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Apple Exploring Ad-Supported Operating Systems?

daddywags214 said:
I respect your position because I'm a low-income individual myself. But I have to say, why should the BMW experience be reserved for the wealthy? Why should the Ferrari experience be reserved for the wealthy? Swap in anything expensive and you see my point.
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Well, it would all depend on the business model. What if I offered a car rental agency, and I offered to rent you a BMW or a Ferrari for a weekend, for free, as long as you agreed to watch some ads?

I cannot see a useful purpose for this being integrated into the OS, for the reasons I mentioned in a previous post (how would you prevent the user from just reinstalling the OS?) But consider this hypothetical scenario: I am not a heavy Adobe Photoshop user, but I might find myself needing it once every month or two. Instead of forking out hundreds of dollars for the suite, maybe I can pay a much smaller fee, and agree to watch ads before using the software.

I could actually see such a model being useful as a way to "rent" access to something you use infrequently.
 
I agree with those saying this is preemptive against Google. I don't even think it's meant to stop Google, just to have some patents in the arsenal to prevent Google (or similar) from suing Apple.

Intelectual Property litigation now is all about cross licensing and counter suing to avoid actually going to court.
 
Tres said:
I think you guys are thinking about this the wrong way.

With all the rumors of an iTablet lately, I could see it being used for free access to a 3g network. Watch an advert, get 30 minutes of internet access. Or, optionally, spend $10 a month to get unlimited internet.

Personally I'd be more than happy to watch an advert in this kind of situation, especially because I doubt I'd use the internet on it enough to warrant paying $10 a month.
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How long will it be before someone programs a router to simply dump all the ads into a "black hole". That's what I do. There is no need to modify the tablet or install special software on it. My router will check everything against a "blacklist" and if the image, web page or whatever is on the blacklist the router sends a small white square rather then the requested content. I don't see adds. The ads are replaced with white space and the people who put ads on their web page don't know I don't see them.

Routers, proxy servers and DNS servers that block ads are common. I actually use a multi layer approach to blocking adds and I never see them. I never have to wait for them to load either.

So I'd take an ad supported tablet in a minute.
 
The real bummer is the amount of potential time Apple could be spending on this.

Instead of fixing the iPhone, fixing OSX, securing Bluray, updating Apple TV, & finishing the tablet, they bring you an operating system with advertisements.

Think Different!
 
I Hope They Do This!!! I Really Do!

Before I start getting flamerd on my very first post, hear me out. :rolleyes:

I loook at it this way, Why have integrated Ads in the OS? Apple make lots of money from the Hardware that the OS sits on. But what about the hardware that Apple hasn't made??

Could it be that they are preparing a PC version of OSX? possibly free? possibly cut-down a little too? That would make sense, it's kind of like the linux model but more commercial.

Apple *could* give away OSX with no tech-support, but still earn from the Ads. the OSX86 is huge, quite a few PC users after installing OSX on their Wintels actually 'upgrade' to the real deal, so saying that: If apple where to 'give away' the OSX experience, they win both ways. Free OSX, ad spport, you don't want the Ads, heck, buy a MAC!!
 
notjustjay said:
Well, it would all depend on the business model. What if I offered a car rental agency, and I offered to rent you a BMW or a Ferrari for a weekend, for free, as long as you agreed to watch some ads?

I cannot see a useful purpose for this being integrated into the OS, for the reasons I mentioned in a previous post (how would you prevent the user from just reinstalling the OS?) But consider this hypothetical scenario: I am not a heavy Adobe Photoshop user, but I might find myself needing it once every month or two. Instead of forking out hundreds of dollars for the suite, maybe I can pay a much smaller fee, and agree to watch ads before using the software.

I could actually see such a model being useful as a way to "rent" access to something you use infrequently.
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For a rental service, perhaps you're right. I'm with you on there being no useful application for full-on OS ads. Obviously, a ubiquitous application of ads would cause massive user revolt. That's why I'm completely confident that we'll never see a thin Steve standing on stage trying to tell us how cool it'll be to have ads all over OS X. It just won't happen.

