4 ms·

Seems egotistical as well as self-serving. "Health" is one of the few industries that will continue to provide solid revenues until the penultimate human peris

Seems egotistical as well as self-serving. "Health" is one of the few industries that will continue to provide solid revenues until the penultimate human perishes from this earth. And I'm not sure what Apple will bring to the table that noone else on earth can bring, other than Apple-branded products. But that's just like my opinion, man.

notduncansmith 12y ago
Have yourself a White Russian and an upvote, sir.
- notduncansmith 12y ago
  Mm, delicious downvotes. You guys should really watch The Big Lebowski.
gress 12y ago
You could say that about any company or person working in healthcare. This is just a generic attack.
- wavefunction 12y ago
  Does the average person involved in healthcare make the same sort of claims? They may feel pride in productive work that helps people but we are continuously told that a corporation's only function is to maximize shareholder value when they're ducking out on paying taxes but adopt a moral stance when they discuss blue-sky opportunities. It's a specific attack on a specific company that has a long history of hyperbole about its position in this world. I don't swallow things that don't taste good, mang.
  - gress 12y ago
    It's a company that has changed the world repeatedly, and one that has never stated that it's only function is to maximize shareholder value. Misrepresenting it doesn't make your point.
    - wavefunction 12y ago
      whatevs
gumby 12y ago
Actually revenues in the "health" industry aren't necessarily solid; there's a huge survivor bias and tons of companies making cures for rare diseases and _not_raking it in. (Note: I have a drug I worked on in clinical trials so I'm not simply pulling these claims out of my backside). But what can Apple "bring to the table?" Well, to quote the variably-attributed saying, "quantity has a quality all its own." Apple can produce something compatible with an ENORMOUS installed base of active users, and can make a difference. Just getting people to exercise more would be great. By the end of the year they could have 10X the number of users fitbit does. Nobody else can do that. Note I'm not trying at all to claim they are angels: they are definitely out to make a buck. And they can make a great product or they could make a lousy one. They've done both. However I think, based on where they are right now, they will try to make something actually useful and beneficial.
- wavefunction 12y ago
  These are great points but I would point out that "solid revenues" and "not raking it in" are not necessarily incongruous or exclusionary. What's wrong with steady and consistent revenues? It's not going to turn you into Mark Zuckerberg but it will sustain a business, employ people usefully, and provide a steady financial base to take chances from.
  - robg 12y ago
    The point is that even for Apple, engaging on healthcare is risky. Yes, margins are available at volume, but it's not their standard modus operandi given the costs of regulation and reimbursement.

notduncansmith 12y ago

Have yourself a White Russian and an upvote, sir.

notduncansmith 12y ago
Mm, delicious downvotes. You guys should really watch The Big Lebowski.

gress 12y ago

You could say that about any company or person working in healthcare. This is just a generic attack.

wavefunction 12y ago
Does the average person involved in healthcare make the same sort of claims? They may feel pride in productive work that helps people but we are continuously told that a corporation's only function is to maximize shareholder value when they're ducking out on paying taxes but adopt a moral stance when they discuss blue-sky opportunities. It's a specific attack on a specific company that has a long history of hyperbole about its position in this world. I don't swallow things that don't taste good, mang.
- gress 12y ago
  It's a company that has changed the world repeatedly, and one that has never stated that it's only function is to maximize shareholder value. Misrepresenting it doesn't make your point.
  - wavefunction 12y ago
    whatevs

gumby 12y ago

Actually revenues in the "health" industry aren't necessarily solid; there's a huge survivor bias and tons of companies making cures for rare diseases and _not_raking it in. (Note: I have a drug I worked on in clinical trials so I'm not simply pulling these claims out of my backside). But what can Apple "bring to the table?" Well, to quote the variably-attributed saying, "quantity has a quality all its own." Apple can produce something compatible with an ENORMOUS installed base of active users, and can make a difference. Just getting people to exercise more would be great. By the end of the year they could have 10X the number of users fitbit does. Nobody else can do that. Note I'm not trying at all to claim they are angels: they are definitely out to make a buck. And they can make a great product or they could make a lousy one. They've done both. However I think, based on where they are right now, they will try to make something actually useful and beneficial.

wavefunction 12y ago
These are great points but I would point out that "solid revenues" and "not raking it in" are not necessarily incongruous or exclusionary. What's wrong with steady and consistent revenues? It's not going to turn you into Mark Zuckerberg but it will sustain a business, employ people usefully, and provide a steady financial base to take chances from.
- robg 12y ago
  The point is that even for Apple, engaging on healthcare is risky. Yes, margins are available at volume, but it's not their standard modus operandi given the costs of regulation and reimbursement.