Analyst Tim Bajarin recently spoke with some of Apple’s competitors, and he received some interesting feedback on just how they feel about Apple, and more tellingly, what they FEAR about Apple.
Bajarin, writing for Tech.pinions:
The first thing they told me is that they really respect Apple and find them to be very important to the industry in general. And to a company, they feel an exceptional team of leaders runs Apple and they fully expect Apple to have a leadership role in PCs, tablets and smartphones for many years, even with Steve Jobs out of the picture.
When Bajarin asked them what they really fear about Apple, he didn’t receive expected answers like “great industrial design”, or the fact that Apple owns their software, hardware, and services, or even their $117 billion in cash. What really has them running scared? “…the fact that Apple sees the future and then creates products that people want, even if people do not know they want them.”
Most of the companies Bajarin spoke with create their products along an evolutionary timeline. Their desktops, laptops, and mobile devices are created with the idea of making them faster and better looking.
Apple takes a different path to success. Future products are approached two ways. First, they look at an existing product and find its flaws. Then they redesign the product around what they believe the consumer wants, and then they tie in advanced software and services. They create complete solutions.
A great example of this approach is the iPod. Apple did not invent the MP3 player, they merely reinvented it. Apple added their magic to it by building an eco system of software, services, and content. Today they still own 70% of the MP3 player market, with no true competitors in the space.
The iPhone and iPad were created using the same line of thinking. Apple was not the inventor of smartphones and tablets. They merely refined them. Give the people what they want, before they even know they want it.
Living with Apple hanging over their heads keeps its competitors in Apple’s shadow, waiting for the next product to drop, so they can attempt to follow the trend it sets.
