Apple and Toshiba

[stcanard]

You'd have to wonder how many consumers outside of us rumor geeks really know or care about this. I'd think the universe of potential customers who are oblivious to rumors for iPods and other gadgets is larger than the computer hardware/software universe. There's crossover, but it would seem like there are more non-computer geek types picking up interest in the iPod family.

That's exactly the point. We geeks that read these sites know that new, bigger iPods are probably coming in September. But 99% of the populace has no idea, and will happily buy an iPod this month.

But, if the tech section on CNN has a headline like "Toshiba announces 60GB drive to be put in new iPods", (because, let's face it, iPods are big news these days) that other 99% is going to figure it out and stop buying iPods.

It's not going to happen here, but there are companies that have gone bankrupt because they prematurely announced an upgrade, and sales of their current model tanked while customers waited. Keeping things under wraps is simply good business.

 

[SilentPanda]

Apple has to do this of course. What if Apple starts using Toshiba's "super nifty neural implant brainwave transducer device" and Toshiba let's the public know? They could always just say, "Well you've never cared when we've said something before." Yes "we" all know that Apple will use this 60 gig drive and most intelligent folk are going to know that the iPods will just keep getting bigger and bigger. For all we know Toshiba spilled only "half" the beans and really meant video iPod (yeah I doubt it too but who knows). You have to silence things at some point. Your sales will hurt. Most magazines won't publish rumors (or at least try not to). But if magazines and such start saying something about Apple's soon to be released 60 gig iPod in July-August and nobody buys iPods now then they'll have extra demand when they are released (which is good but can be hard to fill) and if for some reason they can't even release 1 60 gig iPod then then Apple looks like a bad guy to everybody.

Yes... we all are pretty sure Apple will have a 60 gig iPod pretty soon... but if they never do we really can't complain too much because they've never said they would. But if other companies start saying, "Yeah Apple is coming out with <insert iThing here>" and Apple can't produce then their reputation goes down regardless.

 

[JOD8FY]

Apple is not happy.

Am I the only one who finds that phrase funny? I don't know why, but that one got me.

Anyway, I think Apple has a right to be unhappy. Toshiba shouldn't go blabbing about what Apple is going to do. I know, it was very obvious that there would be updates to the HD and possibly to 60GB, but this breaches Apple's "Covert Operation" Code 9076 .

Cheers,
JOD8FY

 

[Tulse]

If you can't trust a supplier to abide by its contractually-obligated secrecy in minor issues, why should you trust them with more vital information?

Sorry -- it may seem like a little thing, but Toshiba (or at least one of its employees) is in breach of a secrecy clause with a company known to be fanatical for its secrecy. I pity the poor sod who spoke out of turn -- they may have jeopardized a multi-million dollar contract for their company.

 

[Sabbath]

I think part of difference is this story has gone beyond rumor sites, click. To people who may have been considering buying and not known how long the various models have been around.

 

[iggyb]

Apple has to do this of course. What if Apple starts using Toshiba's "super nifty neural implant brainwave transducer device" and Toshiba let's the public know? They could always just say, "Well you've never cared when we've said something before." Yes "we" all know that Apple will use this 60 gig drive and most intelligent folk are going to know that the iPods will just keep getting bigger and bigger. For all we know Toshiba spilled only "half" the beans and really meant video iPod (yeah I doubt it too but who knows). You have to silence things at some point. Your sales will hurt. Most magazines won't publish rumors (or at least try not to). But if magazines and such start saying something about Apple's soon to be released 60 gig iPod in July-August and nobody buys iPods now then they'll have extra demand when they are released (which is good but can be hard to fill) and if for some reason they can't even release 1 60 gig iPod then then Apple looks like a bad guy to everybody.

Yes... we all are pretty sure Apple will have a 60 gig iPod pretty soon... but if they never do we really can't complain too much because they've never said they would. But if other companies start saying, "Yeah Apple is coming out with <insert iThing here>" and Apple can't produce then their reputation goes down regardless.

Toshiba never said what Apple was going to do with the drives.

Good points, but I still think Apple is overreacting on this one.

If Apple doesn't release a 60GB iPod, then YES WE CAN COMPLAIN. Once the announcement of the drive is made, Apple will be expected to create this. Wall Street would expect nothing less.

