I would agree with you that other companies namely Microsoft and Google like you say are moving towards the Apple philosophy of controlling the entire system i.e. hardware and software.
It would give them advantage but it would be difficult to achieve what Apple has over done over the years. I think that Apple has made its products as a symbol of pride for the users and hence they behave in a cult like manner, buying anything new that says Apple on it. So, I believe Google and Microsoft still have a long way to go.
Who was the smart bloke who said that-"Imitation is the sincerest form of Flattery!"
He was really onto something big.
Unlike Other tech commentators I am extremely bullish on Microsoft and the chances that it will get everything right in the Tablet/Smartphone space today.
Why is that?
Their Track-record (In the PC,Server,Mail Server,Game Console Space).
In all these spaces they were not the pioneers or innovators(initially).
But they were the Fast Adopters and then they cut prices so low that they drove away the competition.
Have a strong feeling they will try the same thing here.Google will definitely be able to compete on those terms.
Apple?They have got something else coming-Margins are about to crushed bigtime.
If you look at things from the point of view of the Big Three[Microsoft,Apple and Google];They are looking at the Apple model as one which makes most sense for them .
Apple controls the Entire Hardware,Software and entire Ecosystem Experience for End Users.
This obviously gives them more oppurtunities to make money as well as to Guarantee the kind of Experience that consumers want today.
That's why Microsoft and increasingly Google are moving more towards becoming like Apple today.
Google in particular is totally mad/upset about how poor the Quality of Experience of Android Tablets and Smartphones has been so far(if you exclude Samsung,LG and to some extent SonyEriccson and Motorola).
That's why they are moving to launch their own exclusive Tablets.
@Ashish, true, people do lose patience rather quickly and are likely to leave altogehter. And, of course, using a computer that you don't own can lay a false or misleading trail. As for the possibility of setting up your browser to not disclose your OS, I'm sure many who try to maintain their privacy online would love to take that option.
I understand the implications this has from a marketing point of view.
The solution that can give Advertisers(for thats what Orbitz is at the end of the day);a way to target consumers (who are hopefully) more inclined to pay more for higher paying services .
But I was discussing the Technical Aspects with a colleague today.
What happens if say you use Safari(Apple's Web Browser) on Windows? Or in the reverse sceanario use Chrome/Firefox on a Mac?
Thing is its possible to set these things in your Browser that u dont disclose your OS to the website u visit today(most people are unaware but it can be done).
In that case,the information that Orbitz will give will be highly misleading to consumers.
Also another the case,the one of someone using an Android phone-like the Samsung SIII;its a beautiful High-end phone and I am pretty sure that a user of that phone will bristle to be called/considered cheap/frugal!!!
IN fact,Consumers today are so fussy that if they don't get the service they are looking for they will very easily go elsewhere!!!
A Better way is to target existing users of Orbitz(using standard User ID,etc) so that you know what a previous consumer had purchased and so what he will want to buy in the future.
Let's also not forget that now you see a lot of Universities invest extensively in Mac Machines;so does that mean that University students have tons of cash to splurge? Nope.
I won't be surprised if lot of Users get turned off by this feature on the Website.
So there is a lot of debate here regarding how effective this move will actually being in targetting the so-called Rich users.
Mr.Roques, they proven time and again with the PC OS's but I am afraid the mobile OS has not been that widely accepted. However, building their own tablet pc and venturing into the hardware market seems to be a bad idea. Atleast for me, MS should focus on their core area and try to grab a share of the mobile OS market instead of going into hardware.
@Ashish Thanks for the link. I see it says, "Orbitz Worldwide Inc. has found that people who use Apple Inc.'s Mac computers spend as much as 30% more a night on hotels, so the online travel agency is starting to show them different, and sometimes costlier, travel options than Windows visitors see." Based on that correlation, they seem to assume they are more apt to spend, so why not take advantage. Really, marketeres look for those types of correlations all the time to identify the target market for higher end products. I'm just surpised they found one in computers.
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Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
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