“Apple will vastly outlive its competition,” John Martellaro writes for TheStreet. “To explore that, it’s necessary to look at software, hardware and how Apple integrates the two.”
“Software is hardly ever beloved. Software is simply a means to bring the capabilities of the hardware to life. Often, software fails the user… In the history of the Macintosh and PC there have only been a handful of native apps that were so beautifully executed, so well conceived, that they actually became beloved. The annals of frustrating software, on the other hand, are plentiful and legendary,” Martellaro writes. “Hardware is much easier to love. Beautiful 2K and 4K displays, MacBooks, external drives with glowing LEDs, the new Mac Pro (an enigmatic black cylinder), blazing fast Alienware PCs with ghostly lights, some Ultrabooks, the iPhone and iPad, all come to mind. This hardware can create an instant attraction and affection. But it needs nicely integrated software to bring it to life in ways that charm and delight us.”
“Apple is fundamentally different than the competition. The company has built a legacy of integrating hardware and software until the whole becomes more than the sum of its parts,” Martellaro writes. “When that’s done well, genuine affection and admiration for the hardware is realized and spans time. It’s why Apple retail stores are routinely crowded with both young and old… Only Apple has demonstrated an enduring vision for the way human beings respond to hardware and integrated software. Generations of Apple customers have grown up with and loved Apple IIs, Macs, iPods, iPhones and iPads. Thanks to the foundation Steve Jobs built, plenty of similar devices in the future will carry on that tradition.”
Much more in the full article – recommended – here.
Related articles:
Apple has proven that vertical integration works better – October 24, 2006
Microsoft tries to match Apple’s vertical approach – October 11, 2006
Apple was right all along: vertical market quality trumps horizontal market woes – April 30, 2006