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What makes one mocked product succede while another fails? Google Glass and its users were mocked and it was a complete failure. The iPad was mocked and ended

What makes one mocked product succede while another fails? Google Glass and its users were mocked and it was a complete failure. The iPad was mocked and ended up as an underperforming division, yet still the market leader because everyone else dropped the ball really badly. AirPods were mocked but they are a wild success helped of course by the removal of the 3.5 jack.

xanderlewis 3y ago
Well, Google Glass probably failed either because it didn’t work sufficiently well (the technology just wasn’t there yet) or because the purported utility it provided wasn’t actually that desirable. AirPods probably succeeded because (despite the at-first weird aesthetic decisions) they turn out to be far more convenient than wired earphones and nice to use. If the battery life and the rate of charging, for example, had not been as good, I don’t think they would have taken off. So I think mockery doesn’t really have anything to say about the potential success of a product; it fades rapidly anyway whether it succeeds or not. Humans get used to things incredibly quickly and are very adaptable. It’s both a virtue and a curse (because the other side of the coin is that we get bored quickly). If I were (even) more of an Apple fanboy I might argue that AirPods succeeded because Apple knows how to make fun, decidedly non-clunky products and Google doesn’t because it’s not in that business — it sells eyeballs to advertisers whereas Apple sells beautifully crafted hardware/software combinations to creative individuals. If Google had been first to try wireless earphones, they might have flopped and put everyone off the idea.
- tivert 3y ago
  > Well, Google Glass probably failed either because it didn’t work sufficiently well (the technology just wasn’t there yet) or because the purported utility it provided wasn’t actually that desirable. > AirPods probably succeeded because (despite the at-first weird aesthetic decisions) they turn out to be far more convenient than wired earphones and nice to use. If the battery life and the rate of charging, for example, had not been as good, I don’t think they would have taken off. You're missing the social aspect to the rejection of Google Glass. IIRC the term "glasshole" was also a reaction to the privacy-invading aspect (little to no indication if the person is recording or not). AirPods had none of that, so if you liked how they worked, you could use them and not really bother anyone. I think the Apple Vision Pro will fail for similar reasons, at least as something that people take out and about except in very limited circumstances. I had the additional downside over Google Glass that obscures the wearers facial expression (even despite their overwrought attempts at a technical solution).
xboxnolifes 3y ago
The same thing that makes any successful product succeed. The mockery is independent of the success.
- throwaway11460 3y ago
  This just shows how people live in their bubbles. Are you frequently hating on products like that? It's very likely your social bubble does too, and that's all you hear. My own social media bubble proclaimed awe and interest in the new possibilities, presented their new startup ideas and hopes.

xanderlewis 3y ago

Well, Google Glass probably failed either because it didn’t work sufficiently well (the technology just wasn’t there yet) or because the purported utility it provided wasn’t actually that desirable. AirPods probably succeeded because (despite the at-first weird aesthetic decisions) they turn out to be far more convenient than wired earphones and nice to use. If the battery life and the rate of charging, for example, had not been as good, I don’t think they would have taken off. So I think mockery doesn’t really have anything to say about the potential success of a product; it fades rapidly anyway whether it succeeds or not. Humans get used to things incredibly quickly and are very adaptable. It’s both a virtue and a curse (because the other side of the coin is that we get bored quickly). If I were (even) more of an Apple fanboy I might argue that AirPods succeeded because Apple knows how to make fun, decidedly non-clunky products and Google doesn’t because it’s not in that business — it sells eyeballs to advertisers whereas Apple sells beautifully crafted hardware/software combinations to creative individuals. If Google had been first to try wireless earphones, they might have flopped and put everyone off the idea.

tivert 3y ago
> Well, Google Glass probably failed either because it didn’t work sufficiently well (the technology just wasn’t there yet) or because the purported utility it provided wasn’t actually that desirable. > AirPods probably succeeded because (despite the at-first weird aesthetic decisions) they turn out to be far more convenient than wired earphones and nice to use. If the battery life and the rate of charging, for example, had not been as good, I don’t think they would have taken off. You're missing the social aspect to the rejection of Google Glass. IIRC the term "glasshole" was also a reaction to the privacy-invading aspect (little to no indication if the person is recording or not). AirPods had none of that, so if you liked how they worked, you could use them and not really bother anyone. I think the Apple Vision Pro will fail for similar reasons, at least as something that people take out and about except in very limited circumstances. I had the additional downside over Google Glass that obscures the wearers facial expression (even despite their overwrought attempts at a technical solution).

xboxnolifes 3y ago

The same thing that makes any successful product succeed. The mockery is independent of the success.

throwaway11460 3y ago
This just shows how people live in their bubbles. Are you frequently hating on products like that? It's very likely your social bubble does too, and that's all you hear. My own social media bubble proclaimed awe and interest in the new possibilities, presented their new startup ideas and hopes.