3 replies to this topic

[inea]

Apple seems to have an eye for creating machines people like. Part of the attraction of Apple products is the design. Apple is not afraid to make products that look shiny and smooth. It seems Apple manages to combine technical improvement with attractive outer looks. So the technical workers are not the only ones who decide about the looks of a product.

And the technical part of Apple products can be considered to have a high quality.

[Xarex]

Steve Jobs and Apple are great when it comes to innovative technology. However, the way he conducts business is horrible. It's smart in a way for him, but...

He probably does it purposely because he knows his loyal fans will come back. But releasing an iPhone or iPad with missing features and then claiming that they will be in the next version is not a very nice thing to do. And then even putting cheap equipment on those devices and still charging a fortune for them is not right.

He does, however, run amazing stores. The customer service and tech support is unlike any other I've seen. I'm a Mac User and I own an iPhone and I have an iPod. When I walk into the store, I feel like they care and will help me out no matter what to the best of their ability. And as crazy as it sounds -- because of that kindness and concern, I am a loyal fan.

However, I do not fall prey to Jobs' business scheme.

[jori]

I should agree with you in terms of the innovative creation that the Steve Jobs' Apple company makes, but, as Xarex said, he's business strategies aren't the favourable ones in the market; the dictatorial style of marketing that people must follow is just injustifiable. Not only is the prices too high for most people to enjoy (the products), but also once you buy the product, you must pretty much stick with the Apple company until you decide to switch to another company.

Even so, the product excellency of Apple (Mac, iPod, iPhone, etc.) is too overwhelming to stick with another company. That is, even if people try to move to say Samsung (Yepp products), people can't resist the uncomfortable and unstylish designs that Apple produces and turns back to Apple. (How do I know? 'Cause I've been there =])

In a way, Steve Jobs is the marketing genius of the IT world, but also a dictator in the market.

[andresf91]

I don't like Apple devices, and I don't own one. In fact, the only thing I've ever liked from Apple was their operative system, Mac OS X (which by the way, got a new update these days). I've seen it installed in computers and it works charmingly.
But for cellphones and music players, I prefer good ole Nokia... and considering recent improvements in those devices, if I had to choose one of those trendy, touchscreen smartphones, I'd buy one with Android, which is open source. But I'm not crazy about them.
So I can't understand how people may become fans of a company! I really don't. However, besides their marketing techniques don't work on me, I can't say that the way they conduct business is terrible. Check what the Economist's figures say:

Quote

Nokia still ships a third of all handsets, but Apple astonishingly pulls in more than half of the profits, despite having a market share of barely 4%

That is just regarding the iPhone. I don't know their profits in computers but iTunes is the business of the century.
That's why I think that they know what business is about, no matter if I like their designing styles or not.