Actually they were very careful to NOT kill Dropbox. The iCloud (oh I hate this name - but I got over "Wi" I suppose) only stores files it understands (Pages for example) and NOT files it doesn't. The clear implication is that initially at least, we'll all store these "other" files in something like Dropbox. It (iCloud) works with Windows (though not XP) so it's not trying to kill that either.
In truth, I think Apple have loftier ambitions - to kill the filesystem. Maybe this isn't a bad thing. My mother can't understand it. I have plenty of clients who quite clearly don't understand it. I think it's simple, I'm sure you do as well. But there are a LOT of people for whom the filesystem is standing in the way of them mastering their computer. Apple are clearly on a mission to finally kill the filesystem.
The Apple WWDC conference is close to wrapping up the final drips to the coffee filter of new products and releases.
From live analysing the event, I too was — and I say this on the record — gripped by some of the major technological advances coming out of the Cupertino company.
But the headlines following over the past few days, even today for that matter, focus all but solely on ‘crushing’ the competitor.
Why?
Just to name a few:
- (PC World) Will iCloud Crush Rival Cloud Storage Services?
- (Fierce Wireless) Will Apple’s iCloud service crush 3G networks?
- (MediaBeat) Apple’s cloud music service might crush the competition
- (IBT) Apple WWDC 2011: Can iCloud help iPhone 5 beat Android?
- (Cult of Mac) Android’s Going To Help Apple’s iMessage Kill Off SMS With Own Messaging Platform
There is way too much negativity in the tech world at the moment. Lighten up a bit.
Personally, I don’t think Apple for one minute is trying to crush, kill, maim or defame the competitor; primarily Windows in the desktop market, Android on the mobile and tablet scene, and Amazon and Google in the cloud arena.
While in some of the advances there are similar, if not directly competitive products — which rival Dropbox and BlackBerry Messenger just to name a couple, Apple is giving more users a greater breadth of productivity, features and ultimately choice in its updated line of products.
I suspect that it is the media who is hoping for Apple to crush a competing device or service, rather than the sole aim of the company to do so. Competition keeps things interesting, vibrant, and increases focus on something to aim for.
In the end, it doesn’t matter which browser, operating system, brand or service you use. Generation Y users are all about choice, but equally about allegiance.
Many multimedia, drama and design students are openly Apple fans. Seemingly it is the more creative ‘genotype’ for Apple using products, in particular the Mac range. Yet, you rarely find the same passion, drive and energy towards Windows. It’s a sub-cultural thing; Apple has a surrounding culture whereas Windows has a means to an end.
It doesn’t mean one is better than the other. They’re both equal, as a matter of fact. It is just how one perceives the aforementioned.
Though the iGeneration are vastly influenced by the purchases of others, there is still a polarised division between the BlackBerry and iPhones. Android is creeping up the middle as the platform can run of a variety of non-BlackBerry or Apple devices, but it feels like one-size-fits-all clothes that your grandparents buy you at Christmas.
They rarely fit, and on the face of it look hideous, but still keep you strangely warm during the winter months.
But it is far too easy to be wrapped up in the ‘killing’ of another product or service simply because another company releases a competing solution.
Sure, talk about competition and rival products and services. But the younger generation is about choice.
Without choice, it would be a very, very boring world.
