technology Is Apple Collapsing?

[3005 330]

Reports from within Apple suggest that under Tim Cook, Apple is beginning to wobble on its pedestal of success. Since Steve Jobs resigned and then passed away, Apple has introduced what have been unanimously dubbed 'lackluster products', such as the bug-filled iOS 6, catchup-iPhone 5, and boring new iPad (third generation iPad). One particular problem that Apple is facing right now is its Maps application, which Tim Cook actually publicly apologized for, and directed iOS users to use various other map apps on the App Store.

 

Beyond unpolished and bland --- not to mention predictable --- products, intense internal struggles are cropping up, with several predicting a post-Jobs era 'civil war.' Why? Half of the company are rallying to stop using Jobsian methods, such as the incorporation of skeuomorphism, which is when a user-interface is designed in a way that mimics design from the offline, non-software world. For example, iBooks features a realistic bookshelf. A large amount of designers feel this reduces the design experience considerably. One former senior UI designer at Apple who worked closely with Jobs wrote:

 

"It's visual masturbation. It's like the designers are flexing their muscles to show you how good of a visual rendering they can do of a physical object. Who cares?"

 

Apple iOS Vice President Scott Forstall, on the other hand, is said to be reminiscent of Jobs (in both temperament, work style, and vision) and pushing for the use of faux paper shredders, stitched leather, a green poker table, and other designs. Emails are said to be circulating from within Apple amongst its large design team, whereas executives like Jony Ive and Scott Forstall are battling to maintain Jobs's ideas.

 

Thoughts on this? I don't think that Cook has the leadership abilities to preserve Apple should it relapse into a pre-Jobs era.

[FaZe Vinyl 521]

Tim Cook is not Steve Jobs. What they need to do is go back to doing what they did. Going back to making original, creative products like they did with the iPod. I see Apple TV with a lot of potential if they develop it right,

[One 498]

So what? I never liked apple. But yes, their products seem to have gotten even worse then their terribleness already was.

 

For a minute let us all catch up with the equation of:

Linux > Windows > Apple

[Samurshy 708]

Are you kidding me? Under Tim Cook, the iPhone 5 was released and sold more than any other mobile phone product ever. The iPad 3 has the best resolution you can get, with pictures so vivid that it rivals almost any big screen televisions out there. Sure there have been some bugs, like with the maps application. But I would say Apple is doing better than ever right about now.

[AegisReflector 886]

Apple still has the same people on their designing team. The only person missing is Steve Jobs. I'm sure that they will bounce back from their slump, but just like every company, they have sort of a dry period. Heck, just look what happened to Rare.

[Bohtty 1,775]

Linux > Windows > Apple

 

Lol ok first of all, each OS/Company is good for different things in the computer industry.

 

For average personal computing its:

Mac>Windows>Linux

 

For gaming it's

Windows>Mac>Linux

 

For art Windows and Mac are pretty equal.

 

The only thing Linux really has over the other computers is the powerful command line and its ability to be more secure than other OS's on average.

 

Overall it's Windows>Mac>Linux.

 

Do not bother bringing up Wine or any other emulator/VM type programs. I'm only talking about software that runs natively. Besides, while it is true that Linux can run software for other OS's through things like Wine, so can other OS's. The only differences is that Linux has nothing people want to run.

 

In the mobile department it is still

Apple>Android>Windows

 

Simply by nature of the appstore being larger. Android is sorta catching up, but it's still the ugliest mobile OS. Window's Mobile OS is the best looking.

 

As for on topic:

Apple is definitely going to dip, that is for sure. If it collapses, it'll probably be in several years. They still make the most popular MP3 player and Phone which is majority of their market. Their Ultrabooks are the best and are definitely worth the price contrary to popular belief. So they still have stuff to sell, they just aren't as good as they were the years before. It's hard to say for sure. They could easily rebound since Jobs wasn't the only person fueling the creativity there.

Edited October 11, 2012 by Bohtty

[Nah 3,181]

Why of course, sure they released the iPhone 5, sure they sold a lot of them. So far not impressive. You also forgot to mention their lawsuit with Samsung that was incorrectly decided. Thanks to that, they're enemies with Google now.

 

Apple needs more original ideas, not updates to current ones.

[3005 330]

Are you kidding me? Under Tim Cook, the iPhone 5 was released and sold more than any other mobile phone product ever. The iPad 3 has the best resolution you can get, with pictures so vivid that it rivals almost any big screen televisions out there. Sure there have been some bugs, like with the maps application. But I would say Apple is doing better than ever right about now.

 

What? No. The Samsung Galaxy S3 sold 9 million in preorders alone (iPhone 5 racked up 2 million in preorders), and has since sold 20 million S3s. The iPhone 5 has sold far less than even Tim Cooke expected (http://www.businessinsider.com/tim-cook-iphone-5-sales-2012-9).

