Is it time to kill the Apple press event?
After all the hoopla surrounding Steve Jobs' absence from Apple's last Macworld keynote subsided, it was finally time for us all to tune into Phil Schiller's remarks about the future of his company.
Speculation abounded over what Schiller would announce. A new Mac Mini? An updated Apple TV? We didn't know, but many of us were sitting on the edge of our seats waiting to find out.
And then we did. And it was a snoozefest.
Sure, it's nice to see that iTunes has finally gone DRM-free, even though Amazon.com did so last year, and the updated 17-inch MacBook Pro looks nice, even though the battery isn't removable--a major blunder, since the advertised 8 hours of battery life will probably never happen, and serial travelers require the use of multiple batteries.
But what else came out of Tuesday's announcement? An update to iLife is nice, and iMovie's new features make it a more capable video-editing alternative, but beyond that, Schiller's keynote speech was rife with details and demos that bored those who were looking for major updates.
Realizing that, is it time for Apple to finally put an end to its strategy of holding major events to unveil product updates?
Answering that question might not be as easy as you think. Sure, this keynote didn't live up to the hype, but some have. Just last year, Apple's unveiling of its redesigned MacBook line was a major hit, and when the iPhone was first announced, it took the world by storm. In essence, these keynotes have been "hit or miss" for quite some time.
But that doesn't necessarily mean they're worthwhile. Apple learned years ago that its legions of fans and media followers would be more than willing to watch Steve Jobs on stage, discussing the boring (Aperture) to the fun (iPhone), regardless of the show's necessity. And from a business standpoint, it makes sense: why send out a press release with all the same details when a major event can be held, which will be watched and talked about by every major media outlet in the United States?
And perhaps that's where we find ourselves today. There's little debate over whether Tuesday's keynote address was boring and lacked the allure previous shows have offered. But Apple knows that we all want to hear what its top executives have to say, so we listen.
Apple doesn't necessarily manufacture the hype. Media outlets can decide whether they want to attend, and each time, they've decided that they would rather be there to hear about nominal updates to cater to a rabid Apple following, rather than skip it to comment on the announcements after it's over. Apple realizes that and has capitalized. Hey, who can blame it?
But Apple's plan to pull out of Macworld altogether suggests that even Steve Jobs is wondering if hosting press events every few months is the best idea. The company's events in the past have forced it to maintain a certain "wow" factor standard, and when it's not met, people like me start to lament the merit of holding such events. That's a lot of pressure to keep a company's employees under, and maybe Jobs has realized that it's proving more of a hindrance than beneficial.
Apple isn't alone in its desire to hold splashy events, though. Companies in every industry try to coax the press into covering such events to build excitement and momentum for their products. After all, if a slew of people attend a packed room to see a product, it must be important, right?
Regardless, I question the press event's necessity. It may help Apple build hype for a product, but I can't help but wonder if the company has gone to the well one too many times. Slowly but surely, media outlets may see the keynotes for what they really are: flashy propaganda seminars.
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Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
Perhaps the bigger question is "do users actually read press coverage of Apple?"
Seriously. Apple is waaayyyy over coverd, and as a cult member I don't like it.
At least for me, one thing is a "date fixed" external event like Macworld (also controlled by others and close after Xmas...) and a quite different thing is an Apple-generated, at its own time, event.
The first means "being forced on time," the second, "made when you're ready."
If this is right, your article almost make non sense.
In the mac stores you have direct access to the toys, and can ask questions about how to use them. You nor spoon-fed sensationalist headlines from people that cannot give a toss about apple, but about hits on their own websites.
In the Apple stores, you have direct access to the tos (not computing devices) and can ask questions to low paid "Genius" who spoon feeds you inane information about how you're an idiot if you don't use the closed end proprietary system from the evil empire. And they don't give a toss about the customer.
The Evil Emporer Steve Jobs couldn't have said it better. "We're arrogant knownothings, and anyone with knowledge that questions our cult should just shut up!"
LINUX ROCKS!
