Apple Questioned About Netbook (Again) and App Store Pricing and Rank Lists

[Henk Poley]

I imagine Apple doing prototypes like this right now. The best way that touch -or a pen- really makes sense is when you can see what is happening right where you point. The technology to display live updating images with low power consumption isn't really there yet, though. But some of it is coming at the end of this year.

For example Pixel Qi is coming out with ~10" screens, and larger ones next year. Two of these screens would give about 160% of the screen real-estate of a 13" macbook (white/pro/air). The screens were developed for the 3rd world countries, so they will be sunlight readable and pretty cheap. Allowing Apple their profit margins, innovation and charity friendliness status.

These screens can be married with glass touchscreens like on the iPhone. Their screens have the capacity to buffer the image by themselves, without the computer really 'running' (low power). But that of course needs special support by the system to actually power down. Having this technology also for the iPhone and iPod Touch -both basically a large screen, eating power- would make a lot of sense.

The likelihood of seeing such a system from Apple this year seems pretty slim to me, the technology is still not widely available. But it would be something to be proud of, and something you wouldn't really call a netbook.

</thumb-sucking>

 

[Bubba Satori]

Computers for the rich of us. Let them eat cake. Ha.

 

[FoxyKaye]

Meanwhile, the rest of us who need/want a basic netbook will continue to hackintosh Dell Mini 9s and Vostro A90s.

Race to the bottom or not, the market is there for a low-end portable that runs OS X (and not the iPhone OS). Apple can choose to participate in it or not, but I tend to think that unless they come up with a "game changer," entering it with a higher price-point probably won't work.

 

[andiwm2003]

I imagine Apple doing prototypes like this right now. The best way that touch -or a pen- really makes sense is when you can see what is happening right where you point. The technology to display live updating images with low power consumption isn't really there yet, though. But some of it is coming at the end of this year.

For example Pixel Qi is coming out with ~10" screens, and larger ones next year. Two of these screens would give about 160% of the screen real-estate of a 13" macbook (white/pro/air). The screens were developed for the 3rd world countries, so they will be sunlight readable and pretty cheap. Allowing Apple their profit margins, innovation and charity friendliness status.

These screens can be married with glass touchscreens like on the iPhone. Their screens have the capacity to buffer the image by themselves, without the computer really 'running' (low power). But that of course needs special support by the system to actually power down. Having this technology also for the iPhone and iPod Touch -both basically a large screen, eating power- would make a lot of sense.

The likelihood of seeing such a system from Apple this year seems pretty slim to me, the technology is still not widely available. But it would be something to be proud of, and something you wouldn't really call a netbook.

</thumb-sucking>

yep, that is what i'm looking for. OLPC showed the prototypes already a year ago. they are of course trying to make it a $100 laptop. If apple positions this in the $799 market it would be possible today,

 

[Rot'nApple]

Preview of apps on your phone on a temporary basis and, if not already available, search functionality for the app store!

Those are my two favorite things for the new app store

 

[cleanup]

Low user customer satisfaction? I've loved every netbook I've owned. I love my 13" UMBP all the same, but it does have the huge downside of being relatively enormous compared to a netbook. Nowadays, I can't stand having anything larger than a 13" laptop.

Stop being so proud, Apple. Even if your netbook has to be a bit more expensive. At least you'll probably sell more than your pretentious MacBook Air.

 

[Eidorian]

There are other factors here too. Apple is one of those companies that actually takes pride in their products. While profit comes first in a general sense, I think they are telling the truth when they say they don't want to put out a product that doesn't live up to their standards (regardless of the margins). The netbooks have been plagued with build quality issues (and as much as ya'll like to whine about Apple's build quality, I work with and on them on a day-to-day basis, and Apple's build quality overall is excellent, and has been steadily improving since the early G5's, when the quality was not quite so great). Apple doesn't want to put out a machine where they'd be forced to cut that many corners to compete on price (which is what makes a netbook).

jW

What are the quality issues with netbooks? I looked around but I only found some rather old articles that say the quality is low because the margins are low. No actual mention of what the issues were though.

I can bring up a list of problems with Apple's components from over the past decade too. I keep hearing the virtues of Apple's hardware quality when it's standard OEM orders from ASUS and Foxconn. Then everything else attached to it is standard OEM low bid fare.

