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Why do we always wait for apple's stuff before making a i[blank]-killer??

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superboyac:
Why do companies always wait for Apple to come out with a very popular product before finally competing in that market?  Why did all the mp3 player companies wait until Apple invented the ipod before they started seriously thinking about better products?  I'm talking about companies like Sony.  They had almost a decade head start in the portable music department.  They had discmans, walkmans, they had the minidisc...they had it all in place, and did nothing about it.  Then Apple came out with the ipod way later, and finally did other companies start coming up with better products.

Now everyone is asking about what will be the ipad-killer.  Why did they wait so long?  Tablets have been the talk of the town for 8 years or more, from what I remember.  But now, everyone is trying to compete with ipad.  I just wonder why the non apple companies wait until they are kicked in the ass by apple before attempting legitimate contenders.

Same with the iphone.  What took so long there?

I don't get it.  Apple's ideas and inventions are implemented magnificently, but in no way are they even close to being creative to the point where i would think "Why didn't I think of that??"  To me, it would seem like the other companies don't care to push the envelope until they are forced to.  If the discman is bringing in enough dollars, why bother changing it?  Are they not able to predict somewhat what is over the horizon?  Are they really that poor of businessmen?

rgdot:
I think those products existed and in many ways were just as good, I am not implying any body is dumb or everybody just forgot about the other, older, products but I believe Apple manages to redefine the perception of mp3 players, tablets, etc.

JavaJones:
To me, it would seem like the other companies don't care to push the envelope until they are forced to.  If the discman is bringing in enough dollars, why bother changing it?
-superboyac (June 05, 2010, 10:18 PM)
--- End quote ---

Looks like you have a pretty good answer for your own question...

- Oshyan

Paul Keith:
Sometimes that's the case but sometimes it's the opposite.

I could recall reading a Lenovo article where Apple beat them to the Mac Air.

I also wouldn't call it pushing the envelope. More of making an interface for the casual user to drool upon.

Eventually the interface wears off and these companies jump at the chance to "improve" the product with features rather than interfaces. Sometimes they add features but they make it buggy. Other times it's a mere case of cynical marketing.

With regards to the Apple I-Pad in particular. I think after that Techcrunch project fell into pieces, companies realized that unless they had Apple's marketing, no one was going to touch that kind of gadget pre-Apple. If they pre-release it, Apple marketing would just override their first entry and at the same time, if they wait for Apple, they can better test the consumers' reaction to the product.

It's really a case of marketing and acceptance IMO. Many companies don't create cultures, they create common products. Then there's the fact that many companies don't attempt to create user interfaces beyond functional (and often times not so functional). Even for freeware developers, many of them are very wary of adding rounded corners or large buttons and if they have a mac look, they copy the brushed look rather than invent any new skin that combines functionality, simplicity and aesthetic.

In the end it's like asking why citizen journalism don't push the envelope to beat out Fox/CNN/MSNBC/etc. Some of it is cost but sometimes it's the simple issue of how you tell your culture what twitter news entry you got and making it more appeal-able to watch. It's a double edged gambit though.

Eventually people will move on to something other than Windows OS or be satisfied with the current Windows version. Eventually people will get sick of all the white. Eventually someone will come and make a better but cheaper alternative to fill the niche. Eventually the Apple culture will die out and prompting a new culture who will swoon over someone other than Steve Jobs.

mouser:
one possibility is that Apple *creates* the market for their products in ways that other companies simply cannot do -- for various reasons including financial resources, brand loyalty and reputation, free publicity, chutzpah.

what apple does better than anyone else is SELL their products as being life changing -- even when they are selling something that already exists in another form.  i've made this point before but when you watch a standard pc ad, you see them advertising the specs of the pc.  when you see an apple ad, you see them selling the amazing mind blowing life changing things you can do with your apple computer, like listen to amazing music, burn amazing cds, etc.

tablets have existed for a long time.  it seems to me apple did 2 main things -- first, they put the effort into the software user interface that few other companies are willing to do.  second, they marketed the hell out of it as a life changing device, and the media decided to join them in the effort.  apple deserves all the credit for having the guts and brains to make it work.. and they benefit from some incredible advantages in terms of marketing, that very few companies if any share.

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