I have been a long time PC user. I started using them in 1985, started building them in 1986, and built for profit in 1987. For years I would not touch a mac but when the mac mini was introduced I finally made the leap. I have to admit that I am impressed with the video editing software and ease of use. I then pulled the trigger and got a Powermac and now I am getting ready to buy an iMac. I still use a PC as my primary computer but I have to say that I am hooked on iLife.Now that being said, note that I stated Apple Corp., not Apple Computers. Apple has become quite a machine in the computer world, but how long can they build computers for when they are really building PC's with their own OS? This has got me wondering, and it appears to me that the next logical choice for Apple is to port everything to a PC. The universal binaries have already solved most of this problem. Now they just need to be able to run on Vista and away you go.
I know many have said that without the hardware, Apple could not make it. But look at Microsoft, Adobe, etc. The iPod alone has kept the company alive, but long term they could really explode into the PC world with products like iLife. And as far as video editing, you can't beat Final Cut Studio. Final Cut Studio is what made me buy a mac in the first place. Now you can say that this is EXACTLY why Apple should not port their software to a PC. Unfortunately I think that the capitalistic marketplace will win hear though, and if they don't port to PC then someone else will have a product that can do the same thing but be available to 90% of the market share, not 10%.
Apple will always be successful with the "I don't care how much it cost" crowd, along with the zealots. They have proven time and time again that they are more art than computer with their design. I guess for some this is worth the premium but the computer market is moving into the appliance stage. I know that I paid a premium for a toaster that looked good with the granite on my counter, but their are many appliances that sit in the cabinets and I don't care how they look. I think the same is becoming true about the PC. Do I really care what it looks like when it is shoved in a desk and it works like any other system? It appears that Dell is trying to deal with this right now with the acquisition of Alienware. Even though the gamer systems get the bigger profits, as we move to an appliance mentality it will be the original Dell concept that will win.
A lot of people have said that Apple's big mistake in the 80's was not opening up their system to third party development. They have embraced some of that now (with open source and their developer network) but will they be able to beat out Microsoft and dominate the desktop market. I would venture to guess no and this is why I think they will port their software to the PC world. Just my $0.02...
3 comments:
they wont port their software or their OS. they will lose a lot of money by porting because no one will buy the "expensive" mac.
You're sadly misinformed.
1) the iPod may have made Apple a huge success, but its Mac division was still very profitable. It didn't save the company, it did provide a great new profit stream and engine for growth though.
2) Macs are not, feature-for-feature, more expensive than PCs any more. In fact many studies show they are often cheaper. Why would you by a PC to run some new-fangled movie editing software when you can buy a Mac for the same money that already runs Final Cut Pro, and can also run Windows because all new Macs are now Intel-based?
Your arguments make no sense. Back to school for you :)
$1299 for FCS probably makes them money. Plus you need to think in terms of the WalMart approach. Yes, $79 for iLife might not make much money for them now, but if they open their market up to millions of users and they have a marketable product, then it can be quite successful. I would also question if iTMS is a breakeven. As most business models show, you do not make money by selling a one time piece of hardware, you usually make it up and service and long term sales (e.g. iTMS). Not to say that manufacturing is not a way to make money, but when something like a computer becomes an appliance, there needs to be more to keep up on profitiability.
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