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Apple AirPods: iPhone accessory or the next big thing?

kevinrooke.com

121–130 of 696 posts

Re: Apple AirPods: iPhone accessory or the next big thing?

#122
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would want to invest in projects that I think will take off. For example, if I had to invest in Tesla, I would not invest in the Cybertruck. In fact, that project turns me off investing in Tesla entirely. But say, the Model Y, on the other hand is something I think will be successful so I would bet on it

If you believe that Tesla as a company is a reasonable capital allocator, and that the Cybertruck will end up being a flop, then you should expect that investing in Tesla will mean investing in the successful segments (Model Y per your prediction) and quickly divesting from the unsuccessful ones (Cybertruck per your prediction). The same goes for Apple and Airpods.

Tesla Cybertruck as it currently stands will flop in Europe, as the design is unsafe.

Re: Apple AirPods: iPhone accessory or the next big thing?

#123
post #40

Amazing how Apple managed to make the first cool MP3 player, then the first cool smartphone and now the first cool bluetooth headset. For almost 20 years now, Apple has owned electronic fashion. Sony for example was unable to parlay its Walkman dominance into similar positions with new devices. And make no mistake about it - a huge portion of these sales are people buying Apple's marketing - not buying the tech itsel…

I've wondered if Sony's music ownership interests played a large role in losing that market due to their fear of piracy.

Re: Apple AirPods: iPhone accessory or the next big thing?

#124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The batteries in the other items are replaceable, it’s just not easy. In my understanding, the AirPods batteries simply aren’t replaceable at all.

Then it’s just a matter of what you think is easy enough to be called replaceable. I would wager for most consumers a MacBook battery is not in that category.

There are repair shops for 'most consumers'. They do great work, but even they can't fix an Airpod.

Re: Apple AirPods: iPhone accessory or the next big thing?

#125
post #40

Amazing how Apple managed to make the first cool MP3 player, then the first cool smartphone and now the first cool bluetooth headset. For almost 20 years now, Apple has owned electronic fashion. Sony for example was unable to parlay its Walkman dominance into similar positions with new devices. And make no mistake about it - a huge portion of these sales are people buying Apple's marketing - not buying the tech itsel…

> Sony for example was unable to parlay its Walkman dominance into similar positions with new devices.

Actually the Walkman (which was arguably Sony's second breakout product, the first being a transistor radio) Sony was definitely the cool kid. And don't forget the Playstation or the Trinitron.

In fact Steve Jobs explicitly emulated and admired Sony for their (then) sense of style, customer appeal and quality.

The Sony of today is a different company. Despite the PS2 success I date the decay to when they bought United Artists.

Re: Apple AirPods: iPhone accessory or the next big thing?

#127
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>now the first cool bluetooth headset [citation needed] Honstly every time I see someone wearing earpods I can't take him seriously anymore, they look _so_ bad. There's a lot of options on the market, and airpods are the ugliest of them all.

When you talk to people, you're supposed to look at their eyes, not their ears.

You don't have to talk to someone to judge his looks

Re: Apple AirPods: iPhone accessory or the next big thing?

#128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The batteries in the other items are replaceable, it’s just not easy. In my understanding, the AirPods batteries simply aren’t replaceable at all.

Then it’s just a matter of what you think is easy enough to be called replaceable. I would wager for most consumers a MacBook battery is not in that category.

That most consumers will come to Apple with their laptop for a service and Genius will replace the battery. Will genius replace the battery for their AirPods?

Re: Apple AirPods: iPhone accessory or the next big thing?

#129
post #40

Amazing how Apple managed to make the first cool MP3 player, then the first cool smartphone and now the first cool bluetooth headset. For almost 20 years now, Apple has owned electronic fashion. Sony for example was unable to parlay its Walkman dominance into similar positions with new devices. And make no mistake about it - a huge portion of these sales are people buying Apple's marketing - not buying the tech itsel…

> And make no mistake about it - a huge portion of these sales are people buying Apple's marketing - not buying the tech itself.

By definition all of the businesses that survive are good at marketing - Apple has managed to drive extraordinary value through positioning and differentiation and left everyone else to compete over the collapsing middle market.

Sony’s precise problem was underinvesting on positioning and brand and relying on their technical advantage ... which proved a problem when everyone else caught up with the tech and they couldn’t repeat the trick with other devices.

People say marketing like it’s something to be ashamed of, and that Apple should deliberately hobble itself by being bad at it. It’s really critical.

Re: Apple AirPods: iPhone accessory or the next big thing?

#130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

battery replacements aren't a thing for AirPods. You can send them to Apple to be recycled, though.

https://support.apple.com/airpods/repair/service To replace the batteries: $50 each airpod, $50 for the charging case

I'd bet they just give you a new one.
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