[Bohtty 1,775]

Are you kidding me? Under Tim Cook, the iPhone 5 was released and sold more than any other mobile phone product ever. The iPad 3 has the best resolution you can get, with pictures so vivid that it rivals almost any big screen televisions out there. Sure there have been some bugs, like with the maps application. But I would say Apple is doing better than ever right about now.

 

Yes, but just because it sold more doesn't mean its better. It could just mean that more people know about it, more people have the money to afford it, a larger population, etc. Just because they sold more doesn't mean there product is improving or that they are doing better.

[null1 606]

So what? I never liked apple. But yes, their products seem to have gotten even worse then their terribleness already was.

 

For a minute let us all catch up with the equation of:

Linux > Windows > Apple

 

Yeah well, that's like, just your opinion man...

 

Biased snobby opinion if I might add. All their stuff isn't terrible, then again I use their stuff it and have enjoyed it. I don't see much with the iPhone 5 though. People are buying more of the Apple stuff then they are Linux stuff. And don't say it's cause they're slaves, the market buys what it wants. Linux is interesting though, don't get me wrong.

[Samurshy 708]

Yes, but just because it sold more doesn't mean its better. It could just mean that more people know about it, more people have the money to afford it, a larger population, etc. Just because they sold more doesn't mean there product is improving or that they are doing better.

 

I thought the question was "is apple collapsing" and I took that as, are they failing as a business? No, they are most definitely not failing as a business. They are not collapsing, maybe design wise. But Apple is getting so much revenue right now, that it will not be collapsing any time soon.

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

Yes, Apple is definitely collapsing. The iPhone 5 was just an update on the previous, so I can say they need more original ideas.

[Dark Qiviut 22,191]

Not at all.

 

1. The iPhone 5 and third-generation iPad have had successful sales. (BTW, the reason why the iPhone 5 didn't sell as much as they hoped is because they didn't create enough of them.)

 

2. The company's stock is still extremely huge.

 

3. The iPod is still selling very well.

 

4. The company is profiting very well and is still debt-free.

 

5. Tim Cook may not be Steve Jobs, but he is successful, smart, creative, and convincing. Cook knows the ins and outs of Apple's products, goals, and passion for success. Jobs wouldn't have chosen him as his successor unless he had a very good reason.

[Brave Hooves 113]

Isn't Apple like worth more than than the entire US $13 trillion economy right now? Their (overpriced) products still seem to sell like free food in Africa. I doubt they're going anywhere within our lifetime.

[Samurshy 708]

What? No. The Samsung Galaxy S3 sold 9 million in preorders alone (iPhone 5 racked up 2 million in preorders), and has since sold 20 million S3s. The iPhone 5 has sold far less than even Tim Cooke expected (http://www.businessi...-5-sales-2012-9).

 

Eheh, well I guess that is what I get for listening to the nightly news. But still, do realize how much revenue this company makes from iTunes alone. I highly doubt that they will "collapse" any time soon. I personally use Apple products every day. I love my macbook pro, it is a very efficient machine. I have owned both a Galaxy Nexus and now an iPhone, and I have to say, in terms of smoothness, responsiveness, and practicality, I have to hand it to the iPhone 4s. Not to mention Siri is the best damn thing to happen ever . I guess I have my own biases when it comes to this subject. It is sort of like the whole Xbox v. PS3 debate. I have owned both, my Xbox's have all either RROD or fell and broke from the shock. I have dropped my PS3 from 5 feet turned on, and it did not even scratch the disk. But I am off topic. Like I said, I hold my own biases from personal experience. And when it comes to mobile phones, every android OS I have ever owned has been unresponsive crap.

[Creamy Arty 6,251]

I'm more concerned about the security of their products than anything else:

 

"When the installed base [of an OS] is 10 percent or less, the bad guys don't care,” says Peter James, spokesperson for Mac antivirus and security product vendor Intego. The bigger the user base, the more attractive the target, he says. Web analytics firm NetMarketShare.com estimates that the Mac installed base has jumped to 13 percent in the United States, and research firm Gartner says that Apple has become the fastest-growing U.S. computer maker--overtaking Acer and Toshiba--over the past year.

Sauce.

 

Like every other company, they've seen their ups and downs in terms of quality. I've always thought they made good products for the most part, but the Apple mindset and business model have always turned me away. Now that the Macintosh user base is growing to a level that's worth someone's while to attack and that Apple's iOS products comprise a significant share of their respective markets, they'll have a lot more security concerns on their hands. Especially given that iOS and OS X share the same kernel. With Microsoft's plans to eventually have PCs, Windows Phones, and future versions of the Xbox all using the same operating system, they'll have the same issue, the only difference being that Windows itself has always been kludgy and every ne'er-do-well's primary target.

 

Apple has been given a wake-up call regarding their security blunders, but they tend to get overconfident and too complacent. I guess we'll see if they've learned their lesson as they continue to grow. The launch of Windows 8 might speed that up a bit; it'll be interesting to see how that turns out.

