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Things are a bit different now, compared to the iPod. If Microsoft had released a competitor a year or two in advance of the iPod, Apple would have had a much h

Things are a bit different now, compared to the iPod. If Microsoft had released a competitor a year or two in advance of the iPod, Apple would have had a much harder time getting traction for their iPod because they didn't have a large walled garden back then. They only had a very small subset of the computer market, and iPods were only compatible with Macs (at first). Apple can afford to be a much later mover, even against very well-resourced competitors, now that they have a huge walled garden. If they didn't have the walled garden, it would be very difficult for them to catch up.

MBCook 3y ago
I think people give way way too much credit to the walled garden for their success. The iPod wasn’t a success because of the walled garden. They didn’t have one (once they released on Windows). If MS had released a player that was good enough they could have stolen the market, yes. But that’s the point. No one did because everyone released something akin to a flash-based CD player. They didn’t rethink the interface much. The interface is why the iPod grabbed the hold it did. Yeah it became cool over time. But I contend an iPod with the interface of a Creative Nomad Jukebox wouldn’t have succeeded the way it did.
- gnicholas 3y ago
  > The iPod wasn’t a success because of the walled garden. They didn’t have one (once they released on Windows). My reading of the upthread comments is that people are saying a walled garden isn't necessary, and using the iPod as an example of Apple's success before it had a walled garden. No one is saying that they had a walled garden back then. They did have a built-in audience (Mac users), but that is different from a walled garden. On iOS, they can prevent app devs from accessing their hardware in the same way they can, effectively neutering their efficiency.

MBCook 3y ago

I think people give way way too much credit to the walled garden for their success. The iPod wasn’t a success because of the walled garden. They didn’t have one (once they released on Windows). If MS had released a player that was good enough they could have stolen the market, yes. But that’s the point. No one did because everyone released something akin to a flash-based CD player. They didn’t rethink the interface much. The interface is why the iPod grabbed the hold it did. Yeah it became cool over time. But I contend an iPod with the interface of a Creative Nomad Jukebox wouldn’t have succeeded the way it did.

gnicholas 3y ago
> The iPod wasn’t a success because of the walled garden. They didn’t have one (once they released on Windows). My reading of the upthread comments is that people are saying a walled garden isn't necessary, and using the iPod as an example of Apple's success before it had a walled garden. No one is saying that they had a walled garden back then. They did have a built-in audience (Mac users), but that is different from a walled garden. On iOS, they can prevent app devs from accessing their hardware in the same way they can, effectively neutering their efficiency.