Is Apple really a hardware or software company?

[Rogifan]

So the new buzz out there from Business Insider and others is that Apple needs to be worried because more and more customers are choosing not to use default iOS apps, and Google is basically winning from within. Over at The Street Rocco Pendola says this is nonsense and all Apple really cares about is that people keep buying Macs, iPods, iPhones and iPads, and providing great hardware and a great user experience to entice people to do so. He claims software is a "hobby" at Apple. Now I think that's absurd, but it did get me wondering how much Apple really cares what apps you use on your iOS devices. And if they're concerned as much as some people are about Google (or anyone else) supposedly attacking them from within. I get the sense Tim Cook doesn't have time for that BS, whereas it probably would have driven Jobs crazy.

Thoughts?

[octatonic]

Both.

[ECUpirate44]

The way they've come out with products lately, they're a hardware company. In the end, look at the balance sheet and you will find apple makes money from selling hardware. The software needs tons of work.

[GermanyChris]

Apple is a lifestyle company, they sell the ecosystem and coolness. The hardware really is just the gate price.

[G51989]

Originally Posted by GermanyChris

Apple is a lifestyle company, they sell the ecosystem and coolness. The hardware really is just the gate price.

Lifestyle company? Huh?

They sell computers and phones, I would hardly call that a lifestyle.

Apple is neither. They are a systems vendor.

[GermanyChris]

Originally Posted by G51989

Lifestyle company? Huh?

They sell computers and phones, I would hardly call that a lifestyle.

Apple is neither. They are a systems vendor.

No they sell cool, the price of being cool is the phone/tablet/computer.

[G51989]

Originally Posted by GermanyChris

No they sell cool, the price of being cool is the phone/tablet/computer.

I've never met anyone who judged how " cool " someone is by the phone they use, or type of computer they use. Nor what kind of tablet they use.

[quagmire]

They are a hardware company. That is where their profits come from. The software helps sell the hardware.

[GermanyChris]

Originally Posted by G51989

I've never met anyone who judged how " cool " someone is by the phone they use, or type of computer they use. Nor what kind of tablet they use.

But you're you not everyone...

[G51989]

Originally Posted by GermanyChris

But you're you not everyone...

How shallow does one have to be to judge someone based off budget goods? Does someone base their entire life around a phone?

[phrehdd]

They are both.

For a "lifestyle or eco system" you need both.

My take is simple -

Apple hardware holds the OS hostage.
MS OS holds the hardware hostage.

I kind of like the notion of an all in one solution but of the last year or so, I am in that group that is unhappy with Apple's bending us to their will mentality. It reminds me of Henry Ford's famous quote - "You can have any colour you want (for the car) as long as it's black."

[QuarterSwede]

Originally Posted by quagmire

They are a hardware company. That is where their profits come from. The software helps sell the hardware.

As they themselves have stated over and over.

[Rogifan]

Originally Posted by quagmire

They are a hardware company. That is where their profits come from. The software helps sell the hardware.

Question is do they need their own software to sell the hardware? Lets just say for the sake of argument the majority of iOS users start using Google apps across the board and throw Apple apps in an unused folder. Does Apple care as long as people keep buying iPhones and iPads?

[GermanyChris]

Originally Posted by G51989

How shallow does one have to be to judge someone based off budget goods? Does someone base their entire life around a phone?

I dunno?

But you stated the problem. When did apple become a phone company?

[G51989]

Originally Posted by GermanyChris

I dunno?

But you stated the problem. When did apple become a phone company?

I don't think anyone in their right mind bases their life around what TYPE of dumb or smart phone they own, I don't care if its made by Apple, Samsung, RIM, or Nokia or whoever, as long as it does its job. I don't consider a brand name a life style.

Problem? The iPhone has made Apple a great success.

[GermanyChris]

Originally Posted by G51989

I don't think anyone in their right mind bases their life around what TYPE of dumb or smart phone they own, I don't care if its made by Apple, Samsung, RIM, or Nokia or whoever, as long as it does its job. I don't consider a brand name a life style.

Problem? The iPhone has made Apple a great success.

Again you're you.

Someday you are going to realize that you an I will not agree on anything so the continuation of this is somewhat pointless.

[76ShovelHead]

Originally Posted by Rogifan

Question is do they need their own software to sell the hardware? Lets just say for the sake of argument the majority of iOS users start using Google apps across the board and throw Apple apps in an unused folder. Does Apple care as long as people keep buying iPhones and iPads?

I think it's evident that they no longer really care about the software (like they used too).

Perhaps it will change now that Jony has control.

But yes, they only really want to sell the hardware.

[G51989]

Originally Posted by GermanyChris

Again you're you.

Someday you are going to realize that you an I will not agree on anything so the continuation of this is somewhat pointless.

I can agree to disagree.

But, I don't think Apple is just a phone company. They make other products.

