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Apple’s Corporate Definition Part Deux
Just read a good post at Daring Fireball about the Apple Watch. In the footnotes, he makes an interesting observation. Possibly explains the reasoning behind the new boilerplate.
Nor do I think Apple Watch in particular is what Apple thinks was “historic” about last week’s event. Rather, I think Apple Watch is the first product from an Apple that has outgrown the computer industry. Rather than settle for making computing devices, they are now using computing technology to make anything and everything where computing technology — particularly miniature technology — can revolutionize existing industries. … Apple Watch isn’t merely Apple’s foray into the watch industry — it’s their foray outside the computer/consumer electronics industry. I think they’re just getting started. At the close of his Apple Watch unveiling video during the keynote, Jony Ive said, “We’re now at a compelling beginning actually designing technology to be worn, to be truly personal.” The watch just happens to be first.
Thoughts? FWIW, I don’t think this portends the end of Pro Apps or OS X or computers at all. I’m sure someone here will disagree though. 🙂
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~”It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.”~
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36 Replies
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[Charlie Austin] [Quoting someone else] “Rather, I think Apple Watch is the first product from an Apple that has outgrown the computer industry. “
Wow, I think that’s way off. Apple dropped “Computer” from its company name in January 2007. Was that guy not around for that? And by then, Apple had already long outgrown the computer industry.
Look back through the COW archives as people here noted the day that the shiny new iPod provided more revenue than computers. Was that 2003? 2004? In any case, a dog’s age in tech years.
Dang, man. Add the iPhone and iPad to the list too for that matter.
I’m really stupefied by his statement. It makes no sense to me at all.
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[Tim Wilson] “Wow, I think that’s way off. Apple dropped “Computer” from its company name in January 2007. Was that guy not around for that? And by then, Apple had already long outgrown the computer industry. ” … “I’m really stupefied by his statement. It makes no sense to me at all.”
I dunno.. First, to be fair, the quote does seem a little random taken out of context. He wasn’t talking about the the corporate description at all, I made that connection. So I guess I should be the object of your stupefaction. 🙂 It’s from a footnote to a larger opinion piece which is pretty interesting. As I said, in terms of Pro Apps, computers etc, I don’t think it means anything.
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~ My FCPX Babbling blog ~
~”It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.”~
~”The function you just attempted is not yet implemented”~ -
[Charlie Austin] “As I said, in terms of Pro Apps, computers etc, I don’t think it means anything.”
I don’t think so, either. We have talked about this elsewhere, but I’ll rehash.
The Apple Watch is a new way to interact with Apple technology. It is an access point. For now, it happens to be in the form of a watch.
For a lot of people, a time piece is a fashion statement. An accessory, and sometimes, a mind bogglingly expensive accessory. I knew an avid watch collector. He had a real job, but sometimes I felt his job was to buy and sell watches. He seemed to live for it. Apple’s gold foray is honoring that connection. I don’t really like it, it’s not my style, but it’s not off the mark when it comes to people who really really like watches as a statement, not watches as a timekeeper (or sundial).
They are playing with not only haptic technology (a device that sends physical alerts) but they are also playing with a new screen that differentiates amount of pressure vs touch, and reverse haptcs where your physical state alerts the device *which then gets recorded*.
Apple, typically, moves very slowly. The watch in my mind, is a very slow beginning. “Wearables” aren’t new, other companies are already in the market place, other companies will outsell Apple, the same as ever. Apple is rarely first. That is their M.O.
It is also a very expensive toy that requires an iPhone to work. I feel like it’s a controlled experiment. It is certainly not going to be for everyone the way that the iPhone 5C is now ‘free’ and the 5S is ‘cheap’.
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[Charlie Austin] “Thoughts? FWIW, I don’t think this portends the end of Pro Apps or OS X or computers at all. I’m sure someone here will disagree though. :-)”
I would be interesting if they have an iMovie for their new fancy watch and call it something like iWatchMovie. A bit corny I know.
Now with the watch no need to answer the shoe phone anymore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pArBEnKcoMw
It really is amazing how technology has progressed in the last 50 years.
camera operator | editor | production assistant
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I would say the changes really started ~25 years ago when hard drives,albeit expensive started changing the way media was being manipulated from what was then all analog and the physical mediums that were part of their DNA. Since then, it has been smaller, capacity, and quality.
