Richard,
This is one of the best and most concise explanations of Apple's
marketing strategy I've ever read.
You could also mention Apple's well known marketing tactic of greating
'artificial demand'-- which goes hand in hand with 'artificial supply.'
They manipulate the supply to create the demand. Probably learned it
from Microsoft, who seems to announce their new XXXX product only days
after their competition.
Since 'Switching' to PC's in 96 when Apple went a full year w/out being
able to supply our company with laptops, I can only hope they 'decide'
to offer the Intel OSX on white-box computers. But, I'd be surprised if
they did, as Jobs seems intent to provide both the hardware and software
for all Apple products.
IMO, if they did offer an Intel OSX for *other* computers, they *might*
be able to give MS (and esp. the much delayed and underpowered Longhorn)
a run for their money.
best,
Chipp
Richard Gaskin wrote:
Artificial demand is how Apple keeps itself and its vendors in sales.
They can't do it just a 2.5% marketshare, and if you take iPods out of
the picture their revenue position rather bites.
Apple can only stay afloat by selling the same product to the same
customers over and over. We pay an annual OS X tax of $139, even though
the first two (arguably three) releases were of beta quality. Sure,
there are the occassional switchers. But I doubt many of the 2 million
Tiger sales went to them.
For vendors, Apple was the only major vendor who transitioned to USB
without continuing support for legacy ports. This created an artificial
demand for new peripherals, and a lot of vendors who were leaving
decided to stay to cash in. Apple needs vendors, vendors need
disproportionate sales to justify the disproportionate R&D. It's good
for everyone -- except the consumer who gets the bill.
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