Apple convergence: where are the devices?
posted 10:02am EST Mon Jan 27 2003 - submitted by Shane
BLURB
There continues to be questions in the rumor mill of just when--or if--Apple will release PDA and tablet devices. InfoWorld writer Tom Yager has an interesting take on Apple's convergence strategy and how it stacks up against what is currently available. He points to Apple's .Mac services as an example of what he calls a "proper converged services lineup." So what, you say. Well, Apple is laying the strategic building blocks for its convergence device(s). That is not to say that these device(s) are necessarily "Apple-only" device(s), but Apple is taking a hard look at what users want today and will want in the future and is moving in that direction. In fact, I think Apple is using the iPod as a test device, and is learning quite a bit about users' current and future needs. Apple first came out with a Mac-only iPod, then shortly thereafter released a Windows version as well. I'm sure the Apple market researchers continue to watch the statistics of iPod sales closely, and also look at what software add-ons different developers are coming out with to meet specific needs. I expect that all of these will be evaluated, and some will become features of convergence device(s). Apple would be foolish not to allow the mobile device giants of Nokia, Ericsson, Sony, Palm, etc. to work with Apple's convergence, and Apple has already given hints of working with these other companies by integrating these devices with iSync. It looks like Apple is going to take big leaps in 2003 to make this entire convergence strategy come together.
OPINION
USER COMMENTS 8 comment(s)
iphone.org (10:20am EST Mon Jan 27 2003)
yeah just go to www.iphone.org and you will see the future.
So when are those new 15" powerbooks coming out??
- by Shampoopoo
meanwhile (10:29am EST Mon Jan 27 2003)
Bill Gates releases a new form of birth control called the "smart watch" - as though the original "calculator watch" and "TV watch" were not enough preventative prophilactics to begin with...
All your gonads are belong to Redmond.
You have no chance to conceive, make your time.
- by HA HA HA HA
Can't agree Shane. (11:10am EST Mon Jan 27 2003)
Apple would be foolish to allow the mobile device giants of Nokia, Ericsson, Sony, Palm. The first thing these companies want is to steal the design. Apple is being very prudent when it releases products since Sys7. Success is not based on have the best product. Enough stock of the product must be manf. before release to try to stop imitators from stealing market share. I like Apple's stratagy, since the DOJ will do nothing to stop theft. - by tech
Sorry. (11:12am EST Mon Jan 27 2003)
No time for spell check as someone from this site sent a 16b buffer over flow again. - by tech
Convergence-Divergence (11:44am EST Mon Jan 27 2003)
The convergence concept is only a concept. Most of us have many friends and co-workers, but we don't all get married to each other. The same will be true with the home entertainment, home computing, productivity electronics market. Many current products may interface somewhat with others. Then a new device comes out or there is a thought shift and the current use pattern diverges or makes a hard turn.
This is not directly related to the article, but just a thought. - by RCAman
www (11:49am EST Mon Jan 27 2003)
apples rotting - by wwww
Yeah right...pipe dreams. (12:13pm EST Mon Jan 27 2003)
Apple is a niche player in IT I'd say - how is it going to compete against Nokia and Sony in the mobile industry? Mobile devices need software...so what does it do, come up with 'AppleMobile OS', or use an Apple GUI over embedded Linux, or licence Symbian with an Apple GUI? Or it could licence a GUI over Symbian from Nokia, even. But what's the point, it would get crushed by the competition: Symbian, MS, Palm, Java, and Mobile versions of Linux. I respect Apple's history and its contribution to product design. But please before they get involved with smart mobile devices, can we just have a decent Mac browser (which isn't in Beta) and an Office suite which isn't made by Microsoft! - by iWrite
It's real easy (12:56pm EST Mon Jan 27 2003)
Make a PDA phone with a harddrive out of an iPod. Give it a simple browser and then hook up with every phone provider you can find.
That way I won't need my PDA, cell phone, and iPod all at the same time. Sure, it would be expensive, but I know I'm not the only one who would jump on technology like this.
Most companies (like Handspring with their Treo) come close but bungle up the whole deal with a crappy keyboard and no grafitti on their color model (WTF were they thinking?).
But no, instead of adding USEFUL features like a miniature HD and easy synchronization, these stupid friggin' manufacturers decide the best thing they could put on a mobile phone is a digital camera. WTF? Are they really that stupid? Who needs a friggin' camera on their phone?
If it came down to two things:
1) a phone with a digital camera
or
2) a phone with a mini HD (even a small one like 1 or 2 gigs)
Which one would you choose? It seems like a no-brainer to me. - by Rocketpig
