Everyone’s excited about the iPad. Allow me to be the curmudgeon in the room and say I still don’t understand why.
It’s not that the iPad isn’t a cool looking device. It’s beautiful. It’s that I don’t see it as the savior of all things analog the media is making it out to be. Beyond that, it seems to me it has a very limited audience.
The iPad is targeted at people who care enough about technology to pony up a minimum of $499 for what is essentially a large iPod touch (others may disagree but that’s my opinion). Reports are out today from Engadget and others indicating the Wall Street Journal will be available on the iPad for $17.99/month and monthly issues of magazines will cost close to newsstand prices. That’s cute but the reality is few industries have found success by simply porting their existing business model to the digital arena. Changes are required. Companies must adapt and I don’t believe Apple is encouraging media companies to do so. They’re stuck in old school thinking.
Media companies aside, here are my issues with the iPad based on the specs I’ve seen:
- Pricing – Most people still don’t have an extra $499 to spend on an optional item. Pinning hopes on the device ignores the millions of people who still believe $1 / day for a newspaper they can leave on the bus is the ultimate in convenient. On top of that, this is a market where people still prefer buying on-contract phones because the price is subsidized. Even Apple has helped support that model with the iPhone.
- Multitasking – It’s been claimed as a weakness for the iPhone, the iPod Touch and now, the iPad. It hasn’t mattered for the first two because people don’t multitask that much on phone type devices. They can do without it. It will matter for the iPad because people are used to doing multiple things at once on their computers. They’re used to switching back and forth between multiple applications. Multitasking matters…
- Apple ecosystem – Don’t get me wrong. I think Apple’s ecosystem is brilliant. I immensely admire Apple’s ability to create new core competencies for the company around industries tangentially related to their true fundamental business model. It makes customers’ lives easier. But, the reality is, it only makes Apple’s customers’ lives easier. There are still millions of desktops, laptops, Kindles, Nooks, Android tablets, etc that have to be supported. By building their digital capabilities around the iPad, media companies will end up ignoring others. That seems like a good way to destroy a company rather than build it up.
- Size – I can’t believe no one else is saying this. This thing is too big. Yes, it’s light and thin. That’s great. Unfortunately, you’re going to be carrying this thing in your laptop bag along with your laptop, books, papers and that thing with hard edges you totally forgot about. That ill-forgotten thing will crack your iPad screen. A device this large in a bag will be broken within weeks (or so I think). Once you add a case, the device becomes a little bit heavier and a little bit thicker – taking up a little more space and adding a little more weight to your bag. Not so much fun…
“Even a broken clock is right twice a day” is an oft-heard refrain. The opposite of that must be something along the lines of even the perfect stumble sometimes. I think this is Apple’s time to stumble. Unfortunately, newspapers and magazines can’t afford the trip as well as Apple can. Let’s hope they’re hedging their bets.
For your kicks, Apple’s iPad video…
O.K.
Let’s start with Hey Talib, how’s it been
- Anthony E.
Savior of Analog Media –
Apple never claims to be the savior of anyone, anything, or any industry, other than their shareholders. There are apple fans willing to argue everything for what Apple has accomplished thus far. For the record Apple didn’t save the music industry ask any of the record execs.
Apple has always provide the greatest unique user experience for its consumers. No one else. They don’t and won’t do it for Windows users, Linux users, or droid. That doesn’t bring revenu to its shareholders.
“The iPad is targeted at people who care enough… ” about the apple experience and can pay for it. Their are other options for tablets/slates/pads. Linux, droid, windows 7 tablet..
“That’s cute but the reality is few industries have found success by simply porting their existing business model to the digital arena.” Actually it never really works, once competition is introduced into the deigital arena.
“Companies must adapt and I don’t believe Apple is encouraging media companies to do so. ” They don’t have to, evolve or die. Change is the only constant, the media is going to be consumed in larger quantities becaused of develivery and scale. Get on board or lose out on the revenu. It’s their choice, someone else will step in and fill the void, this has happened at every evolutionary step in technology. There’s a sifting process that occurs. Automobiles, planes, manufacturing, computers, video games consoles, websites, search, music players,
Pricing – Most people still don’t have an extra $499, but they have $1/day for how many years? It about choices and what individuals derive as value.
Apple is a luxury brand. Period. It’s not for everyone.
“On top of that, this is a market where people still prefer buying on-contract phones because the price is subsidized.” Do the math, you can save more money by purchasing the phone out right and using a reduce plan, than what comes with the subsidized phone. You’ll pay for that phone twice before the contract is over. And get charged to get our of the contract. That gives them the money. The phone company has trained those consumers. Most folks, don’t, can’t or won’t do the simple money math. It’s what makes marketing so powerful.
You make all the points, only to end on this.
““Even a broken clock is right twice a day” is an oft-heard refrain. The opposite of that must be something along the lines of even the perfect stumble sometimes.”
Apple’s time to stumble? Apple is what it is, a highly admired company, that everyone wants applied to their life, but don’t want to pay the price. Whatever that price may be, money, platform, ecosystem, multitasking (the only people that do this, are mothers.).
There is no multitasking, only multiprocessors working on bits of a task.
Let’s talk soon.
Hey Anthony. Thanks for the comment.
I’m actually interested in seeing what happens myself. I love Apple products and the company itself. My primary computer these days is a MacBook Pro. I’m definitely an Apple fanboy.
More than being about Apple, the blog entry was about the media business and them pinning their hopes on the iPad. Apple doesn’t claim they’re savior to the media business but media companies sure are behaving as if they believe the iPad will single-handedly save their business model. I don’t think it’s going to happen the way they think – not just because of the issues with the iPad that I listed but also because their model needs to change and they need to spend more time figuring out what those changes will entail. I’m open to being proven wrong, though. (I’m hoping I’m right though … though I love the ecosystems Apple creates, I don’t like their closed nature and would like to see some change there, as well.)