Phil Schiller did a great job btw, and one of his first comments was that each week is like 11 MacWorlds or something like that. Bring the stuff to the people rather than only allowing the privileged few to swpend big bucks to come to MacWorld. And we get to watch the whole thing in HD on our Macs when we want. Apple is changing with the times. I wish people's critical thinking skills could be upgraded and improved too.
Mark Hernandez
iPhoneDevForums.com
You are wrong.
Conversely, Microsoft product devotees, and PC devotees in general, always seem to be on the defensive about their choices, or disparaging of Apple products. Methinks ye dost protesteth too much.
=^ )
And, yes, I am an unapologetic Apple enthusiast (since 1984).
Conversely, Microsoft product devotees, and PC devotees in general, always seem to be on the defensive about their choices, or disparaging of Apple products. Methinks ye dost protesteth too much."
No Microsquashy here, I love Linux. As a third party, I see much more Apple Fan Boi bashing of Microsquash than the other way around. And I almost never hear a cogent technical argument. It's all about the cartoon desktop and their worship of the Evil Emperor baby!
And to wander into an Apple store to learn anything from a dolt with a title of Genius is just plan hilarious.
LINUX ROCKS!
i would bet dollars to donuts that non-swappable batteries are a moot point for a vast majority of users.
Besides, it is replaceable, just not by the user. Bring it back to Apple and they'll replace it. I hope other manufacturers do this - are you listening Dell and Lenovo?
I was referring to the above mentioned acute (well known) phenomenon.. not the downward trend we are seeing now.
Personally, I thought yesterday was pretty good but it clearly depends on what sort of products you like since you can't please everyone and you can't expect an iPhone each year.
Apple apparently believes it can set the stage and table at a time and place of their choosing, sort of like what the NFL has done with their own pay per view network ignoring the existing cable and broadcast outlets. Time will tell if this is different marketing strategy is smart or penny wise and pound foolish.
Apples appeal and success to a large extent has been made possible by a brand name supported by a fervent fan base, taking that for granted is a mistake. Talk to the Dallas Cowboys who went from Americas Team to just another in the pack. Saturn is another example of a company who owed their initial success to a brand that gained respect of a small but loyal customer and fan base, that went south as well.
Apple as a computer company is now less so, with products like the I phone and I pod the showcase products and cash cows, those fortunes can easily change. Brand and customer loyalty is a huge asset, just ask Disney.
Time will tell how things will sort out but my sense is Apple is making a mistake by trying to fix something that is not broken. I would have broken tradition by showing at least 1 product that will be introduced sometime in the future, you know the 1 more thing.
Also, Apple has a sub $800 computer.. it's called the Mac Mini... Apple has a store online.. might want to take a look.
See how that works for you.
As a platform for launching new products? New consumer products have missed the Christmas season. Updated consumer products annoy those who bought over the holidays. New Education products are old news by the time the Fall purchase cycle comes around. Large scale professional purchasing budgets are defined before the end of the year. Announce ANYTHING in advance and you freeze a current retail activity for that sector of the market.
When developing a product takes years and can suffer random multi-month delays, letting any other company constrain you to an annual product introduction in January is really, really stupid. Nowadays, Apple has enough market clout to create an event if and when they feel the need. More power to them. That's the way the game SHOULD be played.
@pjhenry1216: "The star that burns twice as bright, burns half as long."
Not sure what you're referencing here, but of all the original PC makers, Apple is the last man standing and is the only PC company left that develops its own hardware and operating system.
I believe the real issue lies with Apple's secrecy about what will be unveiled at the events. If they let people know more about what will be talked about at events, the hype around the event will be adjusted accordingly and you won't have so much disappointment. Asking people to travel from all over the world to an event where they don't know what is going to be talked about is a bit much, especially when they end up like yesterday and become a snoozefest. If there is a huge change in direction like with the iPhone, then maybe secrecy might be warrented, but not for updates to things like iLife or iWork, especially when the new features are just an attempt to catch up or stay caught up with the products of your competitors.
- by sanjayb January 7, 2009 9:53 AM PST
- I was hoping they would mention something about Snow Leopard.
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