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A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

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Re: A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

#11

Post by fleitz »

dm8 wrote: post #8

Out of curiosity, why did he think Apple had far superior payment system? I personally think Apple's payment gateways no better than Amazon Checkout or Google Checkout experience.

On an iOS device they already have your payment details due to the inability to use the device with out providing a credit card. 9/10 times the user is already signed in to that AppStore/iTunes account and thus just needs to enter their password.

Thus when buying on iOS it's always easier to use Apple's system because you're already half signed-in and they already have your credit card.

But yes, if you re-enter your credit card details then they are pretty much the same except for having to re-enter your details.

Re: A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

#12

Post by Terretta »

johnrob wrote: post #7
natch wrote: post #2

This hardly captures Apple's strategy. It appears to offer an insight into one step in their strategic thinking for one issue, but the title of the post is quite misleading.

This absolutely captures their strategy. They are clearly building a walled garden for their own benefit, while selling it as the user's benefit. I can't imagine users complaining about having the option to switch to android.

> They are clearly building a walled garden for their own benefit, while selling it as the user's benefit.

On the contrary, I think this highlights that Jobs thinks, "They want to compare? Great, let's force them to really compare."

Jobs: "If they want to compare us to Android, let’s force them to use our far superior payment system."

It's one thing to build a walled garden that's crap but users get stuck with it. It's another to build something you believe is truly superior for users, then forcibly rub people's noses in it.

Re: A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

#13

Post by Oletros »

_yields wrote: post #9
johnrob wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This absolutely captures their strategy. They are clearly building a walled garden for their own benefit, while selling it as the user's benefit. I can't imagine users complaining about having the option to switch to android.

> while selling it as the user's benefit I disagree. Facebook, Google, Microsoft have a walled garden, in-fact every company on earth thinks on how to keep customers from leaving. The difference between Apple and others is that Apple products are far superior, i can't imagine myself using any Microsoft product if Apple provides it.

"The difference between Apple and others is that Apple products are far superior"

Really? How are superior?

Re: A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

#14

Post by Oletros »

fleitz wrote: post #11
dm8 wrote: post #8

Out of curiosity, why did he think Apple had far superior payment system? I personally think Apple's payment gateways no better than Amazon Checkout or Google Checkout experience.

On an iOS device they already have your payment details due to the inability to use the device with out providing a credit card. 9/10 times the user is already signed in to that AppStore/iTunes account and thus just needs to enter their password. Thus when buying on iOS it's always easier to use Apple's system because you're already half signed-in and they already have your credit card. But yes, if you re-enter your…

Well, you don't need to reenter your payment details if you want to buy an Amazon book or a Google book. They also already have them

Re: A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

#15

Post by nickconfer »

dm8 wrote: post #8

Out of curiosity, why did he think Apple had far superior payment system? I personally think Apple's payment gateways no better than Amazon Checkout or Google Checkout experience.

Three reasons.

1) Apple has more active credit cards than Amazon.

2) If someone were to purchase a book on an iOS device it is more likely they have an active credit card on their account than an Amazon account with an active credit card.

3) One payment system is easier for customers to understand and trust.

Steve's wording here may have indicated better technology in his mind, but I doubt that is true, given amazons incredible focus on taking credit card payments accurately and quickly. Reasonably though the reasons outlined above would be good reasons it was better overall, even if it really wasn't consumer friendly in the end because of the lock-in.

Re: A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

#16

Post by inkandstick »

_yields wrote: post #9
johnrob wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This absolutely captures their strategy. They are clearly building a walled garden for their own benefit, while selling it as the user's benefit. I can't imagine users complaining about having the option to switch to android.

> while selling it as the user's benefit I disagree. Facebook, Google, Microsoft have a walled garden, in-fact every company on earth thinks on how to keep customers from leaving. The difference between Apple and others is that Apple products are far superior, i can't imagine myself using any Microsoft product if Apple provides it.

> i can't imagine myself using any Microsoft product if Apple provides it.

I can say that you are in the minority, people use apple now because they are cool and with subsidies cheap. I see a larger amount of android phones now than I did 2 years ago when everyone and their mother had an iPhone and now the Android phones are starting to look cool with there gimmicks like the phone pausing video when you look away.

People bought iPads because they were a cheapish replacement for a computer and they were cool, I think Apple has everyone beat on the tablet market at the moment, while more people might know what a Galaxy S4 is they probably don't know the name of a Tablet that isn't iPad.

But for computers cheap Windows laptops still reign supreme.

Re: A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

#17

Post by warcher »

Xorlev wrote: post #10

If anything, the inability to purchase (easily) from the Kindle app really pushed me to stop using my iPad and start using my Android products. Haven't looked back.

It's a large reason why I won't touch any of Apple's media offerings. If they're not running the Netflix/Amazon model, where they've committed to making it available on all the major platforms, it's a non-starter for me. I really like a lot of Apple's products at the moment. It hasn't always been like that. It seems naive to believe it will stay that way forever either.

Re: A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

#18

Post by baddox »

johnrob wrote: post #7
natch wrote: post #2

This hardly captures Apple's strategy. It appears to offer an insight into one step in their strategic thinking for one issue, but the title of the post is quite misleading.

This absolutely captures their strategy. They are clearly building a walled garden for their own benefit, while selling it as the user's benefit. I can't imagine users complaining about having the option to switch to android.

> They are clearly building a walled garden for their own benefit, while selling it as the user's benefit.

Unless violence is being used to force people to buy things, there doesn't have to be a big difference between "the company's benefit" and "the user's benefit."

Re: A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

#19

Post by eloisant »

_yields wrote: post #9
johnrob wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This absolutely captures their strategy. They are clearly building a walled garden for their own benefit, while selling it as the user's benefit. I can't imagine users complaining about having the option to switch to android.

> while selling it as the user's benefit I disagree. Facebook, Google, Microsoft have a walled garden, in-fact every company on earth thinks on how to keep customers from leaving. The difference between Apple and others is that Apple products are far superior, i can't imagine myself using any Microsoft product if Apple provides it.

Well, no.

Google releases pretty much all of its products on iPhone. Apple doesn't releases anything on other platforms and when they do because they have no choice (iTunes on Windows), they do it poorly.

Re: A Steve Jobs email exchange that captures Apple’s strategy

#20

Post by myko »

inkandstick wrote: post #16
_yields wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> while selling it as the user's benefit I disagree. Facebook, Google, Microsoft have a walled garden, in-fact every company on earth thinks on how to keep customers from leaving. The difference between Apple and others is that Apple products are far superior, i can't imagine myself using any Microsoft product if Apple provides it.

> i can't imagine myself using any Microsoft product if Apple provides it. I can say that you are in the minority, people use apple now because they are cool and with subsidies cheap. I see a larger amount of android phones now than I did 2 years ago when everyone and their mother had an iPhone and now the Android phones are starting to look cool with there gimmicks like the phone pausing video when you look away. Pe…

> I think Apple has everyone beat on the tablet market at the moment

At 10" yes, but at the 7" range the Nexus 7 is really superior to me as a user - I don't know the sales numbers though, maybe the iPad Mini is doing better there too.

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