In Defense of the Apple Rumor-mongering

Attention, fanboys and geeks! Newsflash!
Apple does not build products specifically aimed at you.

E.G. the HiFi.
Real Audiophiles = very small percentage of the population. They don't really spend a lot of time listening to compressed audio at home. They've probably spent several thousand $$ setting up their ideal sound system. Likelihood of purchasing the boombox? Real low.

People who'd like to think that they're audiophiles = surprisingly large percentage of the population. They've bought items like the Bose Wave music system in the past. Now they have a high end iPod, and they can listen to it on their Hifi at home! Or on the tailgate of the Lincoln Navigator at Muffy's lacrosse game! Likelihood of purchasing something like the boombox? Shockingly high. Likelihood of posting on TUAW? Approaching zero.

In a similar vein, Apple will be lucky to sell 10 million Macs this year. Their target audience is not concerned about spending an extra hundred bucks for quality. Apple does not market to people who walk into a Best Buy looking for the least expensive computer they can get. Apple markets to people who have plenty of leisure time (thus the entire "digital hub" thing) and plenty of discretionary spending power (thus the price point). People who just might plonk down $100 for a leather case that they can flaunt.

If that's not you (and don't feel bad, 'cos it ain't me), Apple doesn't see you as its prime audience. So sorry if you don't love their new products - I'm positive there will be a lot of people who will.

I think this whole event only took place because of Intel, who failed to produce the Core Solo for Macworld 2006. And that it isn't a Mac Mini Intel standalone they presented the iPod Hi-Fi also. And this whole rumor thing you were just too excited that there is a second event with a little break between the first, that you HAD to spread rumors. When it is somebody's fault, it is Intels ;)

Hey whats up with you people, holy ratballs all the whining OMG! you guys are making me feel silly (as usual) to be a mac fanboy. Stop yer whinin foos!!

I think you guys missed the boat. Underwhleming was the intention of this event. The rumormongering has gotten out of hand, and dropping a lead bomb like this snubs the rumor sites. Likewise, the April anniversary event will likely have big announcements. What better way to wow everyone and catch them further off guard than to bring down hopes and expectations and send a ripple of doubt through the rumor mills?

Yep, I do believe this underwhelming event went, and was responded to, exactly as planned.

In defence of Apple's new iPod case... I think a lot of people are going to buy it for the pure reason of having that Apple logo on the back. Paul Smith, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Burberry, and a whole slew of luxury goods makers have iPod cases that cost even more than the iPods themselves. It's all about selling the brand.

I think apple are very lucky to have so much interest in their forthcoming products.

What other company gets this much feedback and ideas thrown at them?
You could say that if apple listened to the rumors and logged what the people want then they could do a whole lot worse than to actually follow the requests!

Wheres our cheap mac gone?
Wheres our ipod PDA with touch screen?

Come on do we have to run the company for you?

*yawn*

So much complaining. Damien, I'll stick by my guns and we'll see who is right. I think this new Mini will sell as well as the previous. I think Apple will introduce a $499 version if the market warrants it.

You might think a DVR is needed, but media center PCs are still a teeny little market other than by enthusiasts. Most people have a Tivo or a box from their cable provider. It simply doesn't make much sense to have that integrated into a PC at this point in time and sales of media center PCs have proven this.

This is not a DVR, not should it be. That doesn't fall in line with what Apple does. Apple sells content. That's where the money is on the iPod sales. That's where the money will be on Mini sales. The ability to BUY shows, movies, and music is mcuh more important to Apple than allowing customers to record their own shows and bypass the iTMS entirely.

As a fairly recent switcher myself, brought over inpart by the Mac Mini, I have to say I think the new pricing on the Mac Mini is probably the most important thing to come out yesterday.

I do think the $499.00 psychological barrier was an important marketing tool for Apple to get people that view Macs as overpriced thinking of switching from a heathen box. I understand the reality is most people would order upgrades and few would actually get a sub $500 mini. I also understand there is a significant value added argument to the new intel Mac Mini.

It's odd though, at a time when Apple's intel chips are attracting a whole new market, they no longer have the "razzle and dazzle" $499.00 gimmick to help catch their eye & bring switchers over.

http://www.calle17.net/noticia.php?idnoticia=431&idcategoria=1&idsubcategoria=6&idcom=6

#19 - they DO have post quotas, and they get paid PER POST (except CK, who is full time).

I know 2 former WIN bloggers personally. One was obsessed with posts, the other obsessed with content. It is probably evenly distributed across the system.

However, while the hype may have been over the top, the products were definitely sub-par.


Apple is a company known for being innovative. As such, they have drawn many users who are, themselves, innovative. When apple fans are designing better products than Apple is, then the roles have been reversed. There are a lot of cool things that apple *could* have released today, but instead they only made moderate improvements.

On the other hand, Apple is in business to make money, not to make fans happy. If it can do both, great, but money will come first. If they can't design a product at a price that will sell, they won't do it.