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Apple lacks strategic vision

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Re: Apple lacks strategic vision

#111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

iPhone was a new UI focused around capacitive touchscreens which at the time was itself an entirely new category. What, exactly, did M1 change about anything about using a laptop? Longer battery life? Faster? Okay, same improvements as had been featured for the last 20 years. And it wasn't any thinner, depending on the model line it was substantially thicker even. So what exactly was new about M1 that wasn't just a b…

I went from a 2016 intel MacBook Pro to an m1 and although the differences on paper looked like many other spec bumps, the actual experience felt like a paradigm shift. It’s the first time I owned a laptop that lacked compromises. It was consistently snappy and fast at every task from a full to empty battery. And it did so without burning my lap or producing an incredibly annoying fan noise.

Yes, it's an excellent laptop. But being good and being innovative are not the same thing. There's nothing innovative about the M1 lineup. It's better on the same axis that laptops have been improving at consistently.

As for loud fan and burning laps, though, do also keep in mind that Apple was particularly bad in the 2016 generation, which is why the M1 laptops got thicker.

Re: Apple lacks strategic vision

#112
post #14

I'm convinced that Tim Cook's biggest mistake was not creating an EV. Just look at how Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi and BYD have moved into the EV space and have created amazing experiences for their customers. CarPlay paired with American cars is simply few generations behind from what the Chinese companies have done. Yet Apple was early enough and had an EV team but Cook killed it. Even if the 1st gen was crap…

Cook's mistake is that they didn't make an Apple Internet, a version of the Internet that exists entirely within the walls of Apple's walled garden. Think of the 30% tax that could be collected from online shopping!

Re: Apple lacks strategic vision

#113

Well, as we speak, Apple is still one of the most valuable companies in the world, shareholder-value-wise and (most importantly) consumer-preference-wise. So, being an absolute Apple-skeptic, I don't blame them for not having a crystal-clear future direction right now. VR/AR? Nah, probably not happening. AI? Probably huge, but in which direction? Who knows? And they've got products in all these markets, just not obvi…

Waiting until others struggle with early pains before swooping in with a polished version after the idea has been demonstrated is also Apple's consistent playbook. They've never been innovators, that's not their strength. They're polishers.

> They're polishers.

UX innovators then

Re: Apple lacks strategic vision

#114

There are a few hiccups, but everyone'e acting like Apple Silicon wasn't one of the most wildly successful overnight improvements in laptops in the last 50 years and that airpods aren't so popular that even Android phone users buy them.

But has Apple Silicon justified the investment? I don't doubt it's good tech, but the market share hasn't necessarily reflected it. In 2024, total shipped units dropped quite a bit. Judging by the available data, I wouldn't use the term "wildly successful" just yet (particularly if we account for pre/post pandemic sales).

Re: Apple lacks strategic vision

#115
post #114

There are a few hiccups, but everyone'e acting like Apple Silicon wasn't one of the most wildly successful overnight improvements in laptops in the last 50 years and that airpods aren't so popular that even Android phone users buy them.

But has Apple Silicon justified the investment? I don't doubt it's good tech, but the market share hasn't necessarily reflected it. In 2024, total shipped units dropped quite a bit. Judging by the available data, I wouldn't use the term "wildly successful" just yet (particularly if we account for pre/post pandemic sales).

I think their problem is that laptops and computers are so well made these days that there is no real need or want to upgrade.

Re: Apple lacks strategic vision

#116

Well, as we speak, Apple is still one of the most valuable companies in the world, shareholder-value-wise and (most importantly) consumer-preference-wise. So, being an absolute Apple-skeptic, I don't blame them for not having a crystal-clear future direction right now. VR/AR? Nah, probably not happening. AI? Probably huge, but in which direction? Who knows? And they've got products in all these markets, just not obvi…

Waiting until others struggle with early pains before swooping in with a polished version after the idea has been demonstrated is also Apple's consistent playbook. They've never been innovators, that's not their strength. They're polishers.

That’s a little shortsighted I think. How many patents does Apple hold?

This whole conversation feels like a zero sum discussion, as “if Apple isn’t the most innovative then they’re not innovative on any level.

Re: Apple lacks strategic vision

#117
post #30

I don’t see a compelling reason for Apple to jump into the AI game. The MacBook Pro M4 is a dream to work with, and it works great with Claude Code. Creating quality products is a niche market, but that strategy still has merit.

I think it's a combination of three things: 1) AI threatens to take-over how you use your phone, it threatens to reduce apps to an API that it will use on your behalf so you don't use the apps yourself 2) By doing that it commoditizes the hardware because the software experience is virtually identical across platforms, you say make a dinner reservation and it doesn't matter what calendar you use, what restaurant app…

How does that future work when the AI providers lose so much money on every monetized transaction?

Re: Apple lacks strategic vision

#118
post #98

I don’t see a compelling reason for Apple to jump into the AI game. The MacBook Pro M4 is a dream to work with, and it works great with Claude Code. Creating quality products is a niche market, but that strategy still has merit.

the number one reason is that Siri is an embarrassment. And that has become so much clearer now with ChatGPT and Claude next to it. Everyone is simply thinking: why can't we have that. Why do we have to talk to a low quality agent that can't answer basic questions while i can also walk around with my airpods in having a full conversation with ChatGPT. I understand it is not that easy. But Apple has been neglecting Si…

Maybe it’s due to cost? I’m curious to know whether Apple fine tuned the Siri LLM to run lean in order to save money, and in the same vein that OpenAI loses money on even the paid queries. It has to break even somewhere unless hydro becomes miraculously free.

Re: Apple lacks strategic vision

#119

There are a few hiccups, but everyone'e acting like Apple Silicon wasn't one of the most wildly successful overnight improvements in laptops in the last 50 years and that airpods aren't so popular that even Android phone users buy them.

[deleted]

Re: Apple lacks strategic vision

#120
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was 5 years ago and the chips themselves are much older than that. They can't skate on that forever, especially since the competition caught up.

Oh great, where can I buy a non-Mac with the same performance, battery life, thermals, weight, premium materials, and a trackpad that doesn’t feel like styrofoam coated in oil? Since you say the competition has caught up, I assume it’ll be easy to send an Amazon link to the evidence.

Not OP but that's the thing right, you've talked a lot about feels which means there will never be an answer that overcomes the emotion built in your head.

I wonder what it would take to win you over, and i don't mean the rational you, which i'm sure you can justify, i mean the irrational 'i'm in love with the product' you.

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