You spin me right round, Apple
5:53 am, September 10th, 2008, Craig Grannell
After yesterday’s announcements from Apple, there followed the usual flurry of reactions from various analysts and journalists. This was swiftly followed by a reaction to the reaction, with some parties suggesting that negative grumbling regarding Let’s Rock was somehow unfair on Apple, and that expectations had once again been driven by a hype machine and rumor mill on overdrive.
Some of the negative vibes yesterday no doubt arrived from the much-reported ‘fact’ that Apple actively urged journos to cover the event, claiming it would be a “big deal”. Clearly, there’s some truth in the possibility said ‘fact’ might be a big fat fib. However, does that make the cynical, dismissive and unenthusiastic response to Apple’s event null and void? Put simply, are we, as writers and commentators on Apple and its output, being too hard on Steve and co.?
‘No’ and ‘no’ are my answers to those questions, and for three reasons. First and foremost, Apple is an innovator. And while the company clearly isn’t going to reveal an iPhone at every event, that doesn’t mean we should ever expect run-of-the-mill. The day that happens, Apple is doomed and may as well sell to Dell.
Secondly, iPod has been the line that’s made Apple the powerhouse it is today. As Pete noted, indication that Apple’s fed-up with the media player business or unable to innovate means others are going to start playing catch-up. I can’t have been the only person to see the new nano and think ‘Zune’, and that’s a dangerous position for Apple to be in.
Thirdly, we have to remember that Apple is the one that, to some extent, drives the hype. There were the huge posters, in-your-face security, and ubiqutious secrecy. For relatively minor updates to its product line, Apple could have put out some press releases. Instead, it invited the world to watch and listen while Steve Jobs paraded his company’s products on stage to much fanfare. So, sure, the rumor mill might be a snowball gathering speed down a shockingly steep hill (before it hits us squarely in the face with a wet splat), but remember that Apple’s the one that starts the ball rolling.
Posted by Craig Grannell in Apple, Media, Opinions | Comment on this article
If you enjoyed this article:
Subscribe via RSS or email, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Maybe the big new wasn’t supposed to be the Nano or iTunes. Perhaps it was to let the gen pop and shareholders know that Jobs is alive and kickin.
rocketfuel, on September 10th, 2008 at 6:13 am
Oooh, I know. The minute we don’t get a huge supply of crazy goods ala the rumor mill, let’s flame Apple for the very thing that’s been letting us speculate on crap for the past however long the rumor sites have been around.
I’ll agree that it felt like kind of a non-event, but the new Nano is still the Nano ever. At some point the iPod will go the iPod touch/iPhone route, and that’s something that no Zune will probably be able to match for some time.
Anyone who thinks that Apple is fed up with the media player business is on crack or hasn’t been paying attention.
Maybe you weren’t the only person to see the Nano and think Zune, but I’m positive I wasn’t the only one who didn’t.
scottaw, on September 10th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Can we post images on here – if so please insert a picture of a baby who’s dropped his rattle, wah wah wah wah
nonstopdesign, on September 10th, 2008 at 9:56 am
People living in glass houses should not throw stones, you may be good with your words but can you do better, if you can you will not writing this blog but making big bucks like writing great apps or maybe a great game…. lol
AdamC, on September 10th, 2008 at 9:56 am
I wonder why the second generation iPhone was cool enough to make a big deal out of, but a second gen iPod Touch isn’t.
I wonder why some people think that if a company puts up a big poster, it means that it’s trying to tell the world it wants to invent warp speed or something.
I wonder why anyone in the world would think that the new Nano resembles the Zune in any way? What? Huh? What?
I wonder why I still read this blog, because it’s not really about anything interestingly Mac as much as it is about stock prices going up and down dependent on how much chin fat some CEO has…
Oh wait, that’s the big deal. Steve Jobs is not sick, and he announced that. Your own blog has stated that this was the single largest problem in the known universe, the state of this guy’s health, and you act as though it doesn’t even matter.
clicknathan, on September 10th, 2008 at 9:59 am
“I can’t have been the only person to see the new nano and think ‘Zune’, and that’s a dangerous position for Apple to be in.”
I can honestly say I have never seen a device and thought ‘Zune’, even when I saw the Zune.
Besides, I think Apple was in a tough spot; they had a significant update to the iPod line but not significant enough to warrant its own big spectacle. They have more intense product updates coming soon but they don’t want to wait that long to unleash their new iPods.
So what do you do? Do you silently update your product line essentially admitting it’s not a big deal or do you have a small, underwhelming event to at least show people the work you’ve done in a major product line is sort of a big deal?
Think about it. If they had just made that semi-major update without an event everyone would put just that much more hype into the NEXT event. It’s just as much about expectation management as it is about shiny techno-geek toys.
Church of Apple, on September 10th, 2008 at 10:06 am
that should have read “the new Nano is still the *best* Nano ever”
scottaw, on September 10th, 2008 at 10:24 am