Sorry, but Apple can't do everything right

Some people want us to believe that Apple doesn't do anything wrong. In fact, those same people usually believe that each and every product Apple has ever created has easily surpassed the quality and beauty of all of its competitors. Surely they would like you to forget the Apple Newton and the '90s, and invariably they'll forget that the company's Apple TV is hardly a success.

But alas, this is not meant to be an indictment of Apple or its cult-like following. Instead, it's an indictment on how ludicrous some of the claims flying around Apple truly are. How many times are we forced to endure the inexcusable lack of common sense as it pertains to Apple's future before someone stands up and says that enough is enough?

And while I may expect that sort of reaction from some of the Mac faithful, I certainly wouldn't expect it from a reputable firm. But after reading through the Forrester Research speculation piece, I can't help but wonder what the analysts were thinking. Do they honestly believe that a company that has gone out of its way to develop elite products will really release a picture frame?

Steve Jobs may be good, but he's not that good.

Now, before I get into the speculation, I should say that Forrester is guessing what Apple may have up its sleeve going forward and it did present a roadmap that would take it out to 2013. But if you apply logic to some of its predictions, I seriously doubt even the most outrageous Apple zealot will agree with most of them.

The great photo frame

Huh? They can't be serious, right? An Apple photo frame? Gee, now that sounds like something that Steve Jobs would release. Let's see -- iPhone, iPod, MacBook Pro, Apple TV, digital photo frame?

Forrester thinks it'll connect to iPhoto or other online image services and could be a staple in your living room. I think Forrester is totally off its rocker.

Wake up with Apple!

Picture yourself snoozing in your Batman PJs. Now picture yourself being woken up by the voice of Steve Jobs himself thanks to Apple clock radio. Doesn't that sound simply wonderful?

According to Forrester, the Apple clock radio will connect to iTunes and before you know it, you'll be woken up to one of the songs in your library. Sounds too much like an alarm clock with an iPod dock to me. My guess? No way.

A sophisticated remote control

This is probably one of the few that makes any sense. Forrester thinks Apple may want to release a sophisticated remote control that lets you walk around the house and flip through your iTunes library on the fly. According to the company, it can see it becoming a staple in just about any room and should connect to your home network. Even better, it'll play shows, movies, or songs through Apple-branded speakers.

Some may say that Apple won't want to get into this game because of its penchant for more simple products, but I think it makes some sense. The universal remote control business is booming and companies like Logitech are leading the charge with highly sophisticated products that ooze elegance. And if you ask me, that's exactly what Apple is best at.

I don't think we can debate the fact that Apple wants to control the living room, but I'm not sure it really wants to control every facet of it. Does it really want to release a picture frame? Is an alarm clock really necessary for it to become an even greater presence in the industry?

I don't think so.

Apple's vision for the future is rooted in its belief that if it can strategically guard against any outside intrusion by competitors and create a compelling set of products that won't impede its ability to maintain its status as one of the elite members in the industry. If it loses those two attributes, it's left with nothing more than a bloated product line with too many choices and not enough benefits.

Apple simply can't do everything right. And although some may want to believe that it can, rest assured that it's good at creating products that people actually want; not devices that we don't care about.

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