 

[*LTD*]

Not for me. You can surf the net and do the Facebook thing on an iPhone or iPod Touch, but it's a tad too small to do comfortably for any stretch of time.

True. There have been times when I've felt a bit constrained by the iPhone's screen size, but I appreciated the mobility overall.

 

[DELLsFan]

True. There have been times when I've felt a bit constrained by the iPhone's screen size, but I appreciated the mobility overall.

Me too! I love the utility and mobility of my iPhone ... but as a primary source of web surfing? No, I'm afraid it misses this mark just a bit. Now a larger form factor device like the rumored iTablet / Star Trek PADD-like gizmo, I can imagine being very satisfied with casual surfing on the go.

As for the mobility, well - the larger device wouldn't quite fit in a manly pocket. A backpack or briefcase / tote would work nicely. Maybe I need to invest in a man-purse!

 

[Surklyn]

What happens when the battery runs out?

Either you don't have an iPhone/Touch, or you're just being an ignorant troll.

They make a wall charger. Plug it into that. Still no computer.

 

[litmag01]

$,99 Apps.

Too bad for the higher priced apps. They should charge what the market will bear for the cost of their products. Wah. Wah. Are the $5 - $10 apps really that much better. The current system shows that the iTunes app. consumer is much more willing to pay in the $,99 - $2,99 price range.

 

[ddTaylor]

"they felt the $399 and $499 netbook market held sub-standard products with poor user satisfaction"

Pure ********. Nothing more, nothing less. People are jumping thru hoops to get OSX on Netbooks - and LOVING it. I did.

I agree - my netbook if fine for nearly ALL applications I run INCLUDING Photo Shop Elements. Is it as fast as a new MBA? NO! But it is still fater than notebook from Apple only 4-years ago, and almost ALL of those are still being used for everything you would do on your new Apple set-up.

I get tired of people telling others that netboks suck and cannot do but Internet work at best. OS X does an excellent job on such machines.

D

 

[ddTaylor]

"People", like who??

A niche group on Mac internet forums? Hackintosh netbook users are less than a fraction of a fraction of Apple's market.

Cook is right on about netbooks.

You mean to tell me that all those people who have OSX on a netbook are off a little when they say those set-ups work well for nearly everything a G4 would do? Have you ever seen the benchmarks for the Atom N271 versus a G4 1GHz? The G4 1GHz is used by many millions of people daily for everything from web-design to video editing.

D

 

[*LTD*]

You mean to tell me that all those people who have OSX on a netbook are off a little when they say those set-ups work well for nearly everything a G4 would do? Have you ever seen the benchmarks for the Atom N271 versus a G4 1GHz? The G4 1GHz is used by many millions of people daily for everything from web-design to video editing.

D

I'm sure OS X runs great on netbooks.

So what.

 

[Eidorian]

I'm sure OS X runs great on netbooks.

So what.

I guess the question is why can't Apple do it "better"?

 

[pdjudd]

I guess the question is why can't Apple do it "better"?

The only people that can really answer that would be Apple Engineers.

 

[awr]

i don't really buy the criticism of the app store ranking.

if you're unhappy with the exposure your app is getting, then you should market it yourself.

Apple is already providing a channel and platform for you to sell your app - you want them to market it as well?

you invested all this time into an app - now get out there and sell it - create awareness on your own.

 

[alent1234]

The only people that can really answer that would be Apple Engineers.

it's not an issue of engineering

for years notebook makers have made low end notebooks with desktop components because they are cheaper. years ago there were P4 laptops even though the battery time was crap. Apple is the complete opposite and uses laptop components on all their computers except the Mac Pro line

netbooks aren't meant to be quality devices. they are meant to be cheapo laptops you carry around to surf the internet at Starbucks or the beach if you have a data plan for one. i bet most people don't care if their netbook doesn't have a nice LED backlit screen or a 9400M graphics chip compared to integrated intel. no one will notice anyway.

my wife an I have iphones for this purpose. for us we'll take the small screen rather than pay an extra bill for a netbook to get data everywhere. if Apple were to come out with a tablet i probably wouldn't buy it since i already have an iphone

netbooks are supposed to be so cheap that you don't care if it breaks, you just buy another one.