 

[Sir_Giggles]

I can understand. I know that I will probably wait to buy mine now. Things like this can hurt sales.

That is incorrect. It does not hurt sales because you will buy an iPod anyways. You are just delaying your purchase, which means you are just delaying buying your next one. What it does hurt are the surplus of old iPods that can't be moved as everyone is waiting for the new iPods.

 

[SiliconAddict]

well this means for ppl who follow rumors the ipod sales may be affected because people will hold off; but most people dont research it

but apple has always been secretive i think their suppliers should get witht he program and keep tight lipped when they can

OK. The Macrumors site announced a new hard drive size. Unless the people that frequent macrumors are morons they can do the math. Toshiba didn't need to say a word.

As for hurt sales. Ya for what? 2 weeks? Its a good bet Apple was going to announce these at WWDC. So it would have hurt sales anyways. Apple as it stands can't keep up with orders so who cares? This is Jobs's Ego. Pure and simple.

 

[Photorun]

I third, or sixth, or whatever everyone here about Apple/Jobs and his stupid super secret spy BS. So what, Toshiba is making larger hard drives, like we thought they'd stay at 40 GB forever? I mean, give me a break. And how the hell would this hurt sales? Like someone who was in the market for a BIGGER iPod capacity would go "that's it, if Apple had gee whiz wowwee surprised me I'd have bought one but now that I know in advance I'm going to go buy a sh***y Dull Jukebox!" Whatever people, stop sticking up for Apple when they do dumarse childish crap!

 

[Frobozz]

ThinkSecret reports that Apple is upset with Toshiba for revealing that their new 60GB 1.8" drive will be used by Apple in upcoming iPods in July-August.


This information was released in an IDG news article on Wednesday.

EARTH TO APPLE: No one cares except you. Waiting to announce products until the last minute is only to boost Job's ego, not help the bottom line.

 

[socbyset]

I think Apple is justified being angry. Not that it's a big deal or anything, but they should be able to expect their own suppliers not to blab to the press about Apple's upcoming products.

I mean you don't want your suppliers deciding on their own, "oh this isn't that important, everybody can guess it anyway, so we will just announce this to the press in contravention of our clients wishes.."

Also Apple likes their product introductions to have some pizzaz, they don't want people to say "big deal, i already read about that in infoworld a month ago." Again, not that some of us couldn't have guessed, but still.

p.s. I'm not just blindly sticking up for Apple.. in fact I think they do stupid crap all the time! I just agree with them this time.

 

[sonorsven]

I think a lot of people on this board are missing the point. This story was not only mentioned on this board of macoholics who have already guessed that iPod would increase its capacity in the future. It was mentioned on many sites across the internet (such as ipodlounge.com, google news, zdnet, countless popular 'blogs' around the world, even the BBC !) where people who are new to iPods and are considering purchasing an iPod go. A google search of "ipod 60GB" brings 117,000 matching sites. It's hard to believe, but there are still people who are considering purchasing music players that don't know what an iPod is. When they search and find out about the iPod, but learn that Apple is going to bump the size to 60GB, they'll hold off there purchase which hurts apple sales. I can completely understand Apple being mad at Toshiba.

You have to look outside your own perspective on the issue, and look towards what probably most people think. (How's that for a political theory statement!) Most people don't follow apple obsessively like users on this message board. Overall, this came as surprising new information to people. Thousands if not millions of people.

 

[quagmire]

That is incorrect. It does not hurt sales because you will buy an iPod anyways. You are just delaying your purchase, which means you are just delaying buying your next one. What it does hurt are the surplus of old iPods that can't be moved as everyone is waiting for the new iPods.

If apple was doing badly with the ipod this will be a sales hurter. That means everyone will be waiting 3-5 months for the next ipod. Which also means no current sales for the ipod, which means no money going to apple, which means apple is forced to shut down the ipod project . But, luckly apple can recover from this since the ipod is doing so well and will have enough money to hold the ipod project open

 

[JGowan]

Hehe, ... Honestly, why is Apple this secretive? Even if Toshiba didn't say that the harddisks were for Apple, everyone would have guessed so and it's not like we don't buy anymore, because there might be a 60GB in the future, because a size bump has been quite probable.

