagnate and sloooooowly lose market share. As a closed platform they needed that extra push to make the magic happen. Jobs was that push.

If there's someone out there with his vision and sense of purpose they're going to do their own thing instead of trying to work from within Apple.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Wozniak was the initial brains in Apple and then Jobs hired other brains along the way. Jobs was just a great marketer much like P.T. Barnum was, that's all.

 

[Shlong]

Point is, you wouldn't have a Droid as you know it today if it wasn't for Apple. You'd have a Droid flip phone.

LG actually had the rectangular format touch screen out before apple did: http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/11/iphone-and-lg-ke850-separated-at-birth/

But what apple did as a game changer was through apps.

 

[Krazy4Real]

apple is doomed!

 

[Mr. Lennon]

I'm an Android fanboy, and I don't think the 4S was a flop. The hardware improvements are rather substantial. I'll likely never buy an iPhone, but it would have been awesome to see a new design as well. Like I mentioned above, I only have an iPod, but I always look forward to new Apple products. A bigger screen would have been nice, but I bet they're saving that for iPhone 5.

I know plenty of iPhone users who were pissed by the news. Even this diehard apple fanboy I know was complaining on Facebook. I was actually considering the iPhone 5 myself, but I'm for sure going with the nexus prime now. Apple could have pulled off a stunt like this when there was no competion...not these days though.

 

[Krynj]

I know plenty of iPhone users who were pissed by the news. Even this diehard apple fanboy I know was complaining on Facebook. I was actually considering the iPhone 5 myself, but I'm for sure going with the nexus prime now. Apple could have pulled off a stunt like this when there was no competion...not these days though.

Agreed. I know plenty of Apple folks that weren't very impressed by the iP4S. I have a feeling that iPhone users who were perhaps thinking about trying Android for a change, may have just been given the push they need. No iPhone 5, plus the best Android device on the planet only days away from being announced. I think there will be a good number of people going with Android this time around. If ever there was a time to give Android an honest test, ICS and the Nexus Prime are the time to do it.

But I digress.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I know plenty of iPhone users who were pissed by the news. Even this diehard apple fanboy I know was complaining on Facebook. I was actually considering the iPhone 5 myself, but I'm for sure going with the nexus prime now. Apple could have pulled off a stunt like this when there was no competion...not these days though.

With the recent news that the Galaxy Nexus will only have a 5mp camera, I may hold off til the new LTE modems come out next year and see what the iPhone 5 has and it's new competition.

 

[zerogear]

Meh. People keep comparing him to Edison, I don't see it at all considering he's more of a sales guy than anything else.

 

[Arkaign]

Meh. People keep comparing him to Edison, I don't see it at all considering he's more of a sales guy than anything else.

I think socially and media-wise, comparing him to Edison is completely fair. Even to a degree further, Edison actually did take inventions previously made by smaller actors and put them in the bigtime, similar to Jobs being credited with things like he is in this very thread that he didn't invent.

That said, I don't think the overall real impact was anywhere close to Edison though. Edison had more clear huge wins (first commerciallly producable lightbulb, microphone, electric distribution, etc), and a few monumental failures (didn't want to cede the dramatic advantage of AC power delivery) along the way that overall dwarf Job's real contributions and failures.

I take no pleasure in Job's passing, and indeed my thoughts are with his family and close friends in this time. I've lost family to cancer, and know the horrible helplessness there is watching someone wither away.

That said, I cannot fail to notice something that contrasts Jobs oddly compared to his closest analogue, Mr. Gates. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, he permanently cancelled all charitable and philanthropic ventures. That made sense in 1997 considering the dire financial status of the Apple Corp he returned to, but it seems bizarre that he never saw fit to resume or expand those works considering the huge rise of Apple that was to come. Even from a mere minimal effort purely for PR value, he was steadfast against it. Contrast to Gates, who is far and away the most compelling single man alive in terms of driving charitable works not only in massive personal expense, but dedicating his time and mental strengths to the work as well, all while sidestepping political morass of picking sides or being influenced by nonsensical political camps. He applies logic to the largest problems he sees in the world that he thinks his foundation can help, and attacks it head on. In short, I admire him much more than Jobs, and it has very little to do with his years at Microsoft, and everything to do with his fundamental integrity and humanity. Dare I say it, Gates is a true hero.

 

[Aikouka]

Agreed. I know plenty of Apple folks that weren't very impressed by the iP4S.

I've heard remarks such as "nothing changed."

I think this has just affirmed my previous belief that people need crazy buzzwords that they don't understand. If you asked some random Apple (or not Apple) fan what a "retina display" actually is, do you think they can answer it (correctly)?

 

[Murloc]

Their phones will not take over android, but anyway, they'll still be successful, but won't generate as much hype.

 

[bfdd]

4s is only considered a "flop" to android fanboys, people who had no interest in apple anyways. so i don't think your "flop" is going to be as catastrophic as you think.

most the people I have talked to who I know with an iphone 4 was disappointed and is just going to wait for the 5 now. it's not a big enough upgrade to justify the cost to them.