 

You also forgot to mention their lawsuit with Samsung that was incorrectly decided.

Ah yes, Apple's "black rectangle problem." At least judge Posner has some sense. Check out his ruling on Apple's claim that a tap is a "zero-length swipe."

[Killian Jones 2,653]

Apple isn't going to collapse, but it's going to shrink. Other companies are rapidly catching up and overtaking in areas which Apple dominated a few years ago, the tablet market, the smartphone market. In fact it is expected that Windows Phone will slightly overtake iPhones by 2015. (I cannot claim source as I can't find it, but I have read it) In terms of tablets Samsung is a major competitor with their Galaxy Tabs. Hell, I own one and I think it's great.

 

Secondly, they aren't making themselves popular within the rest of the industry, often suing other companies over trivial business which used to be settled nicely. Apple is continuously throwing the first stone, and the problem is, if they do, they might end up alone and be forced into an awkward corner. They need other businesses to provide the hardware. If they screw that up, they might end up in a bad situation.

[Unified Draft 130]

This topic is 2 weeks over due but know I am righting it. It has been a year without Steve Jobs at Apple, I was wondering what you thoughts are about the Tim Cook Apple and how it differs from the Steve Jobs Apple. The Steve Jobs apple brought up a lot of amazing products in the last 10 years, from the first iPod to the iPad 2. the Tim Cook Apple I think is running out of ideas out of ideas. I hope they come out with something soon that isn't an Apple T.V Retina. Leave your thoughts below, Im Brohoof117 Stay 20% Cooler.

[termenchecks 146]

Well steve jobs were apples spokesman and co-foundor. He didnt really invent any of the products. I think. And they didnt come up with "revolutionary" products every year you know. Give them some time.

[Unified Draft 130]

Ya it just seams that they came out with a lot of different things when Steve was around but I am still a hardcore Apple Fan and I respect the stuff they make

[go away seb 367]

Zylo is right. Steve Jobs wasn't the one designing and making the products. He just took the credit. The same probably applies to Tim Cook.

[Unified Draft 130]

Ya I never thought of it way long as they don't go back to the way they were in during the 90s I think they will be fine, I will say that it would be cool brought back Google maps and put turn by turn in it

[Abstract 831]

I feel like Apple may be headed for a huge downfall soon. Honestly, they used to be a great company. Always implementing new ideas into technology, cared about their customers wants and needs and designed they products accordingly, not to mention making them simple and easy to use without dumbing them down. Plus the aesthetics were downright amazing.

 

Now, they've become much more mainstream (which isn't inherently a bad thing. in b4 hipster-hate) and many times a larger company than they once were, and the strain is starting to show. For a few years now they've been shifting their focus more and more onto their profits, and less of the care and thought they used to put into their products, not to mention all of this increasing QC issues. Oh, and completely locking down everything into their own little ecosystem and the general lack of of new products/product designs.

 

What goes up must come down, and I have a feeling Apple's explosive era is coming to an end in the next 5-10 years.

 

 

EDIT: Somehow I managed to completely miss addressing the actual topic of this thread. I believe SJ certainly had a lot of creative control on Apple's projects, but it takes more than one man to create things like they have in the past. Apple's creativity and product design will not really suffer too greatly from his loss. Whether they keep heading on up or hit a decline, they would have done so with or without SJ behind the helm.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Abstract

[Zoop 8,384]

A year already? I hadn't realized that it had been that long.

 

You know, I hate to sound overly negative, but uh... I honestly don't really comprehend the why people are so obsessed with Job's passing. Sure - Apple did extremely well under him, but why does leading one successful business in an ocean of successful businesses make him so significant? Heck, the thing I remember him the most for was his spiteful 'thermonuclear war' commentary with regards to Android... which was less than impressive, to say the least.

 

At any rate, I feel this comic is worth reading:

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I own and use an iPod Touch every day, and have plans to get an iPhone 5 in the coming months.

[Unified Draft 130]

I feel like Apple may be headed for a huge downfall soon. Honestly, they used to be a great company. Always implementing new ideas into technology, cared about their customers wants and needs and designed they products accordingly, not to mention making them simple and easy to use without dumbing them down. Plus the aesthetics were downright amazing.

 

Now, they've become much more mainstream (which isn't inherently a bad thing. in b4 hipster-hate) and many times a larger company than they once were, and the strain is starting to show. For a few years now they've been shifting their focus more and more onto their profits, and less of the care and thought they used to put into their products, not to mention all of this increasing QC issues. Oh, and completely locking down everything into their own little ecosystem and the general lack of of new products/product designs.

 

What goes up must come down, and I have a feeling Apple's explosive era is coming to an end in the next 5-10 years.

 

That is what I am afraid of I hate to see something so amazing start to crumble it will be sad but i still have hope. someone told me that it would be another 6 month before we see anything from Apple that isn't Steve jobs influenced