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• Saving Bacon and other tidbits
  Ina,
  
  Nice analysis as usual. I'd argue a few points or contribute a few
  of my own.
  
  * Perhaps it was the iMac that save Apple's bacon. The iPod
  came after the company had been restored to profitability and
  moved off every analysts deathwatch. The iPod played a different
  role, driving Apple's incredible growth and branding/design
  initiatives.
  
  * I think services are absolutely key. But it doesn't have to be a
  service that originates with the device itself. You can rent movies
  that you can play on your iPod from both iTunes and the Apple
  TV. Services need only originate within and pollenate Apple's
  closed iTunes ecosystem for them to add consumer value.
  
  * Subscription music is a likely end game. Jobs was right that
  people want to own music, but that is changing. And if the
  model allows both with Apple's ease of use, then they'll really
  have nailed it. They need wireless broadband to become more
  ubiquitous, and you'll then stream anything, but require
  purchase to listen off net.
  
  * We've only scratched the surface of services. Even the
  upcoming iTunes App Store is a service for which Apple will take
  a percentage.
  
  * You didn't hint at creating iPods designed specifically for more
  narrow niches. How about a Nike+ model that integrates the
  receiver instead of that being a plugin? Or another the
  incorporates the FM transmitter directly into the device? I see
  these niche-oriented versions of the iPod being easy to produce
  and providing a means for Apple to really target sub-segments
  of the market it already dominates, and potentially gain traction
  among users who don't already use them.
  
  Cheers.
  
  Patrick In reply to: "A bridge to the future of the iPod"

  May 6, 2008

  0 replies