“For as long as Microsoft has been setting — and missing — schedules, Apple has been announcing and simultaneously shipping its biggest breakthroughs. Until recently, that is,” Tim Beyers writes for The Motley Fool.
Beyers writes, “Enter the so-called iTV, which was announced at the Worldwide Developer Conference in September, and due to ship this month as the newly dubbed Apple TV. ‘Was’ is the key word here.”
“On Monday, an Apple spokesperson told the Reuters news agency that the company would have to delay shipping of the product — which aims to wirelessly deliver downloaded videos, music, and photos from your computer to your TV — until mid-March,” Beyers writes.
Beyers writes, “Remember this when you next decide to mock Mr. Softy, Mac addicts.”
Full article here.
This has to be an attempt at satire because no one in their right mind would equate Apple’s 2-week shipping delay on a single product to Microsoft’s years of delays on multiple products, right?
Related articles:
Apple TV delay may be due to wait for FCC approval – February 27, 2007
Apple shares slip 1.9-percent in pre-market trading on Apple TV delay – February 27, 2007
Apple delays Apple TV; expects to begin shipments mid-March – February 26, 2007
PC Magazine: Why Apple TV matters – February 23, 2007
Bear Stearns: Apple TV and iPhone have changed the Apple story for the better – February 21, 2007
Deutsche Bank: Apple TV could take 30% of set-top box market within a few years – February 21, 2007
How do Apple TV and Elgato’s EyeTV work together? – February 16, 2007
Apple embraces casual gaming; iPhone, Apple TV to join iPod as gaming devices – February 09, 2007
Former GM of Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade: Apple TV to become video game console – February 08, 2007
ZDNet’s Graham: Apple TV hits a number of sweet spots, poised to make a big impact – January 25, 2007
Is Apple out to kill cable television? – January 25, 2007
RUMOR: Apple TV sales blowing away Apple’s internal expectations – January 25, 2007
Steve Jobs: Apple TV is the ‘DVD player for the 21st century’ – January 22, 2007
Apple TV beats out iPod, hits top spot on Apple Store sales chart – January 19, 2007
Report: first batch of 100,000 Apple TVs to ship this month – January 11, 2007
Steve Jobs moves to control the living room with Apple TV – January 10, 2007
Analyst Bajarin: Apple’s iPhone and Apple TV are industry game changers – January 09, 2007
Apple premieres Apple TV: movies, TV shows, music & photos on your big screen TV – January 09, 2007
RUMOR: Apple may enter video game market – December 05, 2006
Could Apple become king of game consoles? – September 26, 2006
Kit-N
However, when Copland finally did emerge (as OSX) it was and is a “killer OS”.
Actually, Copland was Apple’s only notable foray into the realm of vapourware. Copland did not exist as an OS. Many of the advanced technologies targeted for Copland did eventually see the light of day, the most important being Quicktime.
But Copland as an operating system never actually existed, and never shipped.
Apple may finally be learning from their mistakes. People may forget, but over the last 5 years Apple has a long and storied history of UNDERESTIMATING demand for their hottest products- think of all the ones that have been back-ordered for weeks and even months upon their release. The experience they have gained from selling iPods- going from a niche player to the market leader- has taught them a lot about manufacturing and selling mass quantities.
I think these days Apple is a lot more careful to ramp up production and build up supplies IN ADVANCE of a product’s release. It may help them to gauge true demand for a product by pre-announcing it by a month or 3, so that they can flood the market and satisfy that pent-up demand when the time comes.
When did Apple become Osborne Computer? It’s getting pathetic with Apple’s pre-announcements. Once upon a time Apple couldn’t meet demand or had too much inventory, but they shipped products on the day or week or two within announcement. Now they’re announcing things months in advance, then slipping, then issuing a pathetic appology. Ludicrous! Come on Steve, SHIP PRODUCT!!
1) Delayed to coincide with vista
2) Contains some of the top secret Leopard features
3) Coming out with Apple TV early and then adding new features requires Apple to charge customers for the addons. (ie Apple Express Wireless N)
4) FCC approval
I don’t care about Apple TV, I’m not even going to buy it. All you need is a DVI Cord and your apple can hook up to your tv for less than the 300$ apple is asking for. I would rather buy an WII then an Apple TV.
@This may actually be a good thing…
At last, a sensible comment.
@His Shadow
I thought One Word had a valid point. Apple have had their o/s disasters and pre OS/X Macs were reknowned for being unstable.
I am only a recent macophile. I always used to say that people who used macs in business were taking a risk – i didnt know any mac experts who actually wore shoes.
Thankfully things have changed.
But Apple was a much smaller business then too – Microsoft really has no excuse for the Vista debacle…
Without reading the entire article, which would be a waste of time, all I can say is: either it’s a spoof or this guy is really, really desperate for something to write about.
hey guys apple tv comes 7th march 07,see ya…
@SydneyStephen;
I don’t know about that.
Copland was the only ‘OS disaster” that I know of at Apple.
The pre OS X system that was renowned (if that’s the right word) as being unstable was system 7, and by 7.2 was much better. System 8 had its issues, but system 9.2.2 (the last pre-X system) was rock solid.
I have been an Apple user, and technician, since 1987 (I also do Windows!) and I do, believe it or not, really wear shoes! (Ok, western boots mostly, but I digress…)
Your characterization is very common among those unfamiliar with Apple and its community pre-OS X, so I had to step in here and correct your impressions.
This is really old news.
Apple has often announced products and has had delays of as much as a month or even two before an actual ship date. They have been slammed repeatedly by the faithful (and those with extended ship dates) for, as noted above, underestimating demand – their most common reason for those delays.
The real reason this is news is because, for the first time, they have released information about a new product months before the actual release date. I’ll bet that the reaction to this will make Steve think twice about pre-announcements in the future! He’s gotta hate being compared to M$ like this!
since when did apple anounce iTV at their Worldwide Developer Conference? poor writing. not even the basic facts are right. its a shame. and they get money for this. its so sad.
“Fool contributor Tim Beyers is hoping for an iPhone to go with his MacBook Pro. Tim didn’t own shares in any of the companies mentioned in this article at the time of publication. Microsoft is an Inside Value pick.“
Motley Fool has been a well-respected source of somewhat “revisionist” financial news for many years. It has not needed to pursue “hits” by rankling small groups of hyper-sensitive fanatics. In an earlier “Apple-centric” article quoted by TMO:
The Motley Fool’s Tim Beyers surmises in his latest column that Apple is really going after Dell with its recent announcement that it will switch to Intel chips. He writes: “The Intel deal aims to lure those buying computers from Dell — or Gateway, or Acer, or even iPod partner Hewlett-Packard — into trying a Mac. Everything else is a distraction.”
That was mid-2005. How short are memories, around here? If you want to foam at the mouth about “fools” with naught but evil to foretell about Apple, check their breeding before you display your own.
DLMeyer – the Voice of G.L.Horton’s Stage Page
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