3 ms·

The other half of Apple is big strategic decisions. Do the iPod. Do the iPhone. Do the iPad. Maybe, but a lot of this is just a matter of picking the biggest n

by hugh3 15y ago

The other half of Apple is big strategic decisions. Do the iPod. Do the iPhone. Do the iPad. Maybe, but a lot of this is just a matter of picking the biggest new trend in consumer electronics and entering that market. mp3 players are becoming popular? Great, let's make a better one! Internet-enabled fancy phones are becoming popular? Great, let's do that too! People like iPhones? Let's make a big one! And what's next? I don't know, but it'll plug into your TV.

blrgeek 15y ago
Knowing when the time's right is key - everyone else made shitty stuff, some because the components just weren't ready, some because they didn't know how to make anything better (still true for many MP3 players). 1999 Can we sell this Tablet? NO 2002 Can we sell this Tablet? NO 2004 Can we sell this Tablet? NO 2006 Can we sell this Tablet? NO 2008 Can we sell this Tablet? NO 2010 Can we sell this Tablet? YES
- pooriaazimi 15y ago
  Very true. And, I think when they were saying NO, they were also thinking about WHY they can't sell a tablet at the time and tried to solve the problems. 2000: Can we sell this tablet (or phone)? - NO, because hardware isn't good enough and even if it were, why would anybody buy this, if they can't watch movies or listen to their music without too much hassle? Let's build a music (& movie) store, so that when the hardware is ready, we are ready too. 2005: Can we sell this tablet (or phone)? - No, the hardware is good enough now, but we need great software too. Let's build a great mobile OS (from scratch) and leave the legacy behind. And give the 3rd party developers the SDK and tools to build great apps for our device. 2010: Can we sell this tablet? - YES, the software is great now, just like hardware. Order 15M iPads to Foxconn and ship the damn thing!
  - epscylonb 15y ago
    Perhaps I am taking your post too literally, but I think this is an example of the mythos that Apple generates. I don't believe for a second that Jobs had the iPad in mind in 2000. They probably just brainstorm, try different stuff internally, see what works and see if they can make a product out of it that meets their high expectations. Jobs was no doubt an important part of this process but it is not impossible for the culture and process to outlive the person who helped create them. I would not be surprised if Jobs was speaking honestly when he talked down tablets in 2008.
    - pooriaazimi 15y ago
      I would not be surprised if Jobs was speaking honestly when he talked down tablets in 2008. No, he was lying ;) Watch his D8 talk (With Walt Mosberg), it's available in iTunes (Podcasts -> Apple Podcasts). He (Jobs) says that they began working on a multitouch tablet in the early 2000's, but around 2005 decided first ship a phone (When I saw the rubber band thing, I said: My God, we can make a phone out of it!). When that got successful, he put the tablet off the shelf and the rest is history. Again, watch the D8 talk. It's awesome.
    - stcredzero 15y ago
      I don't believe for a second that Jobs had the iPad in mind in 2000. Bill Gates certainly had something like it in mind in 2000. I have an example of such a device in my living room. (tc1100 - Mine dates from 2001) The "raw" functionality (for a technically savvy person like me) far exceeds the typical use of the iPad. It even has the same screen resolution. Still, I don't do anything on the iPad that I didn't do on the tc1100, and do everything on the iPad -- the whole gestalt is just more pleasurable to use.
silvestrov 15y ago
Maybe, but a lot of this is just a matter of picking the biggest new trend in consumer electronics and entering that market I think Microsoft is a splendid example of how this strategy can fail. Zune? Mobile Phones? Tablets?
epo 15y ago
In your zeal to denigrate Apple you've missed the point, or perhaps you thought you were posting about Microsoft? The iPod's success was down to the whole package, excellent product design, good (but not excellent) performance and iTunes. Ditto the iPhone, a well designed, brilliantly conceived package together with the App Store. The whole thing, all of it, "just worked". Saying the iPad is just a big iPhone is juvenile and speaks volumes about your analytical abilities. Apple created a successful tablet when others who had tried had not. Oh, and there was no tablet trend before the iPad, Apple created that market too.

by hugh3 15y ago

blrgeek 15y ago

Knowing when the time's right is key - everyone else made shitty stuff, some because the components just weren't ready, some because they didn't know how to make anything better (still true for many MP3 players). 1999 Can we sell this Tablet? NO 2002 Can we sell this Tablet? NO 2004 Can we sell this Tablet? NO 2006 Can we sell this Tablet? NO 2008 Can we sell this Tablet? NO 2010 Can we sell this Tablet? YES

pooriaazimi 15y ago
Very true. And, I think when they were saying NO, they were also thinking about WHY they can't sell a tablet at the time and tried to solve the problems. 2000: Can we sell this tablet (or phone)? - NO, because hardware isn't good enough and even if it were, why would anybody buy this, if they can't watch movies or listen to their music without too much hassle? Let's build a music (& movie) store, so that when the hardware is ready, we are ready too. 2005: Can we sell this tablet (or phone)? - No, the hardware is good enough now, but we need great software too. Let's build a great mobile OS (from scratch) and leave the legacy behind. And give the 3rd party developers the SDK and tools to build great apps for our device. 2010: Can we sell this tablet? - YES, the software is great now, just like hardware. Order 15M iPads to Foxconn and ship the damn thing!
- epscylonb 15y ago
  Perhaps I am taking your post too literally, but I think this is an example of the mythos that Apple generates. I don't believe for a second that Jobs had the iPad in mind in 2000. They probably just brainstorm, try different stuff internally, see what works and see if they can make a product out of it that meets their high expectations. Jobs was no doubt an important part of this process but it is not impossible for the culture and process to outlive the person who helped create them. I would not be surprised if Jobs was speaking honestly when he talked down tablets in 2008.
  - pooriaazimi 15y ago
    I would not be surprised if Jobs was speaking honestly when he talked down tablets in 2008. No, he was lying ;) Watch his D8 talk (With Walt Mosberg), it's available in iTunes (Podcasts -> Apple Podcasts). He (Jobs) says that they began working on a multitouch tablet in the early 2000's, but around 2005 decided first ship a phone (When I saw the rubber band thing, I said: My God, we can make a phone out of it!). When that got successful, he put the tablet off the shelf and the rest is history. Again, watch the D8 talk. It's awesome.
  - stcredzero 15y ago
    I don't believe for a second that Jobs had the iPad in mind in 2000. Bill Gates certainly had something like it in mind in 2000. I have an example of such a device in my living room. (tc1100 - Mine dates from 2001) The "raw" functionality (for a technically savvy person like me) far exceeds the typical use of the iPad. It even has the same screen resolution. Still, I don't do anything on the iPad that I didn't do on the tc1100, and do everything on the iPad -- the whole gestalt is just more pleasurable to use.

silvestrov 15y ago

Maybe, but a lot of this is just a matter of picking the biggest new trend in consumer electronics and entering that market I think Microsoft is a splendid example of how this strategy can fail. Zune? Mobile Phones? Tablets?

epo 15y ago

In your zeal to denigrate Apple you've missed the point, or perhaps you thought you were posting about Microsoft? The iPod's success was down to the whole package, excellent product design, good (but not excellent) performance and iTunes. Ditto the iPhone, a well designed, brilliantly conceived package together with the App Store. The whole thing, all of it, "just worked". Saying the iPad is just a big iPhone is juvenile and speaks volumes about your analytical abilities. Apple created a successful tablet when others who had tried had not. Oh, and there was no tablet trend before the iPad, Apple created that market too.