Your response illustrates the point I was making. If Apple releases incrementally improved versions of existing products, they are lambasted for not doing enough. When Sony does the same, they are innovating. Different expectations resulting in different standards.
Incidentally, the key to the importance of the iPod wasn't the device so much as it was the iTMS. The combination of the two turned the music industry on its ear. It was a case of Apple figuring out how to make something big happen, where others had tried and failed. Including Sony.
Interesting that my responces keep illustrating your point, while your ignore the point I'm making.
trust me, we are not talking about the same thing.
Sony, and by virtue Japanese companies are not innovators . Both Sony and Apple at thier peak , produced better versions of products that were already existing , both can claim its innovation , while in reality it's refinement. Sony went through a golden age of producing refined electronic goods .... Apple also went through a golden age... Fan will call this innovation.
Let me explain using consoles , when Sony launched the PlayStation, it was the best console in the industry , refined, sleek, ahead of its time, and an excellent implementation of user experience , hardware and software. They copied everyone and got it right . They were way head of the pack.
Now enter Apple, they release the iPod, same thing , excellent implementation of user experience of hardware and software
Neither one of them invented anything , they "innovated" by copying and getting it right.
Do the same thing for 5-10 products for both companies , and you can see that at the peak both companies were "innovating" and leading their respective industries , ahead of the pack.
Now for MY point. Sony, went from pack leader to being just one of the pack, they stopped making new class leading products, they fragmented their own product lines, canabilized thier own product lines and instead of thier products leading the industry , they started copying the competition. Case and example , PlayStation ..... They let Microsoft , and Nintendo back , cause they cruised.....
Sound familiar with Apple at the moment? Say industry leading iPhone, now being part of the pack, and taking featured from the competition.
Do you see my point now? Sony stopped being the pack leader.....with its products far superior to others.
Which leads me to the last point you raised, where Sony got it wrong and where Apple got it right, and the danger Apple faces. Greed and proprietary software / hardware. iPod was not a superior product, Sony could have created an iPod killer big time, but they stuffed up big cause they got greedy, thier superior players were hamstrung by proprietary memory sticks and that stupid Sony conversion software, meaning you had to convert all music you had..... The iPod allowed you to drag and drop MP3 songs.... On Mac and PC, Rest is history . Stupid management and greed meant they let a competitor through . Remind you of anyone leading Apple at the moment that puts profit first ?
When I say , Apple is going be way of Sony, do you understand my point ? I'm not illustrating your point. It's about leading the pack, not Being part of it.
