Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple
Why is everyone picking on Apple?
A spate of bad news surrounding Mobile Me and iPhone 3G quality problems paired with renewed vigor from competitors Microsoft, Dell, and Nokia has Apple running out of slack from the normally fawning press (TUAW certainly not withstanding).
Forbes has a story about why Apple seems to have lost its luster recently. The New York Times is waxing nostalgic with a retrospective article titled Apple Imperfect. The National Post cites TechCrunch's Michael Arrington saying Apple is "rotting" and "flailing badly at the edges."
Consider the parable of the friend. Say you have a good friend, who's trustworthy, reliable and generally happy to be around you. If that friend suddenly isn't glad to see you anymore, swears at the elderly and starts drinking cheap bourbon from a hip flask in meetings, you'd say something, right? At least you'd worry that your friend was on the wrong path.
That's where we find Apple today: A friend on the wrong path. Many have noted that a lack of transparency in admitting its mistakes is hurting its credibility. The fact that it's making mistakes in the first place is generally forgivable, but we've been spoiled by Apple's pristine track record of consistently delivering quality. As consumers, we want the quality back. If anything, our expectations are even higher now to properly correct the various perceived injustices we've suffered.
Taking the long view, Apple will pull out of its funk. Knowing Steve Jobs, it will do so in a spectacular fashion, too, with new products, product improvements, or both. Apple isn't suffering from a lack of talent or innovation. It's suffering from management problems that any company of its size faces on a daily basis: scheduling new products, preventing employee burnout, and managing logistics.
We're nowhere near Apple's nadir under Gil Amelio, over a decade ago. In fact, investors don't seem to be fazed at all, with stock prices rebounding to their levels in May. Apple may already be back.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Janak Parekh said 3:10PM on 8-28-2008
Wait, Apple was ever perfect? I think pretty much every generation of an Apple device has had teething problems. It's just that the company is a media darling at the moment and these teething problems are more visible.
(I'm not excusing the teething problems, but Apple is *far* from any funk.)
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Urkel said 5:14PM on 8-28-2008
Apple is falling to the same pitfalls that any other growing company suffers from. The more customers and products you get the more problems.
As for asking "Why is everyone picking on Apple". That's just a silly question because if anyone ever asked to be judged by the public then it is Apple. Commercials declaring themselves better than everyone else, slogans declaring perfection and a rabid fanbase will get people to jump on you when you stumble.
Janak Parekh said 3:12PM on 8-28-2008
Wait, Apple was ever perfect? I think pretty much every generation of an Apple device has had teething problems. It's just that the company is a media darling at the moment and these teething problems are more visible.
(I'm not excusing the teething problems, but Apple is *far* from any funk.)
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Janak Parekh said 3:13PM on 8-28-2008
Bah, I should have realized 1Password would have saved the comment text in addition to the login, destroying my second response, which was:
"In fact, Markoff's NYT article says exactly this. I have to say, I agree with him more than I agree with your blog post, Robert. :-)"
Hammers said 3:17PM on 8-28-2008
Hmmm... I have all the goodies, but let's be honest, there are serious problems with nearly all of them: my 3G iPhone battery dies in half a day, even if I hardly use it; my old 60GB iPod Photo was replaced by Apple three times; my 1st gen iPhone was replaced by Apple once; my Time Capsule was replaced twice, but it still 'loses' its own network far too frequently; my bluetooth Apple mouse has a mind of its own; and the list goes on.
Long story short, I love my Apple goodies, but I really wish they'd improve their build quality, and the QA of both their hardware and their software.
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required said 3:19PM on 8-28-2008
Some find that in many ways Apple is rotting (not MS 2.0, but...). Some are just tired of the proprietary future landfill (cords and ports and) and often nasty lack of backwards compatibility (often feels prescribed and shifty). Some are upset with being locked into the closed world. Some want hot swappable memory and batteries in their gadgets. Some despise all the over the top glossy non recycled petrol based packaging. But mostly people simply like to pick on the king of the hill.
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Nick said 3:31PM on 8-28-2008
On the subject of backward compatibility, here's an interesting tidbit:
I have an old iPod car charger with a Firewire jack, and an iPod Firewire docking cable. My girlfriend's first-gen iPhone will charge with it; my 3G iPhone won't.
What possible reason would there be to remove that functionality in the new model, except to get people to buy more of Apple's stuff?
jtsnyc47 said 2:25PM on 8-29-2008
@nick
It's really not that interesting. Apple was very public about phasing out Firewire support for devices as early as 2005. Having to support both standards added components/expense to production.
So, instead of "getting you to buy more Apple products", going USB only allowed Apple to lower production costs in its iPod line - which I assume you're OK with?
FredThePanda said 3:26PM on 8-29-2008
@jtsync47
The funny thing is that in your effort to prove nick wrong you actually proved him right.
Yes apple removed FireWire to cut costs but they never passed those savings onto their loyal customers. In fact if you use the iPods as evidence apple only ever cut the price of their products after they've removed something. They don't even give you a wall charger anymore!
Also I've never read a statement from them where they've stated their phasing out the better FireWire for USB it's just something they've done
Jamus said 3:26PM on 8-28-2008
F-I-C-K-L-E
The media is a fickle beast. They will love you one minute all the while waiting to tear out your still beating heart the next.
Next week Microsoft will be declared an underdog and Vista will be the second coming.. ;)
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TD said 3:27PM on 8-28-2008
I don't have a problem with the press complaining about Apple. The iPhone 3G/2.0 Software/MobileMe launch was dire, and unfortunately the woes continues. iPhone 3G battery life is pathetic (Don't give me the 3G crap), the 2.0 software is buggy as hell, and the current get out of jail card for MobileMe is add another month free.