General comment, not directed at anyone: As many other people have noted, Apple does a lot of research that never sees the light of day. They pay people to look at all options, and they patent those ideas. They do it because they might make money from those ideas, but not necessarily in an Apple product. Apple computers and devices would be ridiculous if every patent application they filed found its way into a product!
 
JeremyK684 said:
That would suck... a lot. I doubt it'll ever happen though, it would be scandalous for such a big and rich company to do that
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I don't think it will happen either--but not for the reason you wrote. So much of what currently passes as acceptable in our society was also considered "scandalous" (i.e. "couldn't ever happen"), but only it until it was actually done the first time.
 
calderone said:
As long as there is a choice. Who cares if they offer an ad-supported version?
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Many of us see it as degradation of the brand. Ferrari only makes exotic cars; how would it look if they came out with a Ferrari-branded $20,000 family sedan to sell alongside their exotics? It wouldn't change how awesome the exotic was, but it would change the image of the brand and how being part of the experience feels.

(I'm liking these car analogies)

But it still won't happen.
 
The worst part is, even if this were to go through, Apple would STILL charge a premium for their computers. :p And i'd be more than happy to switch back to Windows...you know with all the "big, scary viruses and all."

Seriously, this would be suicide. Investors would bail like crazy.
 
daddywags214 said:
Many of us see it as degradation of the brand. Ferrari only makes exotic cars; how would it look if they came out with a Ferrari-branded $20,000 family sedan to sell alongside their exotics? It wouldn't change how awesome the exotic was, but it would change the image of the brand and how being part of the experience feels.

(I'm liking these car analogies)

But it still won't happen.
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This is extremely weak. And I don't think the analogy works.

OS X isn't an "exotic OS." And it isn't priced exotically. If anything the OS is already a bargain item when compared to Windows. So if this gets someone OS X for free, I don't see how that would change the experience for those who are paying for it OS X. I wouldn't feel any different.

Now, if this is really ad-supported hardware, meaning say a tablet computer that you pay for but it gets free 3G because of the ads. Well, I don't see how that would change the brand image either.

These car analogies have always been weak. And this is no different. Honestly, I think they are mainly purported by people who make these brands apart of their image and thus feel they need to defend against things that would dilute or impact their identity.
 
Just what we need, yet more advertising! I can see myself writing a letter to a girlfriend and an obnoxious popup showing up for condoms.

Any OS with built in advertising will never make it on my computers!
 
calderone said:
This is extremely weak. And I don't think the analogy works.

OS X isn't an "exotic OS." And it isn't priced exotically. If anything the OS is already a bargain item when compared to Windows. So if this gets someone OS X for free, I don't see how that would change the experience for those who are paying for it OS X. I wouldn't feel any different.

These car analogies have always been weak. And this is no different. Honestly, I think they are mainly purported by people who make these brands apart of their image and thus feel they need to defend against things that would dilute or impact their identity.
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Extremely, huh? Okay. Well, I'm not looking to argue. Perhaps it's not an exotic OS, but it's certainly premium. The OS itself is cheap, but the computers are expensive, and it only runs on the expensive computers. So as a whole, it's definitely premium. The car analogy works very well for most people. Also, re: what you mentioned about brands being part of an image: that's what a brand is, especially a lifestyle brand like Apple.
 
daddywags214 said:
Extremely, huh? Okay. Well, I'm not looking to argue. Perhaps it's not an exotic OS, but it's certainly premium. The OS itself is cheap, but the computers are expensive, and it only runs on the expensive computers. So as a whole, it's definitely premium. The car analogy works very well for most people. Also, re: what you mentioned about brands being part of an image: that's what a brand is, especially a lifestyle brand like Apple.
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These car analogies have been used long before you came to like them. And they have always been weak arguments.

Those people are welcome to feel as if the brand is diluted. But in no way should this dictate whether or not there is an option. And what I was saying in terms of a brand was the image of the individual, do you not think it is odd for a person to tie their image intimately with the premium status of a product?

