I disagree with this. It was not Pegatron's fault, but ASUS's. I say let ASUS continue to prove that they cannot innovate. If they eventually do innovate, then it will only help Apple by providing competition which will make the products better.
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Apple Reportedly Pressures Pegatron into Ceasing ASUS Zenbook Production
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Really Apple? You're already the largest company in the world. Now you are going to stop your suppliers from doing business with the competition? I think this might be taking it too far.
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See above.
Unlike 99% of Android phones, these PCs ARE blatant ripoffs. I really wish Apple would go after these PC manufactures more often, instead of phone patents that will fail in court anyways.
Just shows where Apple's priorities are.
This gives ASUS good cover for cutting production
It's not like they're selling many of them anyway. At least this way they can claim production is falling due to some external reason, rather than lack of demand. It's just like when executives or officials resign because they "want to spend more time with their families."
It's not like they're selling many of them anyway. At least this way they can claim production is falling due to some external reason, rather than lack of demand. It's just like when executives or officials resign because they "want to spend more time with their families."
Fed investigation coming?
This -if true- will almost certainly guarantee an anti-competition investigation from the European Commission and/or the Feds. The EU is a bit over sensitive in these matters and tend to order fines on the order of billions of dollars. See Intel and Microsoft.
It doesn't matter what Apple's reason is for this action, that will be ignored. What the Feds will see is that the company uses its power to directly bully a smaller competitor out of business.
I'm not saying that's true, but that's how the officials will see it.
This -if true- will almost certainly guarantee an anti-competition investigation from the European Commission and/or the Feds. The EU is a bit over sensitive in these matters and tend to order fines on the order of billions of dollars. See Intel and Microsoft.
It doesn't matter what Apple's reason is for this action, that will be ignored. What the Feds will see is that the company uses its power to directly bully a smaller competitor out of business.
I'm not saying that's true, but that's how the officials will see it.
"the company is aiming to become another Apple,"
So is Sony, and every other company in the world. Money does that. Doesn't mean much unless you know how to do it, and are able to actually follow through. Apple didn't get to become Apple by making exact copies of Dells.
"but will instead adopt open-source platforms including ARM and Google combinations, and Windows/Intel to suit consumer demand."
...completely clueless.
So is Sony, and every other company in the world. Money does that. Doesn't mean much unless you know how to do it, and are able to actually follow through. Apple didn't get to become Apple by making exact copies of Dells.
"but will instead adopt open-source platforms including ARM and Google combinations, and Windows/Intel to suit consumer demand."
...completely clueless.
Agreed, if they have a problem with this product then take it up with ASUS.
They shouldn't be using bully boy tactics on the manufacturers.
Come on
I think many of the posters pine for the days when Apple was the little guy fighting against Microsoft, Dell, and the rest to just stay alive. Just as I think many of the posters don't feel quite so special now that everyone and their brother has an iPhone, iPad, MacBook, etc. I think they liked it when they were the cool people and not everyone was in their club.
It was kind of cool, but seeing my stock around $500 is pretty cool to me, too.
I think many of the posters pine for the days when Apple was the little guy fighting against Microsoft, Dell, and the rest to just stay alive. Just as I think many of the posters don't feel quite so special now that everyone and their brother has an iPhone, iPad, MacBook, etc. I think they liked it when they were the cool people and not everyone was in their club.
It was kind of cool, but seeing my stock around $500 is pretty cool to me, too.
+1
sigh apple...I dare any of you to play with the zenbook and tell me it in any way resembles the MBA, the experience isn't the same at all (OSX vs windows not withstanding). If this story is true, and I hope it isn't, they are pulling a msoft of the early 2000s. As far as copies go:
http://micgadget.com/18694/unibody-macbook-air-knockoff-review/
Perhaps but that is a value judgment very clearly influenced by today's social standards: Everyone gets a trophy, no one gets a failing grade, and no company should ever try to make a profit.
Given Apple's actions over the last couple of years, they seem to be recognizing or somehow hitting upon a bad trend in the industry, to which a lot of major players in the industry are complicit (in the softer sense of the word), and to which most of them amongst themselves have agreed to take part in.
Apple objects to this "sharing" of design ideas. This idea that everyone else more or less lets their MS OEM rivals participate in cross-pollination of ideas. This is part of the reason for little to no differentiation outside of Apple.
