(Thursday, September 15)

How Apple's Marketing Team Made a Mistake that they cannot fix.

Over the past 2 - 3 years I have become a big fan of Apple. As a Microsoft programmer (I don�t work for Microsoft, but I program specifically with almost only their tools) a lot of people consider Apple/unix/(now Google) as adversaries to Microsoft. I don�t. There are many many many things that these people do much much better than Microsoft. Apple obliterates the Windows User Experience (Ux). This might change with Vista, but there is no denying that Apple dominates the personal media (yes I said media that includes future video) market as compared to� well anyone. The ipod is a major success on all levels. It�s a great set of products and coupled with iTunes (and iTunes business model) is steller. So why do I think Apple shot itself in the foot last week? The Rockr phone's marketing (or really non-marketng). The Rockr phone is a joint venture with Apple/Motorola/Cingular that is basically an Ipod/Phone Hybrid. I have not used one yet. I have heard pretty good reviews about them in relation to sound quality . Everything I have heard says they are awesome. I have also heard that the UI for the phone is lacking a little bit, but what do you expect when there is no click wheel. So why do I think it was a mistake? Most people think it is because in releasing a cell phone that plays music they may cut into their own products market share. There is no denying that a badass cell phone with a 20+ gig Hard Drive to store music (in any quality/format) would kick total ass. The only problem is that Apple didn�t do that. From what I have heard. the Rockr holds up to 100 something songs. Why on earth would anyone spend that money on an itunes enabled phone to only hear up to 100 of their songs? OK lets assume Apple Knew this. From what I have heard Apple really didn�t give much airtime to the Rockr at the big Apple keynote the other day. They tended to focus on displaying/talking about the Nano. I think the Nano is cool and all (I would never buy something that didn�t hold more music) but there is no denying that the nano is pretty spiffy small stamp music player. So my question is why release both the Rockr and the Nano on the same day? (and subsequently give the nano more coverage?) If Apple really wanted to push the Rockr (and see what that untapped Phone/Music Player Hybrid market holds) they would have made it a rockr event only to pump it. They really made it a passing reference in a Nano event. That�s where the kicker comes in. Apple thinks it is being sly. Only the hard core�t of the hard core will probably buy the ROCKr think it is a cool idea, but with that little a room and that price tag, no one will probably pick it up unless they either a.) want to look cool on the forefront of technology, or B.) have a lot of money to spend on a cell phone. I think it will be a combination of A and B. I think Apple thinks it is being sly became this is an easy way they can test the cell phone market. They think that if more people than they estimate pick up the Rockr, this might be a new market to dive into. On the other hand they can�t put out a bad ass phone/ipod hybrid without cutting into their existing ipod monopoly sales. They have to be careful in which way they put this out. Why was it a wrong move? They have now generated interest in an all in one music player/phone hybrid. Some one (other that apple) is going to set the next glass down on the table with a bad ass 20+ gig player/ phone hybrid. This will a.) directly pull sales form the rockr and b.) actually eat into the sales of ipods. At this next juncture (assuming the popularity of these devices grow) Apple will have to make a crucial decision on a REAL ipod/cell phone hybrid and get it to market. But now they have already been branded (by the Rockr). Does Apple have another phone up their sleeves in case this happens? I don�t know. My business sense would assume they already do. My common sense says that no one is even discussing the possibility on cell phone/gizmo message boards I keep up with. So No I don�t think they do have something stored away. Bad Steve.