OO...another epic by Oshyan! Well, all good points. It's funny, the strength of the PC is it's weakness: the modular-ness of it with distinct lines between OS/software/hardware. There are infinite ways for people like us to use it. Apple's strength is it's weakness also: tight-control, little flexibility, but pretty great overall product.
Currently...as in, right now...I think Apple has the advantage. We're at a point where simplicity and elegance is very welcome. This wasn't the case in the early 90's and 2000's. Back then, we were discovering computers and everything we can do with them. Then there was a huge boom, and an equivalently huge bust. Now, it's Apple's turn. They've come out of the ashes and have boosted up to the top. Google and Microsoft are not the pristine companies they once were a few years ago. Google's search is largely a chaotic mess. Microsoft has made a couple of significant blunders. Apple is riding a streak of impressive successes.
But Apple will not last forever, of course. I believe it's a cycle. I think they are going to do really well in the near future, maybe for another decade or so. But, their fundamental strength/flaw--the isolated, closed system that their products are in--will eventually have to change. If they don't change, they will run out of innovations. If they do change, it means they have to start opening up (like the Intel chip thing in their computers). So as the years go by and they become more open, they will be less like the Apple of today, and more like the PC of last decade. Then, other opportunities will open for other companies. It's a cycle.
As manufacturing advances are made, smaller companies will be able to build competing products that will rival the big boys like Apple in build quality, and offer a more open structure. That's what I see happening. It's the one weakness Apple has. It's the one that will be exploited. Just like Apple exploited the complexity of the PC universe with their elegance...someone is going to exploit Apple's restrictive system.
But I don't think it will happen soon. This decade belongs to Apple.
Currently...as in, right now...I think Apple has the advantage. We're at a point where simplicity and elegance is very welcome. This wasn't the case in the early 90's and 2000's. Back then, we were discovering computers and everything we can do with them. Then there was a huge boom, and an equivalently huge bust. Now, it's Apple's turn. They've come out of the ashes and have boosted up to the top. Google and Microsoft are not the pristine companies they once were a few years ago. Google's search is largely a chaotic mess. Microsoft has made a couple of significant blunders. Apple is riding a streak of impressive successes.
But Apple will not last forever, of course. I believe it's a cycle. I think they are going to do really well in the near future, maybe for another decade or so. But, their fundamental strength/flaw--the isolated, closed system that their products are in--will eventually have to change. If they don't change, they will run out of innovations. If they do change, it means they have to start opening up (like the Intel chip thing in their computers). So as the years go by and they become more open, they will be less like the Apple of today, and more like the PC of last decade. Then, other opportunities will open for other companies. It's a cycle.
As manufacturing advances are made, smaller companies will be able to build competing products that will rival the big boys like Apple in build quality, and offer a more open structure. That's what I see happening. It's the one weakness Apple has. It's the one that will be exploited. Just like Apple exploited the complexity of the PC universe with their elegance...someone is going to exploit Apple's restrictive system.
But I don't think it will happen soon. This decade belongs to Apple.
- carpe noctem
. And the renaming woes Darwin mentioned is one very good reason I'll never buy an iPod or whatever... give me something that shows up as removable storage, pzlkthxbai.
Soon they may reach the limit of what they can do within the bounds of their market's knowledge level and their ability to and/or interest in handling support, etc. Hm... Maybe there's an inherent "stupidity level" beyond which Apple will have a hard time growing its features and functionality. Interesting thought.
