If you think Apple competes with Android, you're wrong.
Summary: Apple is the King of the Mountain in Consumer Device Kingdom. To worry about competition is just a royal faux pas.
I read an article this morning titled, "Foxconn CEO: iPhone 5 ‘Will Put Samsung Galaxy S III to Shame’," and as I read, I wondered two things: "Why the heck is Foxconn's CEO discussing the new iPhone's features?" and "Does Apple really compete with the Android market?" The answer to the first question is, "He shouldn't be. His company manufactures and assembles Apple devices because Chinese labor is cheap, not because anyone cares what he thinks." And, we don't, by the way. The answer to the second question is, "No."
Apple operates in a vacuum. They always have. Apple's designers aren't thinking about whether an Android phone has this or that extra battery-consuming port or another useless feature, they're focused on building a product that people want. And, one that people want to pay a lot of money for. I doubt anyone at Apple says to a coworker, "Hey, dude, did you see my <insert Android-based phone name here>, it has this. We should totally put one of those on the next iPhone."
Nope, not a conversation that you'll ever hear.
Apple has never done things like other tech companies. Never. They've never fallen prey to analyst opinion or competitor bling. Why should they? They're the innovators, not the imitators. Apple produces the products like they want them to be--not like Android-designers think they should be. Apple builds them and we buy them by the millions. People camp outside of Apple stores and Apple product retailers to ensure that they get a new Apple device. You don't really see that with Android products.
The reason is that Apple products have what we want and what we don't even know that we want until we see it. That's why Apple is the most successful tech company ever.
To Foxconn's Gou, "Dude, you're the purveyor of cheap assembly line labor. Don't think that you and your company can't be easily replaced. You can be. You're no Tim Cook. Tim is the only one who should speak on behalf of Apple about it products."
If you think that Apple competes with Android, Windows, Blackberry or any other phone or tablet device, you're wrong. Apple builds on itself. Competition to Apple is what happens on the volleyball court during morning and afternoon break.
Android device designers and manufacturers are the ones competing for market share and consumer visibility, not Apple. If you don't believe me, watch for those campers prior to the Galaxy S III's release. Take some pictures with your iPhones and send them to me.
What would really be funny is (If you think Apple competes with Android, that is) to stage a camp out for the next Android phone release. Take some pictures and have some fun. It's sort of a harmless Occupy movement. We'll call it the Androidify movement.
OK, so you have your assignment: Androidify and photograph. If you really do it, I'll setup a website and post your pictures and comments. The website is androidifymovement.com. In a few hours, I'll have news up about it on the site. Watch for tweets and other updates.
What do you think? Does Apple really have any competition for customers or is it just wishful thinking on the part of other vendors? Talk back and let me know.
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Talkback
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I KNEW IT!
Will you change that stance
For a company that operate in a vacuumm, they sure spent alot of money on advertising trying to make sure people bought their iPhone or iPad, instaed of somebody else's iPhone or iPad, considering they have no competition.
Yo, Farrel
The campaign announcing Surface could be anything. It could feature famous athletes. A new proprietary cartoon character. A corporate IT geek running down a feature checklist. Happy children playing games on the porch.
But you're saying it's going to be "iPad vs Surface," eh? I'm copying this page, because if this comes true, you just outed yourself as a fairly high member of Microsoft's marketing team.
Yo, Hahn
Remember, Apple operates in a vaccuum, they have no competition. ;)
So what are your targets?
I suppose at the end of the day it's worth sacrificing integrity for job security for some people.
Yes, this article won't bring out the MS turfers
However, I do disagree about the Apple working in a vacuum. If they did, Steve Jobs wouldn't have had such a vendetta against Android. I'm sure they take a hard look at their competition before making decisions.
Plus a company living in a vacuum wouldn't have attacked their competition so much as they did in the past. In addition to the Mac vs. PC commercials, do you remember the Steve Jobs going after Intel with the turtle commercial? This was before Macs started using Intel chips of course.
Apple is the new Nokia
Just like Nokia, the mobile world walked past them and left them behind.
10 years ago, if you were told that Nokia would be struggling for survival in 2012, you would find it hard to believe.
@warboat. Apple is exposed to fickle consumers with few products
The main competitor in the consumer space is Samsung, but they have been successful in several markets and are severely biting into what would have been all Apple's. Apple is still getting increasing sales, but not market share.
If a new portable technology paradigm not pioneered by Apple comes along, I would suggest that Samsung would be in a better position to weather the change than Apple.
Excuse Me!
You Could Advertise A $10 Gold Piece...
Serously man,
Your just jealous you didn't but any Apple stock, say in 1997 like me!
I know.
What I find amazing is just how many people here
Seriously man
Apple stocks
All talk or action too
Philosophical differences
Apple: you want whatever we make.
One requires the manufacturer to do what the user wants.
The other requires the user to do what the manufacturer wants.
Guess which method works in the long run.
If you think Apple competes with Android, you're wrong
If you don't think Apple competes with android, you're wrong. They make a pretty designed shell but to say they don't compete is just illogical. They do watch the competition hence a lot of Apple's commercials. Mac vs. PC ring a bell? Any company that is in business that doesn't know their competition and doesn't watch it has already failed. According to you Apple lives and survives on hype. Wait until that hype dies down. Just because you want to give Apple a pass for being Apple doesn't mean the rest of us will.
I know its only half way through 2012 but amount of dumb one liners I'm reading in ZDNet posts is increasing significantly.