I don't mind paying the so called 'Apple tax' on products, but for that I expect decent and sound products.
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owl said 3:27PM on 8-28-2008
Personally, I think its time someone other than Steve Jobs run the company. Steve should be the head of product developement/research but he is not the best CEO for Apple now.
-Owl
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Randy said 3:27PM on 8-28-2008
Because they're successful? Not just Apple specifically, but try to think of anyone who has seen any kind of success. They will tell you that people will try to bring you down for no reason at all.
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Darrin Pruitt said 3:29PM on 8-28-2008
Problems because of employees like this...a chat from a few days ago.
Hi, my name is Sal C. Welcome to Apple!
Darrin Pruitt: hello
Sal C: Hello, I'm looking over the information you just provided.
Sal C: While I'm looking over this, do you have anything to add?
Darrin Pruitt: not really
Sal C: I want to apologize to you about going through this problems. But let's try some things here to help you out.
Darrin Pruitt: ok
Sal C: How many devices do you have currently synced to MobileMe?
Darrin Pruitt: My iPhone, My Mac, My wifes iPod touch and her PC... 4 I think
Sal C: To make sure that we are on the same page.
Sal C: Your current problem is with your iphone?
Darrin Pruitt: yes
Darrin Pruitt: the last time I sent an email to my me.com address, it got to my mac with open mail program 15 minutes faster than it got to the iPhone
Darrin Pruitt: oh, as far as the other hardware, the iPod and Pc... they only sync the calendar
Sal C: 15 minutes delay can happen.
Sal C: Due to how your iphone connection is?
Sal C: Meaning how many bars.
Sal C: From now upto 15 minutes.
Darrin Pruitt: 3 of 5 bars
Sal C: For syncing.
Darrin Pruitt: so the iPhone now syncs like the computer and is not push either
Darrin Pruitt: ?
Sal C: We can try something to see if this changes.
Darrin Pruitt: ok
Sal C: If you want to.
Darrin Pruitt: ok
Sal C: How many contacts or ical events do you have?
Darrin Pruitt: alot
Sal C: About how many contacts do you have to sync? 100?
Darrin Pruitt: how do I tell?
Sal C: If you go to your mac. Open up Address book. It will tell you at the bottom of the screen.
Darrin Pruitt: sorry I found it in my iPhone it says 371
Sal C: Ok.
Sal C: What we can do is resync your iphone.
Darrin Pruitt: ok
Sal C: To see if that will change the delay but it is normal for that amount of contacts to sync that long due to you only have 3 bars.
Sal C: 5 bars and so is a bit faster.
Sal C: More data transfer time to sync.
Sal C: But since your syncing fine just that delay I wouldn't want to do this. I don't want for you to lose all your data and start all over again.
Darrin Pruitt: contacts? My contacts are usually the same... it is mail thats slow so I guess I am not understanding
Sal C: If you have 5 bars on your iphone and it still takes up to 15 mins.
Sal C: Then we can try it.
Darrin Pruitt: ok never mind
Sal C: But it is normal for the sync process on your iphone.
Sal C: I hope this makes sense?
Sal C: Was I able to answer your question?
Darrin Pruitt: I have a box here that I bought for mobile me when I bought my Mac 3-4 weeks ago. Mobile me to iPhone is touted as push not sync. I paid money to get my mailed pushed to me every 15 minutes when I could just fetch it every 15 minutes right?
Sal C: Fetch Push Sync are same thing. But it could take upto 15 minutes for you to get the data.
Darrin Pruitt: ok so I was correct. I can set my iPhone to go get mail every 15 minutes for free or I can pay to have the server send it to me every 15 minutes. Thanks
Sal C: Your welcome.
Darrin Pruitt: will this be emailed to me or can I save it somehow
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Joshua Ochs said 3:39PM on 8-28-2008
Darin, all your post does is show you're fairly clueless, and the representative was helpful. What was your point again?
Schell said 3:24AM on 8-30-2008
You know, for a while I wasn't going to say anything. But after reading your post over and over again, I really feel the need to call you a self-righteous douchebag.
Please re-read your post, and then mine. And then the one in between.
I expect an apology.
Schell said 3:34PM on 8-28-2008
Is it just me who thinks that these people, the ones with a national platform, are badmouthing Apple in an effort to create a negative buzz in order to lower the price of Apple stock so that they might give themselves an more wallet-friendly entry point?
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mike said 3:44PM on 8-28-2008
Let us remember Steve Jobs strengths are Steve Jobs weaknesses.
He built up Apple once and then his facist / protectionist / control freek management style ended up killing Apple in the 90/80's. Now he is back on top and low and behold... look at the control over the iphone, no VoiP, no tethering, full control over apps/3rd party. Steve is completing his legacy... I for one can't wait for Apple to be not so cool anymore, many of us have ridden the waves of Apple and this is nothing new :)
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Dave said 3:57PM on 8-28-2008
You're right. Apple consistently proclaims that their products and services are the epitome of perfection and that they "just work". If they don't live up to their own hype, of course they're going to get grilled for it, as they should. It's nobody's fault but their own.
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Darrin Pruitt said 4:01PM on 8-28-2008
Dear Schell,
Cluess? Helpful? You should not throw around big words you do not understand. "A reason why people are bad mouthing Apple". Syncing to the iPhone is not how they "sell" Mobile Me. They changed the computer to server to state sync. Push is how the mail, calendars etc are suppose to get to the phone. My calendar events take maybe 30-45 seconds from the time I make them on my Mac. Point... obviously, you could not concentrate long enough to read all the post or remember what it was about. This tech basically tells me that I can have my iPhone get my mail every 15 minutes for "free" or I can pay to get it every 15 minutes. My mail used to come through faster and I was just asking for help.
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