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The Future - Other companies making iPad's ?

Piggie

Piggie

macrumors G3
Original poster
Feb 23, 2010
9,299
4,341
Was thinking about this.

Given that Apple would like to dominate the tablet market with their iOS devices, and yet at the moment, you either like the iPad's design/looks or you don't.
There is no choice.

I was wondering if, in the future Apple may look to some other brands to produce iPad's under licence. Someone like Sony for example who are known to quality and nicely finished hardware.

Obviously there would be a lot of agreement in place over design/quality etc etc.

But given that it's just not possible for Apple to give consumers much choice other than, this model/design or nothing.

And the fact that there is soon going to be a whole raft of slightly different styled in terms of build/colour/finish etc Android Tablets.

Could Apple spread it's wings a little and not end up as the 1 model at the end of the store display scenario again, whilst the rest of the tablet area is full of a wide selection of Android models.

As I said, of course, there would have to be close work between Apple and whoever got on-board. but having a selection of iOS Tablets rather than just one could help them in the longer term.

Yes/No ?
 
Apple doesn't let anyone run Mac OS X officially apart from their own machines... so I HIGHLY doubt that they would even consider something like this.
 
Oh, I know about the past, but that's the past and not the future.

I could see VERY well made Sony and Toshiba, even B&O iOS Tablets being desirable.

It's just a thought. esp as you can't walk into a store and actually buy an iPad as it's seemingly impossible for one company to supply the world.

It would have to be managed well, and done right, but I don't see why it could not ever happen.
 
Nope. Apple won't license the iPad.

Oh, and you don't need the apostrophe for a plural. It's just "iPads". The apostrophe implies either a contraction of two words (it is becomes "it's") or ownership of a thing (you were right when you referred to the iPad's design as the design belongs to the iPad). You don't put an apostrophe in for a plural.

Thus endeth the spelling/grammar nazi lesson.
 
Piggie said:
Was thinking about this.

Given that Apple would like to dominate the tablet market with their iOS devices, and yet at the moment, you either like the iPad's design/looks or you don't.
There is no choice.

I was wondering if, in the future Apple may look to some other brands to produce iPad's under licence. Someone like Sony for example who are known to quality and nicely finished hardware.

Obviously there would be a lot of agreement in place over design/quality etc etc.

But given that it's just not possible for Apple to give consumers much choice other than, this model/design or nothing.

And the fact that there is soon going to be a whole raft of slightly different styled in terms of build/colour/finish etc Android Tablets.

Could Apple spread it's wings a little and not end up as the 1 model at the end of the store display scenario again, whilst the rest of the tablet area is full of a wide selection of Android models.

As I said, of course, there would have to be close work between Apple and whoever got on-board. but having a selection of iOS Tablets rather than just one could help them in the longer term.

Yes/No ?
Click to expand...

Nope. Apple is a hardware company so I don't think they will make the same mistake as before by licensing their software. They can make much more money selling their hardware. However, never say never.
 
Apple is a hardware company. They only make software to sell their hardware, so they won't liscense out iOS, or at least they won't as long as Steve Jobs is the CEO, after he leaves there may be someone with a different vision that will try it. But you won't see iOS or Mac OS X licensed out.
 
I think its important to recognize that Apple already lets hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of other companies participate in the iOS economy. The iTunes store was a start. But now the App stores for both iOS and Mac computers. And Apple also lets companies make "made for iPad" etc. accessories.

It strikes me as extremely unlikely that Apple will see any value in allowing other companies to make iPads under license. Having a Sony or Panasonic branded iPad roll off the same Foxxcon production line as Apple's brings little, if any, value to the table. And Apple's own experience with clones was not a happy one.

That said, I think it increasingly likely we'll see more licensing of some of Apple's core technologies. Especially media-sharing tech like AirPlay. Apple has already licensed this to audio gear makers Marantz and Denon, making it possible to stream music directly from one's iPad or iPhone (or even iTunes running on a Vista PC) to a receiver. I think its only a matter of time before you see TVs made by Sony or LG able to display video streamed from an iOS device without an AppleTV in between.

Looking a little further down the road, I see Apple expanding this technology licensing to let people play their iCloud material over AirPlay enabled TVs and stereos.

Short Answer: License iOS to third party device-makers? Extremely unlikely. License AirPlay and iCloud access to qualified multimedia device manufacturers - almost 100% certainty.
 
Is it different in America than in is in the UK for Apple products.

I wander into all the typical high street major electrical stores in the UK, and they are pretty much all the same.