Michael
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[Jeremy Garchow] “The Apple Watch is a new way to interact with Apple technology. It is an access point. For now, it happens to be in the form of a watch.”
I don’t have a problem with the watch. You’re right, Jeremy, Android folks will be on the fourth generation of theirs by the time Apple’s ships theirs. No surprises, no panic, no pain.
But also no shift in Apple’s place in the world relative to computers or technology in general. My issue is with somebody saying that NOW Apple is moving beyond computers. Now? Really? This is the first time?
The flipside of Kremlinology is that you’re quite right, Jeremy, Apple doesn’t always change as much as appears. It’s crazy to say that Apple doesn’t care about computers anymore. Of course they do. I doubt one bit less than when they still had “Computer” in the name. (Ironically, I’ve seen analysis that their market share on the desktop may well be higher than their market share for smartphones.)
I also think that Apple loves pro software users as much as they did two weeks ago. For whatever THAT’s worth. LOL
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I agree with Tim that the statement quoted from Daring Fireball are puzzling and don’t reflect the years of only using technology as the means to an end and that end is related to use by a consumer for non-computing purposes such as the 2001 iPod and so on.
With Google wanting us to sit in a driverless car without even a steering wheel to occupy our attention, with Jeff Bozos’ rocket engines (almost the only thing in the world not available for online shopping via Amazon) propelling Boeing’s new space taxis, Apple appears to be sticking closer to their knitting than some other prominent tech giants. Of course the rocket engines and driverless cars use computing technology but there are so many other factors to consider, they can’t be considered computing devices. Apple continues to expand their ecosystem which includes computing hardware and software whether it be a MacBook Pro or iPad or Apple Watch. They are all integrated into that Apple ecosystem of things consumers eventually find that they can’t live without.
I feel that Apple won’t abandon the professional users at all as they expand their consumer-driven ecosystem, but being a professional
is not about owning some $100,000 system that now costs so much less that it’s accessible to everyone–it’s always going to be about the skill, apptitude, creativity, imagination, insight, and élan that you bring to the task that guarantees your success. Apple’s success with their pursuit of consumers can also benefit their professional products in many ways.Rick Lang
iMac 27” 2.8GHz i7 16GB
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[Tim Wilson] “But also no shift in Apple’s place in the world relative to computers or technology in general. My issue is with somebody saying that NOW Apple is moving beyond computers. Now? Really? This is the first time? “
Yeah, a bit of a stretch, but then he goes on to say that the Apple Watch is a computer and says it more than once.
Here’s one:
“But Apple Watch is not just a piece of jewelry, and it’s not a mechanical device. It’s a computer. And all computers have lifespans measured in just a handful of years before obsolescence.”
Also, the quote that Charlie points to is about hiring Marc Newson (https://www.marc-newson.com):
It’s no coincidence that Apple announced their hiring of Marc Newson on the Friday before last week’s event. But I don’t think his hiring is about the Apple Watch in particular. Nor do I think Apple Watch in particular is what Apple thinks was “historic” about last week’s event. Rather, I think Apple Watch is the first product from an Apple that has outgrown the computer industry. Rather than settle for making computing devices, they are now using computing technology to make anything and everything where computing technology — particularly miniature technology — can revolutionize existing industries. Newson isn’t a watch designer, or a fashion designer. He’s a designer of anything and everything. He’s designed everything from watches to cars to chairs. Apple Watch isn’t merely Apple’s foray into the watch industry — it’s their foray outside the computer/consumer electronics industry. I think they’re just getting started. At the close of his Apple Watch unveiling video during the keynote, Jony Ive said, “We’re now at a compelling beginning actually designing technology to be worn, to be truly personal.” The watch just happens to be first.
It does seem to mark (marc?) new territory in that it’s not just about a decidedly Apple device, but this opens up a new interaction to put Apple technology in whatever they want. Looking even further, it opens up Apple licensing their tech to other companies, or partnering with other companies, something that Tim Cook doesn’t seem to be too iSheepish about doing, but that may be going too far.
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[Jeremy Garchow] “but that may be going too far.”
Meaning, I went too far, in that I am probably wrong about that.
But for now, the watch gives Apple a test ground.
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[Rick Lang] “Apple’s success with their pursuit of consumers can also benefit their professional products in many ways.”
Rick,
This is true.
The more difficult question arises when professional needs differ from consumer needs.
Franz.
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