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Apple's Tipping Point: Macs for the Masses (very interesting)
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interesting ideas, and they make sense. hopefully he is right!!
though i would question whether this was actually the work of a slow business model from the outset or just some luck and the realization that the market needs to be followed (all this would fall apart if, say, the original ipod never took off).
though i would question whether this was actually the work of a slow business model from the outset or just some luck and the realization that the market needs to be followed (all this would fall apart if, say, the original ipod never took off).
When I saw the announcement for the mac mini, I was truly floored. This means that Apple is now serious about increasing marketshare. I would not be surprised if they are up to 20% or more marketshare in five years.
In my mind, I see the mac mini going out and taking a big chunk of the cheap pc market. Cheap pc's are crap. Celeron processors run like dogs even before the machine gets infected with malware. As a tech professional, people ask for my assistance in buying computers all the time. Until the mac mini I would never have pointed someone to a mac. But now, I would definitely point them to the easy to use macs because it's a better value in that low end space.
The mac mini will be huge for apple. We haven't seen any real competition to windows home users in so long..it's exciting to see Apple bare the fangs and push for marketshare. when companies are this interested in competing, customers benefit.
In my mind, I see the mac mini going out and taking a big chunk of the cheap pc market. Cheap pc's are crap. Celeron processors run like dogs even before the machine gets infected with malware. As a tech professional, people ask for my assistance in buying computers all the time. Until the mac mini I would never have pointed someone to a mac. But now, I would definitely point them to the easy to use macs because it's a better value in that low end space.
The mac mini will be huge for apple. We haven't seen any real competition to windows home users in so long..it's exciting to see Apple bare the fangs and push for marketshare. when companies are this interested in competing, customers benefit.
he has an interesting point, but its hard to say for sure that the mac mini will be the tipping point for apple.
i don't know if this was where the blogger was going, but read malcolm gladwell's "The Tipping Point" where he examines social phenomenon and what makes something go from obscure to popular seemingly overnight. While the mac mini might be what makes apple tip, i think only time will truly tell. i also don't think price point is the entire focal point for what will make apple tip (if it was, ipod would have tipped at ipod shuffle, not when big ipod ruled the show.
i don't know if this was where the blogger was going, but read malcolm gladwell's "The Tipping Point" where he examines social phenomenon and what makes something go from obscure to popular seemingly overnight. While the mac mini might be what makes apple tip, i think only time will truly tell. i also don't think price point is the entire focal point for what will make apple tip (if it was, ipod would have tipped at ipod shuffle, not when big ipod ruled the show.
question fear said:
I really like this chart and analysis. I agree with "question fear" in that only time will tell if the mac mini will be the tipping point. But in my mind, the iPod Mini was the tipping point for the ipods. I think the iPod shuffle will serve two purposes. One, it will take the iPod's tipping point and turn it into an avalanche. Two, it will assist with the mac mini being the tipping point on the computer side of things.
This is why I love Apple. Quality and design are top priority which will not be sacrificed for the mass market. It just took a long time to realize a product for the masses which was both excelent in quality and design.
I think the chart achieves a lot of its "argument" through graphical trickery. What's the point of putting the "sweet spot" in the middle of the chart? To make it seem like there was some sort of inevitable progression toward that spot, as if it were some kind of grand plan of Apple's.
Apple has been quite open about their plan. They brought out the iPod when they realized that it would be a better mass-market entry than a low-cost PC. When they started noticing the "halo effect" they realized it would be a good time to reconsider the low-cost PC market. Actually, the Mac Mini is not really a low cost PC, more like a mid-cost PC, but it will probably attract a lot of interest. The Mac Mini is Apple's Honda Accord to Gateway's Yugo. I think they'll sell a lot of Accords.
Apple has been quite open about their plan. They brought out the iPod when they realized that it would be a better mass-market entry than a low-cost PC. When they started noticing the "halo effect" they realized it would be a good time to reconsider the low-cost PC market. Actually, the Mac Mini is not really a low cost PC, more like a mid-cost PC, but it will probably attract a lot of interest. The Mac Mini is Apple's Honda Accord to Gateway's Yugo. I think they'll sell a lot of Accords.
I am not very sure about mac mini, but iPod shuffle would certainly wash away every other flash player,and is definitely the tipping pont. There is already too much demand to handle. Yesterday macmall.com had the shipping in 1 week. Today they extended it to 2-3 weeks. I called them up and they said that it would arrive in their warehouses on 28th Jan.
I am getting impatient..
I am getting impatient..
interesting...
undoubtedly, people will compare mini to the cube. but unlike cube, mini is so well priced that it will inspire some inpulse buys.
and the thing about "expensive" BTOs... i think it'll be ok. many PC users are used to being lured by $399 Dell ads, but in the end spending more than that with accessories and add-ons.
undoubtedly, people will compare mini to the cube. but unlike cube, mini is so well priced that it will inspire some inpulse buys.
and the thing about "expensive" BTOs... i think it'll be ok. many PC users are used to being lured by $399 Dell ads, but in the end spending more than that with accessories and add-ons.