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by Rogifan

Question is do they need their own software to sell the hardware? Lets just say for the sake of argument the majority of iOS users start using Google apps across the board and throw Apple apps in an unused folder. Does Apple care as long as people keep buying iPhones and iPads?

Just because the majority of iOS users might not use Apple branded apps (I for example only use Mail, App Store, Camera and Music on my iPad, the rest of the apps are not from Apple), the underlying OS has to be made by Apple. Same goes for Macs, Mac OS X, or OS X now, can only be made by Apple.

Again, Apple is a hardware company, that uses the software they provide for their hardware, to sell their machines. Mostly it worked for me, but as of 2011, they are no longer writing a desktop OS for my needs. The same can be said for iOS probably, but iOS still provides and suffices my mobile tablet needs.

[76ShovelHead]

Originally Posted by ECUpirate44

The way they've come out with products lately, they're a hardware company. In the end, look at the balance sheet and you will find apple makes money from selling hardware. The software needs tons of work.

I'm not sure how to take that.. Haha.

The software does need some work, as in their latest versions are lacking in comparison to their old stuff. But OS X remains as solid as ever.

This week alone I couldn't start Windows 8 because it had a "missing or damaged kernel."

It was the first time I booted Windows 8 in like a month.

Windows 8 can also slow down, and applications freeze sometimes. I never experience this in OS X on the same hardware.

[ECUpirate44]

Originally Posted by 76ShovelHead

I'm not sure how to take that.. Haha.

The software does need some work, as in their latest versions are lacking in comparison to their old stuff. But OS X remains as solid as ever.

This week alone I couldn't start Windows 8 because it had a "missing or damaged kernel."

It was the first time I booted Windows 8 in like a month.

Windows 8 can also slow down, and applications freeze sometimes. I never experience this in OS X on the same hardware.

I'm more complaining about iOS, but I think ML and lion were weak on useful features.

[76ShovelHead]

Originally Posted by simsaladimbamba

Just because the majority of iOS users might not use Apple branded apps (I for example only use Mail, App Store, Camera and Music on my iPad, the rest of the apps are not from Apple), the underlying OS has to be made by Apple. Same goes for Macs, Mac OS X, or OS X now, can only be made by Apple.

Again, Apple is a hardware company, that uses the software they provide for their hardware, to sell their machines. Mostly it worked for me, but as of 2011, they are no longer writing a desktop OS for my needs. The same can be said for iOS probably, but iOS still provides and suffices my mobile tablet needs.

Whats wrong with the latest OS X? I know Mission Control is kinda ehhh.

----------

Originally Posted by ECUpirate44

I'm more complaining about iOS, but I think ML and lion were weak on useful features.

Yeah... I can see that, iOS is getting stale. I don't really care for the new features in OS X either, I hope Apple picks up their game.

Still better than Windows

[GermanyChris]

Originally Posted by 76ShovelHead

Whats wrong with the latest OS X? I know Mission Control is kinda ehhh.

Nothing is wrong with 10.7 and 10.8, but then again nothing is really right about them either* The last couple OSX updates were meh. My MP is on 10.6 and my MBP is on 10.8 they're both fine but my MBP has twitter and FaceBook integration as well as a lock that needs changed.


* the last two OS upgrades added support for a bunch of graphics cards

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by 76ShovelHead

Whats wrong with the latest OS X? I know Mission Control is kinda ehhh.

It lost colour (Finder's Sidebar), gained almost no features useful for me (Notifications are nice though) and pretty much destroyed Spaces. Mission Control is just ****ed up, it does not even allow things Spaces did, for instance dragging one window from one Space into another. Now one has to be in the Space one wants to drag from, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard were different.
I used 16 Spaces once, got down to 12 Spaces later and I am now at 9 Spaces. Even 9 virtual desktops would be too much in MC.
I am, and many others, but definitely not the majority, not the target audience anymore. The iPhone changed all that. That is more than okay for Apple, but is not my cup of tea, and if I ever get a new Mac, it will probably be a Hackintosh with "outdated" Sandy Bridge components, thus I can run Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.

I tried Mac OS X 10.7 Lion twice in 2011 and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion twice this year. The longest I could endure with Lion was a month on my secondary Mac and the shortest was Mountain Lion for less than 12 hours on my primary Mac. I tried, but I am too old for this "excrement".

PS: While I am not an older Mac OS user, I started with Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and upgraded to a new Mac OS X version within almost a week or two upon release until Mac OS X 10.7 Lion.

[quagmire]

Originally Posted by GermanyChris

Nothing is wrong with 10.7 and 10.8, but then again nothing is really right about them either* The last couple OSX updates were meh. My MP is on 10.6 and my MBP is on 10.8 they're both fine but my MBP has twitter and FaceBook integration as well as a lock that needs changed.


* the last two OS upgrades added support for a bunch of graphics cards

That's how I see it as well. Nothing wrong with OS X really. But it's been stagnant since Leopard( not dissing Snow Leopard as it was a much needed maintenance upgrade that got rid of a lot of crap, but it didn't do anything for OS X overall).