You brought in the hardware even though this is about the OS. What if the "product or service" that will be given is indeed this premium computer? I assume on your analogy that would degrade the brand, right? People getting premium computers with ad watching time.

I will be more explicit in pointing out the flaw in the car analogy, in this case. They are still paying for the product. You pay with money, they pay by watching advertisements. They could potentially be paying more depending on what sorts of deals Apple can make with ad companies.

In your example, you think they are paying less for the same image, because it is obviously not the same car (sedan vs. "exotic"). A closer analogue would be someone buying a Ferrari with cash and buying a Ferrari by being subject to ads on your Nav screen or advertisements on your car (which is done now).

Degradation of the brand should not be an issue in such a case, as they are paying the same amount. Now, you may modify your analogy, but as it stands you suggested that someone paying less for the "same thing" is degradation. I have shown that this is not the case here.
 
OllyW said:
Even the Jobs RDF wouldn't sell this one. :rolleyes:
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But there's no surprise Jobs would be behind it. There's really zero shade of difference between him and Gates.

arn said:
I think the knee-jerk negative reaction is silly. It's obviously an optional thing.
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Even the option is disgusting.

Would you accept a free Mac Mini if it had ads in it? Some people would.
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IMO Apple's computer line has gone seriously astray in the past few years in a number of ways. For me this would be the final straw. The day Apple did this would be the day I left the Apple fold after nearly a quarter century. If Apple is going to be the same hack company as everyone else, why give it any loyalty?
 
exigentsky said:
If this ever becomes a reality, I'm switching to Linux or Windows in a heartbeat.
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With windows you get it automatically for free. Even free AV gets in your computer like the free "PoliceProtect 2009" which is so good it finds viruses 100% on install.
 
Minimoose 360 said:
lolwut? a PC version of OSX? Macs are PCs. That doesn't make the slightest of sense.
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Macs are not PCs.

"Hello, I'm a Mac"
"And I'm a PC"

PC = Any computer that's not a Mac

What he means is Apple could be working on a generic Mac OS X version that runs on anyone's hardware... not just official Macs.

So yes, it does make sense. You don't make sense. Macs are not PCs.
 
TheSpaz said:
Macs are not PCs.

"Hello, I'm a Mac"
"And I'm a PC"

PC = Any computer that's not a Mac

What he means is Apple could be working on a generic Mac OS X version that runs on anyone's hardware... not just official Macs.

So yes, it does make sense. You don't make sense. Macs are not PCs.
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Last time I checked, PC is an abbreviation for "Personal Computer." Obviously a Mac would fall under the class of Personal Computers. "PC vs Mac" is a false dichotomy.

Saying "A Mac is a PC" makes complete sense.
 
The missing Link to Success in the Living Room!

Folks, this is not for the "operating system" you think it is... I'm totally pumped to see this - this is evidence that the AppleTV is in for a major refresh!

"The presentation of the advertisement(s) can be made as part of an approach where the user obtains a good or service, such as the operating system, for free or at reduced cost."

...and

"Many devices have operating systems that control their function. For example, computers, cell phones and handheld devices can have different kinds of operating systems."

Free/Discounted ad supported movies, TV shows etc! Say goodbye to Hulu... I can assure you... I will watch a LOT more shows on AppleTV if I have the option to get free shows with ads. Not to mention, free, ad supported content pumped to the iPhone, anyone?

:D:D
 
I would love an advertisement supported Mac OS X. As long as it would be free, it's not obtrusive, annoying, doesn't disable any features, and it doesn't replace the paid version.
 
bobertoq said:
As long as it would be free, it's not obtrusive, annoying, doesn't disable any features, and it doesn't replace the paid version.
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Heh...advertising that is unobtrusive and non-annoying is advertising that is ineffective and useless.

This is the highest negative rating on an article I've seen in a while, and I have to say I agree. Even if something like this is initially optional, once the mechanism is in place, there will be pressure to make it spread like dry rot.

--Eric
 
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