 

[*LTD*]

I guess the question is why can't Apple do it "better"?

"Can't"?

I'm sure if they intend to, they will.

This whole "why no Apple netbook?" frenzy is being driven by the tech media and the Apple enthusiasts on internet forums. I really don't see the majority of Apple's market (who are willing to pay top-dollar for what they perceive as quality) needing or wanting a "netbook" in the traditional sense of the word.

If Apple releases a small form factor subnotebook or whatnot it'll be very well differentiated from everything else out there, and I don't just mean in terms of price, and that product might evolve a totally new market.

 

[duncyboy]

I think they'll have sat down and asked 'Can we build a small, unibody netbook comparable in build quality/appearance to the existing Macbook line that'll run Leopard and/or Snow Leopard for under $***?' and probably come up with a 'No' somewhere along the line. It would be a case of:

'Why make a small, lightweight netbook with narrow profit margins for around $400/$500 when we can make a tablet offering using existing multi-touch tech for $800/$900?'

It's something few companies make so they'd almost have the market to themselves. Plus Apple loves being able to say 'We don't just follow the crowd, we do our own thing. Everyone else makes Netbooks, we make this...'

Just my tuppence.

 

[pdjudd]

it's not an issue of engineering

It is because Apple designed its own laptops. Those would be the engeneers who desighn the MacBooks. Since the engineers are what determines what Apple gets sold (bearing approval from their supervisors), they would be the ones who would ask.

Apple is not going to use a race to the bottom approach - it will be siomething they designed from the ground up like the Air or the UB design.

 

[ddTaylor]

I'm sure OS X runs great on netbooks.

So what.

Why call them CRAP if the OS of choice for many hear runs well?

If it does well enough to meet the more than minimum requirements of the Apple user - why refer to them as junk? That is clearly incorrect.

D

 

[jouster]

...Since the engineers are what determines what Apple gets sold ...

What? No they don't.

 

[pdjudd]

What? No they don't.

If the engineers don't design the laptops, then who does? Please note that I did say that the designs have to be approved by Apple's management, but the engineers determine what the system looks like and what goes in them. Assuming their designs would be approved, they are ones who would know.

Now if management declines them, thats another issue entirely.

 

[Topher15]

I want this...

Netbook OS X:

...thats becomes...

Tablet iPhone OS:

(Excuse the dodgy proportions.)

...but obviously with the Apple design touch.

How do you think Apple would design one of these if they made one? I'm thinking a beveled edge on the bottom (like the MBP) with a flat/flush screen edit so it it flat however the screen folded.

Or maybe something different with the default position as a tablet, with the screen sliding up (revealing a keyboard) and into a laptop position.


The problem with the iTablet--although I can see some good uses for it--is that it essentially becomes bad at being a portable iPod Touch-like device due to lack of true portability, and it's bad at being a MacBook-like device due to the lack of a physical keyboard and ease of use (i.e. how would you hold the tablet and type, or place it on your lap and look at the screen?).

Exactly what would an iTablet be for anyway? If it is just for apps, media, games, web, etc, then the iPhone/iPod Touch already does this fine. If it's just this on a bigger display it may be good, but I'm skeptical that people would pay a lot for what is essentially just a bigger display. If it is for anything more, such as word processing/document editing then you need a physical keyboard and laptop form factor IMO.

When it comes to the netbook concept it is already clearly defined and has a growing market, which is why I'd say an Apple netbook would have more promise/use (unless of course Apple produce a tablet in a way that no one thought of.) A reasonably priced Apple netbook would be a great way of bringing in new people to Macs.

I disagree. Their reasoning is sound. These netbooks are crap, frankly speaking. Most get them due to price and overlook their shortcomings.

The 'shortcomings' are why people buy them to begin with! People buy netbooks for portability, which entails smaller display, keyboard, less power, etc. As you pay more money you expect more, but if you pay <500 then you know that you're not going to get a MacBook Pro-esque system. That was one of the problems with the MacBook Air. It may have had a full size keyboard and display, but inside it was closer to a netbook and yet was priced in the MacBook Pro range!