Apple is unusually aggressive about patenting every last thing they can - about "ownership" of design and ideas. In the early days of Apple Jobs saw foresaw this industry trend and the real dangers of opening your house to everyone. Apple has taken the stance that they will not license their ideas to everyone and that they will patent whatever possible. They've chosen to not give away the farm. I have to agree with this attitude. It's essentially at the heart of Apple and what is at least in part responsible for their success today.
What we're seeing here is another example of of Apple's decision to draw a line in the sand when it comes to sharing their toys. I'm glad they're doing it.
Apple objects to this "sharing" of design ideas. This idea that everyone else more or less lets their MS OEM rivals participate in cross-pollination of ideas. This is part of the reason for little to no differentiation outside of Apple.
Apple is unusually aggressive about patenting every last thing they can - about "ownership" of design and ideas. In the early days of Apple Jobs saw foresaw this industry trend and the real dangers of opening your house to everyone. Apple has taken the stance that they will not license their ideas to everyone and that they will patent whatever possible. They've chosen to not give away the farm. I have to agree with this attitude. It's essentially at the heart of Apple and what is at least in part responsible for their success today.
What we're seeing here is another example of of Apple's decision to draw a line in the sand when it comes to sharing their toys. I'm glad they're doing it.
Ok for all those who cry anti-comptetive/anti-trust your stopped clock is correct. If true this would be anti-comptetitive behavior, of course I can’t imagine Apple being as dumb as the internet anti-fanboys. For the moment I shall assume this is a case of Apple increasing their orders and wanting to award that contract to a single facility. If that forces the manufacturer to decline further contracts with other OEMs due to lack of capacity then so be it.
For the slow learners:
1) Telling a supplier to drop a competitor or they lose your business: Anti-competitive.
2) Feeding a supplier all the work than their facility can handle and supplier having to refuse other contracts to handle the new one: Just business.
For the slow learners:
1) Telling a supplier to drop a competitor or they lose your business: Anti-competitive.
2) Feeding a supplier all the work than their facility can handle and supplier having to refuse other contracts to handle the new one: Just business.
Never said they did. I said you're happy to see them acting in a blatantly anti-competitive manner. Apparently you can't fathom that it's possible to act in an immoral and unethical manner and not be breaking a law.
Good For Apple
My boss has one of these. We sat it side by side with my MacBook Air and were a amazed at how much of a copy it was. The lines were all the same, the connector spacing all the same, the shape was basically identical. The only real difference was color of the metal casing. Apple's is a much lighter aluminum and the Asus was darker, and a little heavier it looked a little more like brushed stainless steal then machined aluminum. Even the little plastic feet on the bottom were identical.
I like to see competition, this is no more then a clone with a different logo. As an investor, I hope that Apple continues to go after them. There are a plenty of other Ultrabooks coming on the market that have chosen to compete rather than copy. More power to them, they will drive innovation. All copying does is reduce innovation, margins and make the competition about price not quality.
My boss has one of these. We sat it side by side with my MacBook Air and were a amazed at how much of a copy it was. The lines were all the same, the connector spacing all the same, the shape was basically identical. The only real difference was color of the metal casing. Apple's is a much lighter aluminum and the Asus was darker, and a little heavier it looked a little more like brushed stainless steal then machined aluminum. Even the little plastic feet on the bottom were identical.
I like to see competition, this is no more then a clone with a different logo. As an investor, I hope that Apple continues to go after them. There are a plenty of other Ultrabooks coming on the market that have chosen to compete rather than copy. More power to them, they will drive innovation. All copying does is reduce innovation, margins and make the competition about price not quality.
Before you talk about Apple's morals and ethics, apply the same strictures to ASUS and the other blatant MBA knock-off artists. Some of the also-rans' hardware is nearly a one-to-one copy. Of course Apple isn't going to sit by and let otherwise poorly-differentiated leechers use Apple as their collective R&D dept.
they can make profit as much as they want but asus is no danger to apple. we should keep all in mind that competition is very important. without asus etc. apple wouldn't be forced to be innovative.
Lazy?
Good artists borrow. Great artists STEAL. - Steve Jobs
That said, personally I was hoping to see Apple's war chest of cash used for something other than World of Lawsuits.
Pegatron is one operating in an immoral and unethical behavior, Apple is simply requiring its supplier Pegatron to not sell its designs to other companies. I see nothing wrong with Apple requiring its suppliers its to operate with a small amount of ethics.
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Competition is useful to a point. But as the saying goes, competition brings out the best in products but the worst in people. We shouldn't be surprised by this is what I'm getting at.