You see 2 or 3 vast rows of PC laptops and desktops for sale, from a whole host of makers in many styles, designs and colours, and of course price points.

Then at the end, or to one side is a very small area with a couple of iPads, one iMac and a couple of Macbooks, all priced vastly higher than the PC's.

I'm amazed anyone buys them actually as they seem to be almost a reluctant afterthought in UK major retail stores.

I've no reason to feel that as years go by the same won't be true of Tablets. We could have 10 or 20+ different brands/designs of Tablets, and at the end the iPad sitting on it's own.

I can't see any positive aspect of this scenario.
 
I don't see this happening at all... ever
Unless there were to be some major shifts after Jobs leaves (someday)
And if it were to happen, Apple would fail
 
MacDawg said:
I don't see this happening at all... ever
Unless there were to be some major shifts after Jobs leaves (someday)
And if it were to happen, Apple would fail
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, I don't think it will happen either.
I just think, if done right, it would allow Apple to offer a greater range of iPads than they currently do, and not become the odd ones on the end of the display bench that they will, without question eventually become unless they create a larger range of models.

Perhaps some people want a bright coloured one, some may want a 7" one, some a tough one they can use at work which will get dropped.
Perhaps a waterproof one. etc etc.

Apple will not make those models. I'm speaking about years from now, not in the next 1, 2 or 3 years.

Apple against the rest of the world.
 
Piggie said:
Just to clarify, I don't think it will happen either.
I just think, if done right, it would allow Apple to offer a greater range of iPads than they currently do, and not become the odd ones on the end of the display bench that they will, without question eventually become unless they create a larger range of models.
Click to expand...

The reason there's only one on the end of the display is because they can't find any more display models because they are selling so fast. :)
 
OllyW said:
The reason there's only one on the end of the display is because they can't find any more display models because they are selling so fast. :)
Click to expand...

:D

You could say that, but there are only 2 models, a Black one and a White one and that's it.

You won't really find a typical UK electrical store having say 8 or 10 on display of exactly the same item. One Black, One White and that's that.

At the moment that's fine.

I'm just wondering how it will look in the future.

Two Samsung Tablets, a couple of Dell ones, A Playbook or two, HP's Palm based one, Acer, Toshiba, Sony, Asus, Not even to mention what Msoft have in store, and we may even see Msoft Licence their ones out to others.

If I knew nothing about tablets, it's asking a lot for me, in say 5 years time to walk past rows of various different tablets, all showing impressive demo's just to get to the one or two iPads on the end of the isle.
 
I think Apple dipped their toe into that water with the HP iPod. Don't expect them to do it again.
 
Piggie said:
Just to clarify, I don't think it will happen either.
I just think, if done right, it would allow Apple to offer a greater range of iPads than they currently do, and not become the odd ones on the end of the display bench that they will, without question eventually become unless they create a larger range of models.

Perhaps some people want a bright coloured one, some may want a 7" one, some a tough one they can use at work which will get dropped.
Perhaps a waterproof one. etc etc.

Apple will not make those models. I'm speaking about years from now, not in the next 1, 2 or 3 years.

Apple against the rest of the world.
Click to expand...

I think Apple sells exactly the models of all the products they want to sell
They have no inclination or intention to do what you are suggesting
The fact they do not dilute their brand works to their benefit
and their business model seems to work well
Hard to argue with their success
 
Piggie said:
Is it different in America than in is in the UK for Apple products.

I wander into all the typical high street major electrical stores in the UK, and they are pretty much all the same.

You see 2 or 3 vast rows of PC laptops and desktops for sale, from a whole host of makers in many styles, designs and colours, and of course price points.

Then at the end, or to one side is a very small area with a couple of iPads, one iMac and a couple of Macbooks, all priced vastly higher than the PC's.

I'm amazed anyone buys them actually as they seem to be almost a reluctant afterthought in UK major retail stores.

I've no reason to feel that as years go by the same won't be true of Tablets. We could have 10 or 20+ different brands/designs of Tablets, and at the end the iPad sitting on it's own.

I can't see any positive aspect of this scenario.
Click to expand...

I'd hazard to guess, that with such a small population in the UK, and with their primary stores carrying their products throughout the country, Apple isn't to concerned about a few High Street stores. In fact, I'd bet that such stores are nothing more than afterthoughts.
 
Mac.World said:
I'd hazard to guess, that with such a small population in the UK, and with their primary stores carrying their products throughout the country, Apple isn't to concerned about a few High Street stores. In fact, I'd bet that such stores are nothing more than afterthoughts.
Click to expand...