If you were drooling for an IPOD and was close to plunking down $499 for a 40GB any day now, but then found out that by waiting only a few months, you could score a 60GB unit for the same unit, wouldn't you WAIT?!

If you're asking "Honestly", I have to ask it, too: how can you HONESTLY be so dim-witted? This is going cut majorly into IPOD SUMMER SALES. You can't see that? Honestly?

 

[SiliconAddict]

I pity the poor sod who spoke out of turn -- they may have jeopardized a multi-million dollar contract for their company.

Doubtful. Tosh is the only company that has a 60GB 1.8" drive, for now, and if Apple screws its consumers over simply because they are throwing a temper tantrum.... Screw Apple, screw the Mac, and screw the iPod. I WILL NOT give my patronage to any company that thinks they are more important then their customers.

 

[SiliconAddict]

If you were drooling for an IPOD and was close to plunking down $499 for a 40GB any day now, but then found out that by waiting only a few months, you could score a 60GB unit for the same unit, wouldn't you WAIT?!

If you're asking "Honestly", I have to ask it, too: how can you HONESTLY be so dim-witted? This is going cut majorly into IPOD SUMMER SALES. You can't see that? Honestly?

BS. Apple is prob going to announce the upgrade at WWDC which is weeks away. How would that be any diff then Tosh slipping up?

 

[JGowan]

50 VERSUS 60

What if Apple didn't want to go STRAIGHT to a 60GB model? What if they wanted Toshiba to keep their big mouth shut about the existance of a 60GB model so they could release a 50GB unit and customers wouldn't feel cheated about losing the the other 10GB? Or simply pass the 50GB model up entirely and wait 6 more months for the bigger drive?

This could also negatively impact Apple stock. The people here who are are gleefully enjoying this (pc trolls) or those who don't "get it" aren't really considering this as an opportunity to lose out on millions that would've been theirs if someone would've just keep his mouth shut over at Toshiba.

 

[Fukui]

As for hurt sales. Ya for what? 2 weeks? Its a good bet Apple was going to announce these at WWDC.

What do iPods have to do with a developers conference?

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Apple acts like a big spoiled baby. its about time they stopped playing spy vs spy and start making better products. serves them right. Are they a computer company or a security agency???

Like it was any secret that 60GB HDD's were coming....

 

[afields]

I echo other people sentiments. I really don't see the big deal here. It would be one thing if Toshiba leak specific details regarding ipod features. Obviously, it's a given they would upgrade the hard drive. As for hurting sales, really, aren't the 15-20 gigs more popular than the 40 anyway? Seems to me it wouldn't hurt sales that much.

 

[legion]

This sucks, I hope it doesn't hurt Toshiba's relaionship with Apple, I don't want to pay $350 for a mini.

Mini drives come from Hitachii (HGST) not Toshiba

 

[jcshas]

C'mon Steve get over it! What, a crushing blow to Steve's fragile ego? Larger capacity iPods we're/are imminent - How stupid to they think we are?

 

[iChan]

i didn't even know that toshiba and apple never offically announced the fact that toshiba were in fact supplying apple with the ipod drives.

it's been common knowledge around these parts for a while right?

 

[JGowan]

50 VERSUS 60

I must revisit this thought...

What if Apple didn't want to go STRAIGHT to a 60GB model? What if they wanted Toshiba to keep their big mouth shut about the existance of a 60GB model so they could release a 50GB unit and customers wouldn't feel cheated about losing the the other 10GB? Or simply pass the 50GB model up entirely and wait 6 more months for the bigger drive?

 

[iChan]

I must revisit this thought...

What if Apple didn't want to go STRAIGHT to a 60GB model? What if they wanted Toshiba to keep their big mouth shut about the existance of a 60GB model so they could release a 50GB unit and customers wouldn't feel cheated about losing the the other 10GB? Or simply pass the 50GB model up entirely and wait 6 more months for the bigger drive?

apple doesn't decide what toshiba announce regarding their own products. if toshiba wants to announce that they are working on skipping 61GB-119GB drive in the 1.8" form factor altogether and go straight to 120GB drives, there is precious little apple could do about it.

The problem lies in the fact that toshiba leaked the fact that they were supplying apple with the drives.