Sam Diaz blogs for ZDNet, “A guest post on ZDNet yesterday posed the question: Has Apple gotten lazy?”
“Instead of calling Apple lazy, I would counter that the company is in a transitional mode. No, that’s not suggesting transitional in the sense that an ailing Jobs will be passing the reins anytime soon. Instead, it’s transitional in the sense that the focus seems to be shifting away from the hardware side and honing back in on the software, err, applications business. Aside from a handful of product categories, the fun techie stuff is less touchy-feely than it used to be. The cool things no longer come in the form of breakthrough gadgets. They come in the form of apps for the iPhone, links between iPhoto and Facebook, virtual piano lessons from within Garage Band,” Diaz writes.
“In terms of a breakthrough gadget, the next big thing is already out there – and has been for more than a year. The iPod Touch (horrible name for it) is the real breakthrough device here, not the iPhone. When it was announced back in September 2007, the Touch got buried by news of a $200 price drop to the iPhone and announcements of an new iPod Nano look, an iPod classic upgrade and a WiFi iTunes music store for the iPhone (and Touch)… After all, its the non-phone parts of the iPhone – the Touch – that’s seen noteworthy success,” Diaz writes.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
You can’t produce breakthrough devices/concepts on a schedule. True innovation is a rare beast, indeed. However, Apple’s amazing success at innovation in recent years should not detract from the perceived value of the refinement and evolution of Apple’s products.
I can’t believe how fickle Wall Street and analysts are acting with respect to Apple, a company with a strong pipeline of consumer products that has a lot of legs remaining. 500% growth? No way. But I would rather have 5% growth over same quarter sales of 20 million than 500% growth on sales of 500,000. All product cycles reach a plateau.
I want a cable that charges my iPhone/iTouch, runs a monitor…and enables me to use my iPhone/iTouch as a multitouch track pad and toss in a bluetooth keyboard…
I believe the iTouch is the future as well. I am “shocked” at how much my laptop use has dropped since owning an iPhone.
I have an 8 year old that is addicted to Nova and National Geographic podcasts on his iTouch…what a brave new world we are building.
@ Not Bill
“The Touch” and the iPhone are the same; except one makes calls on ATT. The thing is, most people have a cell phone so why not buy the combined item?
ummm how about $60 a month….and the iTouch doesn’t have GPS or a Camera….there is a lot less reason to have a phone with the iTouch. As time goes on, if you want to reach me….try email…I am getting tired of the phone.
Show your wife you love and care for her (initiate!) and she will reciprocate (give you the _ahem_ touch you desire).
MW: daily. it’s a continual, daily thing…
Hank’s not the only one with that problem. I know a lot of people who are nice and caring towards their wives and the wives still don’t appreciate it. You can’t win with a woman. And once their married, especially after child birth, the sex goes way, way, down from when you were dating. Almost every guy admits this happens to them. The old bait and switch. Annoying.
On another not I love my iPod Touch! At least I can touch that.
This article makes so much sense that I must wonder why it wasn’t published 2 years ago. The touch is a remarkable device. Sure the iPhone is great, but many of us find it not very useful because we are forced to go with one carrier that may not be the carrier of choice, and we have to pay high monthly fees to keep the iPhone working. My touch does not require any monthly fees. I can use it with any WiFi site, and, the Verizon phone I have costs me about 1/2 of the price of the iPhone. Yet, the combination of the touch and my Verizon phone while 1/2 the price of the iPhone monthly charges gives me 90% of the usability. This is a no brainer for many of us.
@ JoshtheImacGuy
Could not agree with you more Josh. We think very alike with reference to the Touch! The only difference I use the Virgin Mobile phone. I use the cell so infrequently, don’t make sence on Any sort of long term contract! The Touch is the First computer pick up in the morning and the last at night and really to be honest, all in between to boot!
I do wonder though? How many people that use this fantastic device actually use it to it’s ( FULL-POTENTIAL) with the help of the App. Store! It’s a total waste to use this Only for an iPod! It’s the first ever REAL-USEFULL ( Non-Toy) pocket computer!!! Long live the TOUCH! With making it Stand-Alone and a few other bells and whistles, it WILL be the: NetBook! Actually blows away Netbooks now to be honest. It’s easier to use and you get to ALL your info MUCH faster than any NetBook…
@ Splat Try $100 a month for 900 minutes and unlimited data and taxes. It is quite a hit. GPS is really nice. The camera is almost not worth having because it is so fuzzy and does not zoom (like most if not all phones). I can see your point. Living with the “the touch” alone would be much more frugal.
@Hank
Amen there Hanker! I sure know ALL about that with the Little Women’s…