That's a kind of strange image you have there.

The UK is a very techy country for new products.
We have very few Apple stores, scattered around the place, most people not living anywhere near one.

The high streets are full of very large national electrical stores:

Comet
Currys
PC World

Being the main ones, though there are others. These are the BIG stores that most people live near and sell probably the majority of the high tech electronics around the UK.

Apple stores are pretty insignificant against these stores for most people.

I do wish there were more Apple stores, but they tend only to place them in key areas.

Comet has 250 stores in the UK
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images...90098763031/Hugh-Harvey-managing-dire-006.jpg

Currys has 295 superstores and 73 high street stores in the UK
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ICsJIsKkqsQ/SXc2dpFQt_I/AAAAAAAAACs/OoQdWtweVHQ/s400/Blanchardstown_1.jpg

PC World has 163 Stores
http://i.thelocalpeople.co.uk/275680/Article/images/6864515/1724199.JPG


Apple has 29 stores in the UK
 
Last edited:
Can someone provide an example of one company letting another make products under their brand? This seemed like a silly question to me, but maybe I'm missing the obvious?
 
Piggie said:
That's a kind of strange image you have there.

The UK is a very techy country for new products.
We have very few Apple stores, scattered around the place, most people not living anywhere near one.

The high streets are full of very large national electrical stores:

Comet
Currys
PC World

Being the main ones, though there are others. These are the BIG stores that most people live near and sell probably the majority of the high tech electronics around the UK.

Apple stores are pretty insignificant against these stores for most people.

I do wish there were more Apple stores, but they tend only to place them in key areas.

Comet has 250 stores in the UK
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images...90098763031/Hugh-Harvey-managing-dire-006.jpg

Currys has 295 superstores and 73 high street stores in the UK
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ICsJIsKkqsQ/SXc2dpFQt_I/AAAAAAAAACs/OoQdWtweVHQ/s400/Blanchardstown_1.jpg

PC World has 163 Stores
http://i.thelocalpeople.co.uk/275680/Article/images/6864515/1724199.JPG


Apple has 29 stores in the UK
Click to expand...
Yeah, thanks for the lesson. I live in England. I know exactly what is here.

Compared to China and the US, the whole of UK is a spec in a vast ocean, and just isn't that big of a market. And you really think Apple should concern themselves with a few High Street vendors, when they have Apple Brick and Mortar and online stores to sell Macs, plus O2 and other major mobile vendors selling iDevices? I honestly don't think they care about how the display table looks at a Curry's.
 
Mac.World said:
Yeah, thanks for the lesson. I live in England. I know exactly what is here.

Compared to China and the US, the whole of UK is a spec in a vast ocean, and just isn't that big of a market. And you really think Apple should concern themselves with a few High Street vendors, when they have Apple Brick and Mortar and online stores to sell Macs, plus O2 and other major mobile vendors selling iDevices? I honestly don't think they care about how the display table looks at a Curry's.
Click to expand...

Ok, I did not know you were in the UK :)
 
MacDawg said:
I think Apple sells exactly the models of all the products they want to sell
They have no inclination or intention to do what you are suggesting
The fact they do not dilute their brand works to their benefit
and their business model seems to work well
Hard to argue with their success
Click to expand...

But arguing with Apple's success is what Piggie does best. :)
 
TheWheelMan said:
Can someone provide an example of one company letting another make products under their brand? This seemed like a silly question to me, but maybe I'm missing the obvious?
Click to expand...

Well It's happened many times in a variety of ways.

Can you imagine if only 1 company made the compact cassette and all other companies made a similar but different cassette.

Or only 1 company make the VHS player, but Sony licences say 50 companies to make Betmax.

Or Microsoft was the only one to make Windows machines and Apple licenced 50 company's to make OSX machines

Some of this is hardware and some software related. But history generally shows that it's better to spread yourself across a whole range of companies to produce the widest range of items based on your hardware/software/invention. Than to just keep it all to yourself.

Sure you will have occasional busts of success, but I'm not sure if it generally works out well in the long term with this policy.

You can by like Dyson and make the ultimate Vacuum Cleaner than no one else is allowed to make, but others will copy, and you will walk into a store, see the 4 Dyson models and say 20 or 30 other models, so will Dyson manage always to be the No.1 seller?
 
Well, I guess we shall just have to wait and see what the future holds.

No one would deny Apple are on a high at the moment, thanks to a "cool" factor like Sony had with the Playstation in the past, when any games console was a "playstation."

They really are on the crest of the wave right now.

Only time will tell us where things go from here.
 
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