Very interesting, Terry. May I ask some questions...
1) I do not understand why the Ipod market cannot be huge, especially if the platform is expanded over time...to be more than music. Wasnt the Sony Walkman huge for Sony? Why is it only a yellow brick road to Oz, being computers in corporations?
2) Isn't there still a big hurdle to overcome which is software? (PC's/macs)
3) Even if one company converts, is that such a big deal?
4) If I take myself as a middle of the road barometer (which I do...I'm not an early adopter, I didn't buy an Ipod in 2003...I have a cellphone but not a picture/email cellphone etc...)...I have no desire to switch to an AAPL. I have no need to upgrade soon and when I do, price will be the main consideration along with software. I love the Ipod but that does make me want to buy AAPL computers, I don't think the halo effect is that big. They have to be competitive in that domain, and even tho their computers have long been prettier and better, they haven't succeeded so far.
It seems to me they'd have to innovate in some remarkable way to burst thru, like they did with Ipod. Like Google may make a browser that blows IE out of the water. If mac's could somehow bundle a far better google browser, or create some kind of multimedia platform that syncs seamlessly with ipods which expand to download wireless movies etc...who knows...
I'm just blathering a bit :). By the way, I have no brand loyalty in particular, I just think the Ipod design blows everything else out of the water. I still haven't figured out who stole my IPod, and the post office is really giving me the runaround claiming nobody has a record of who the second carrier was that day...and my doormen are giving me the runaround too... |
