Apple’s extraordinary run of success reflects an unstinting devotion to a particular set of values, including:
• Be passionate
• Aim to surprise
• Be unreasonable
• Innovate incessantly and pervasively
• Sweat the details
• Think like an engineer, feel like an artist
Hamel writes, “Apple’s unique success is a product of its unique passions. And that’s why I don’t think any other company will soon duplicate the kind of run Apple has had over the past decade—whether or not Apple produces an encore with the iPad.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dow C.” for the heads up.]
omg is someone actually writing about the stuff that makes Mac fans so loyal? AMAZING.
Oh, and by the way, iPad isn’t an encore. iPad is the beginning of a whole new generation of computer users.
I’d put at the top of the list:
We don’t compete with M$ and or numerous hardware vendors.
In other words, Apple creates products based on customers needs, not the Marketing Department.
I always liked when Apple employees said that.
Focus on excellent user experiences. Nothing else.
Wow. Somebody gets it.
Now, take the same approach as the writer, and attempt to derive the core values of the company (or people) from the behaviors they practice.
The short list?
1. Don’t suck.
2. See #1
Apple doesn’t make what you want, it makes what they think you need.
That’s why Microsoft and Linux geeks hate Apple.
zzzzzzzzzzz, wake me up when Hamel is done making an ass out of himself, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I think its more like:
Make what you would want for yourself, not what you think other people could be convinced into buying.
Thing is, everyone imagines that the iPad is an encore, because Apple has already overstepped the mark of what should be possible.
What we followers of Apple know, is that the iPad is no encore, it’s just one in planned line of very specific progress for Apple.
Progress that will see it launched into a quite unheard of position for any business to be in. So expect a valuation extraordinaire…
None of these values apply to Microsoft. Yet look at them. 90% world marketshare. 90 million Windows 7 Aja Vista neutered copies.
Microsoft is the least innovative comapany out there. Constantly copying what Apple does and still comes out with CRAP! Yet they continue to rule and generate billions and billions of dollars.
Mind boggling.
That just means that 90% of the world popation are lemming idiots.
Is that news to you?
@Jubel – It’s been known for years that nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste/ intelligence/ judgement of the American public. It goes in spades for corporate decision makers. Remember the whole Micro$oft mess started with “Nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM”. When PCs were starting out, IBM was synonymous with Micro$oft.
Maybe he will be invited over
The one glaringly lacking item, to anyone familiar with corporations these days:
“Get permission from the accountants.”
It’s so sad but you guys are spot on.
unstinting???
I can’t seem to find this word in the dictionary. Any thoughts?
I can’t believe the title of an article would have a typo.
Create highly desirable products that the competition cannot easily copy.
That’s Apple’s basic strategy under Steve Jobs 2.0. They do not release new products at the first opportunity, but wait until they have something that is overwhelming. Apple probably could have released some type of tablet computer two years ago, but now they have the technology needed (such as the A4 chip) to make it truly “magical,” and can build on the insane popularity of iPhone apps. The competition will not be able to match it.
Those “values” mentioned in the article (Be passionate – Aim to surprise – Be unreasonable – Innovate incessantly and pervasively – Sweat the details – Think like an engineer, feel like an artist) are certainly important and relevant. But a company can have those values and create products that are not popular. Apple’s gift is knowing what key products to create next, not wasting its time and resources trying to do “everything” to see what “sticks,” a la Google (and Microsoft).
In addition to what was stated, a company has to have technological excellence – both in hardware and software – as well as long term vision and focus on how those products and technologies integrate into a lifestyle.
@Opus1966
Control+click, look up in Dictionary, get this:
unstinting |ˌənˈstinti ng |
adjective
given or giving without restraint; unsparing : he was unstinting in his praise.
G Spank,
I think he meant either that Apple would reveal new features at the last minute (like with the iPhone) OR he meant a new product after the iPad. Either way it’s a crappy sentence and muddies his message.
Thanks Uncle Al.
The dictionary on my iPhone did not have that word. Now that I am on my laptop, I see it is there.
<Sheepishly hiding under my rock>
Cheers!
I am amazed that THE fundamental Marketing Maven concept continues to FAIL to penetrate the skulls of modern biznizz commentators and biznizz management. It is so incredibly simple:
RESPECT THE CUSTOMER!
If you want to understand the most fundamental reason why biznizzes FAIL, it is because they lost touch with the customer. Instead they put out product without any respect for the customer’s actual needs or opinions. I call it the ‘Marketing Moron’ syndrome, and apparently today’s biznizz dimwitz get this idiotic bastardization of their brains right out of today’s irresponsible biznizz schoolz.
People wonder how the Bush Depression happened. People wonder why Apple THRIVES in spite of the Bush Depression. Wake up! It’s all so simple. It’s all so fundamental.
[I use the word ‘biznizz’ whenever I describe the corruption of critical business concepts in favor of short sighted greed and stooopidity. :-Derek]
Two words: think Different
Skates to where the puck is going to be.
Having values and sticking to them will win out in the long run. Never compromise your values.