6 Years Later: Was Steve Jobs the Smartest Man in Music?
CNet takes a look, 6 years later, at Steve Jobs’ 2003 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine and the checklist of predictions — make that accomplishments — is impressive. Then again, Steve Jobs did make his name, and Apple’s, with just that kind of market savvy:
- iPod (and now iPhone) could be more important to Apple than the Mac
- Big media doesn’t understand technology
- iTunes would be non-trivial for others to copy in 6 months (make that 6 years?)
- Copyright is important. Theft corrodes the soul. Apple will provide a legal alternative
- iTunes could sell 1 billion songs a year (now selling 1 billion in 6 months)
What’s even more interesting is seeing how Steve Jobs’ insight not only helped change the face of computers (Apple, Mac), Music (iPod, iTunes), retail (Apple Store), movies (Pixar) but now also cell phones (iPhone). Mostly linked together (Pixar more tangentially), but with the same focus on premium quality, unsurpassed user experience, and utter simplicity of execution.
Makes me even more eager for the iPhone 2,1 (iPhone HD?) to really bring it all together…
[via Daring Fireball]
January 30th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Sure, Steve Jobs is the smartest man in business! Which other company has products such minimal features but still manage to top the respective category in sales and/or (or for desktops) satisfaction.
January 30th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Steve jobs is the smartest man PERIOD =p
January 30th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
All that’s left to do now is bulldoze all other computers into landfills and replace them with Macs.
January 30th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Think about the people who he had to deal with and the question really doesn’t require an answer.
January 30th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Lol yeah Steve, i wish they would gain some marketshare and reduce their prices for desktops and laptops…
January 30th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
@Amon:
Significantly reducing their prices to gain market share is about the stupidest thing Apple could do. They need to stay in the absolute premium segment where they are setting the standards rather than starting to compete outside their comfort zone.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
I agree iBamse, any significant reduction in prices might be counter-productive. However, looking at the way they have performed in a big market like India, they certainly need to revisit their strategy. Pricing and marketing seem to have gone awefully wrong in a market with a huge potential. Infact its being said that awareness of the iPhone itself is very low! Less than 5000 iPhones were sold in India (billion plus population) till Nov 2008.
Coming to desktop/ laptop market for Apple, again, it is limited to the diehard Apple enthusiasts, some work there could help too. Looking at the recent product launches, the talking point were rooted basically form factor (Air)/ manufacturing processes (read unibody enclosures) apart from some genuine advancements. But the real question is how much of the world really bothers about these. IMHO Apple should look at propagating its products to a wider audience and benefit hugely from the same. It has a large amount of cash on hand and some innovation on business strategy should help it gain the critical mass which could take it to the next level.
I strongly believe that huge margins that Apple is enjoying today can be given up a bit for a bigger purpose.
(http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=iphone+india+sales&meta=)
January 31st, 2009 at 12:48 am
steve jobs was always great, but he was tricked! but hands down the introduction of the ipod was the turnaround for apple,
January 31st, 2009 at 2:02 am
iPods are only getting stronger. Walk into most general technology shops and the iPod is becoming more and more prominent.
January 31st, 2009 at 8:30 am
Without the iPod apple would be nothing
January 31st, 2009 at 8:36 am
@dloveprod: That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read.