Apple's Blue Ocean

Make battery packs (call them "removable batteries, if you like") 100% completely and totally separate from the device itself - think of it like a UPS for a desktop...no (or practically "no") battery on/in the device, and instead you run the device with a Qi-compatible battery pack

IOW - the device becomes 30-50% lighter (on its own), and the buyer determines how heavy his/her experience will be based on which Qi-pack [s]he has chosen to run their phone

Want a 10,000mAh battery? No problem!

Want only a 2,000mAh battery? Again: no problem!

This even solves a problem Apple has let other vendors 'solve' with regard to cases - want an OtterBox? CrayolaCase? SiliconSoftie? Go get your case from any of a thousand manufactures

Apple could provide a pair (or trio, etc) of Qi-packs for their devices, and let other manufacturers go banana pants coming up with other options

This modularizes the iPhone in a smart way (not like that goofy Motorola method (which was reminiscent of IBM in the 80s open-standardizing the buses for their Personal Computer) whereby the only thing you "have" to get from Motorola was the core module

Apple's "core module" with such a program would still be iPhone ... and that is still the biggest differentiator Apple has vs the 80 scadzillion Android makers out there: iPhone is only Apple. Android is whomever wants to make one.

If there's going to be removable batteries for any product it will be for new product categories like the Vision Pro. Apple is definitely not going to take established products like the iPhone and change it up just to be different (which isn't a sustainable competitive advantage because anyone can do it). Even with the Vision Pro it's a compromise that Apple is likely tolerating, rather than what the 'final form' of the product will be in 10 or 15 years.

I'm all for Apple reversing their long-standing decision to make device batteries non-user-replaceable - an original decision which I personally loath, and one where the EU will most likely force Apple's hand anyway by requiring batteries to be user-replaceable.

But excuse me while I throw up in my mouth a little with this "Blue Ocean" nonsense. Apple makes an original, user-hostile decision for the sole purpose of increasing planned obsolescence and to make them more money, and then when the winds shift they might go back the other way - but, again, they'll likely be forced to anyway. No need for poetic blog posts.

I suppose we're owed another "Blue Ocean" missive about how Apple led the way with Lightning connectors and then found another Blue Ocean with ... USB-C. Puhleeez.

I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not.

Because Apple has had this for years a while now with the MagSafe battery pack.

I actually think it should become a standard that all companies adopt. It's far easier and quicker to use than removable batteries and doesn't remove valuable space inside the phone.

> the Wii differentiated itself with its motion controls and a low price. It was a hit.

> Lately, I’ve been thinking about the blue ocean strategy in the context of Apple. Like Nintendo ...

Well, Apple is certainly not differentiating on 'low price'. And I don't know that high margin is "innovative blue ocean".