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Apple doesn't need to do this to keep competitors at bay. I don't think they will do it, but that's a different story. Right now Apple's biggest strength is t

by NyxWulf 16y ago

Apple doesn't need to do this to keep competitors at bay. I don't think they will do it, but that's a different story. Right now Apple's biggest strength is their ecosystem. Developers creating high quality applications and users willing to put up actual cash to get them in large enough numbers to create a vibrant platform. The systems map with reinforcing and dampening actions is much larger than this, but those are the essential interactions. In the early days it was about features, but once you have an ecosystem in place, they are very hard to displace. Examples: Microsoft and the windows platform. US Dollar as the world's reserve currency. Amazon Kindle. With IOS, people have purchased all these applications. If they move to Android they will have to find a way to get those again. When you have a substantial investment into an ecosystem, you don't rush out and jump on the next one because it's a little better. Or even if it's close. The larger your investment, the larger the switching cost, the more compelling the alternative has to be. From a strategy point of view, those are the most important factors governing the market right now imo.

dageshi 16y ago
Microsoft didn't change the rules every 3 months, sure they drive netscape out of the market but they never said that netscape couldn't run on windows. If you develop for windows you could be absolutely sure your app would install and work on it in 12 months time, can anyone say that about iPhone? But developers make money you say? Well there are people out there tonight who were making money with subscription based apps who presumably aren't going to now apple is taking their 30%. So apple has a big userbase, but for how long? Android comes in cheaper, it iterates faster, from personal experience I know people who are avid apple users who have droid phones because their cell providers offered them a great deal and their droid phone gives them what they need in terms of apps, (facebook, twitter e.t.c.) All it takes is one killer app on android but not iphone and suddenly apple are on the back foot.
- NyxWulf 16y ago
  Your argument is based on tangential statements relating to your mores. I made no moral or value judgements, just a simple analysis of the situation. None of what you said even addresses my central premise, that the ecosystem is the issue now. One killer app on the android will do absolutely nothing to the IOS ecosystem. If history is any guide, the only way to kill a functioning ecosystem is through some type of fundamental shift in technology, paradigm shattering change, or through long attrition with a competing ecosystem. Sure I know numerous people that have gone to Android based phones. I also know that the app ecosystem on android is not vibrant right now. There are a lot of factors involved, but before android can build a sustainable competitive advantage, they have to build a functional ecosystem. I have questions about how android can do that with the fractured market places. Android came out in 2007, four years is a long time to not have any killer apps. Given their wide distribution, I am frankly surprised that android is not much more prevalent. The reality though is that ecosystems are incredibly hard to build. Phones are one thing, I have yet to see a single android based music player or iPad competitor. How do you attack a fortified, focused competitor with more cash, better design aesthetic, and an innovation pipeline that is the envy of the world? I honestly have no idea, but I'm fascinated watching it all unfold.
  - wtracy 16y ago
    "I have yet to see a single android based music player or iPad competitor." http://www.google.com/search?q=android+tablets http://www.google.com/search?q=android+tablets http://www.google.com/search?q=galaxy+player+50 http://www.google.com/search?q=galaxy+player+50 http://www.google.com/search?q=archos+32 http://www.google.com/search?q=archos+32
    - NyxWulf 16y ago
      I wasn't talking about seeing advertisements or pictures. I mean literally see one. I don't see them in the stores anywhere, and I certainly have never seen one in someone's hands out in the wild.

by NyxWulf 16y ago

dageshi 16y ago

Microsoft didn't change the rules every 3 months, sure they drive netscape out of the market but they never said that netscape couldn't run on windows. If you develop for windows you could be absolutely sure your app would install and work on it in 12 months time, can anyone say that about iPhone? But developers make money you say? Well there are people out there tonight who were making money with subscription based apps who presumably aren't going to now apple is taking their 30%. So apple has a big userbase, but for how long? Android comes in cheaper, it iterates faster, from personal experience I know people who are avid apple users who have droid phones because their cell providers offered them a great deal and their droid phone gives them what they need in terms of apps, (facebook, twitter e.t.c.) All it takes is one killer app on android but not iphone and suddenly apple are on the back foot.

NyxWulf 16y ago
Your argument is based on tangential statements relating to your mores. I made no moral or value judgements, just a simple analysis of the situation. None of what you said even addresses my central premise, that the ecosystem is the issue now. One killer app on the android will do absolutely nothing to the IOS ecosystem. If history is any guide, the only way to kill a functioning ecosystem is through some type of fundamental shift in technology, paradigm shattering change, or through long attrition with a competing ecosystem. Sure I know numerous people that have gone to Android based phones. I also know that the app ecosystem on android is not vibrant right now. There are a lot of factors involved, but before android can build a sustainable competitive advantage, they have to build a functional ecosystem. I have questions about how android can do that with the fractured market places. Android came out in 2007, four years is a long time to not have any killer apps. Given their wide distribution, I am frankly surprised that android is not much more prevalent. The reality though is that ecosystems are incredibly hard to build. Phones are one thing, I have yet to see a single android based music player or iPad competitor. How do you attack a fortified, focused competitor with more cash, better design aesthetic, and an innovation pipeline that is the envy of the world? I honestly have no idea, but I'm fascinated watching it all unfold.
- wtracy 16y ago
  "I have yet to see a single android based music player or iPad competitor." http://www.google.com/search?q=android+tablets http://www.google.com/search?q=android+tablets http://www.google.com/search?q=galaxy+player+50 http://www.google.com/search?q=galaxy+player+50 http://www.google.com/search?q=archos+32 http://www.google.com/search?q=archos+32
  - NyxWulf 16y ago
    I wasn't talking about seeing advertisements or pictures. I mean literally see one. I don't see them in the stores anywhere, and I certainly have never seen one in someone's hands out in the wild.