Comments on: Apple's Cook determined to stay the course

Despite calls for Netbooks, cheaper Macs, and iPhones on Verizon, Apple's recession-defiant second quarter means the company isn't likely to feel the need for change.

[SteveW928]

I would like to see Apple really do a 'netbook' right... and I think it would sell quite well. For me, this would be making a machine as small as possible with a normal size keyboard (critical because smaller sized keyboards kill you unless the netbook is all you ever use). It would have LED backlighting, a solid state hard drive, and probably something like the Atom processors to maximize battery run-time. It would need a minimum of ports, but would be nice to have USB and some way of doing video-out for presentations. However, besides a standard USB, any other ports could use a special purpose connector, as they would not often be used.... and it would be great of that port(s) were based on a 'mag' connector like the current power connector. The Airbook is kind of this sort of machine... but is still too big (not thick, but width and depth).

It would be more than what most current netbooks are, but a more portable and space consciousence system than Apple currently makes (even an AirBook is kind of big on an airline or crowded train).... and having more than a few hours of batter life is critical if running from meeting to meeting all day, or a student taking notes in many classes. If such a machine existed... I'd sell my Macbook Pro and buy a it and some kind of desktop for the heavy lifting.

[canberra_photographer]

Um, a full size keyboard needs a 13" display so you won't get that and something that is smaller than an Air. The Air is their netbook.

[SteveW928]

I happen to have a ruler handy... and the full size keyboard on my MBP is 10.75" x 4.25". Just go here and look at the photos: http://www.apple.com/macbookair/design.html
There is considerable room around the keyboard, especially its depth (which is the main problem on airlines, etc.). Reduce the width a bit if possible, reduce the depth quite a bit. I'd generally prefer uniform thickness for something like this... and use the space for battery if nothing else.

I realize the Air is kind of their netbook... it just misses the mark in several ways (for example, even if it were acceptable to have that size, it should use lower power CPUs).

[OzSaul]

I think the PC v's Everyone Else including Mac WAR is back on. Apple should consider market share. It was only when others I knew started to show me how good they were and after my wife suggested I consider them that I realised how good they were. Without market share I would have not bothered. Without my wife wanting me to get a really small notebook I would not have bothered. Now a Mac user I look at myself and see one of those off with the cloud people praising every step of Apple. Its kind of embarrassing and I cop a whole bunch from my friends who are still PC users.

[ckurowic]

Eh, your comment was totally incoherent.

[monkeyfun14]

Apple and Marketshare don't mix the OS isn't designed for it and they would see malware and other social engineering attacks.

[jameskatt]

Apple has a Netbook. Actually, it has three:

1. MacBook Air - the perfect netbook.
2. iPhone - the pocket netbook with cell phone.
3. iPod Touch - the pocket netbook for everyone including 3 y.o. kids.

[monkeyfun14]

iPhone and iPod touch are not netbooks what is so damn hard to understand about that.

[ckh1272]

by monkeyfun14 April 22, 2009 9:50 PM PDT
iPhone and iPod touch are not netbooks what is so damn hard to understand about that.

What's so damn hard about viewing it as a matter of perspective. You may not understand it or give three cents about it, but for some people, the iPhone and Touch suit their needs all the same (when compared to some netbooks). Now make sure you get plenty of sleep before school tomorrow. Trolling takes no day off and you want to be well rested.

[artistjoh]

Agreed. I use my iPhone for drawing and sketching (with a stylus, and yes, I am a professional artist), I use it to deal with clients, making bookings and organizing staff, I use it for reading and reference (The American Heritage app is brilliant) I compose poetry on it (yes, copy and paste has existed in Word and excel-type apps all along) work out music composition ideas, do my budget and shopping lists, edit photographs, surf the web, play games and listen to podcasts, read and send emails. I have weather, Google Earth and Google Maps, compose and send e-cards, post on Facebook, use Flickr, YouTube, make blog posts directly in Typepad etc etc etc...

While not having a traditional netbook shape, physical keyboard, or Windows/Linux OS my iPhone is just as effective as a mobile computing platform as any traditional netbook with a couple of exceptions - because my iPhone is smaller and fits in my pocket it is always with me while people I know with netbooks only have them when the have their office bag with them and at other times they leave it at home because it is not portable enough.

Another difference is that most people who have iPhones love them while a high portion of netbook owners complain about them (and return rates are high)

Oh, did I mention that bwesides all that other netbook-type stuff that I do on my iPhone I also make phone calls and use SMS too.

Love my iPhone - so long as I have it a traditional netbook is totally unnecessary for me.

[SteveW928]

You can't type very fast on the virtual keyboard though..... now, if there were a BT keyboard for the iPhone... then it might qualify. The MacBook Air, while nice, IMO is not really an ideal netbook either... it just too darn big (just making it thinner isn't enough) and the battery doesn't go long enough.

[dalsanto3]

@ckh1272 and artistjoh

An iPhone is not a netbook. period. Have you ever tried typing a paper on your iphone? How about putting a 160 GB hard drive in it, or 2-3 USB ports? Plus, consider how many of the features are contingent on the 70 per month usage fee, which you don't get with any netbook.

Of COURSE the iPhone is a really useful phone that goes above and beyond what a lot of people thought was possible in a phone. I'd even say that its the most revolutionary phone to come out in the last five years.

But people complain about browsing for long periods on a 9-10 inch netbook - you're trying to say that you have no problem only browsing on your iPhone screen? Bottom line, an iPhone could never be your primary computer, but a netbook potentially could.

And it might be apple's decision not to release a netbook for whatever reason - maybe its that it can't make it profitable or it wants to keep a 'premium' brand label. Obviously, as this article is all about, its not exactly hurting them. But its insane to say that a MacBook air, with a 2000 price tag, an iPhone, or an iPod touch is a netbook.

[pithenumber]

the air is not a netbook
it isn't cheap enough to be one

netbooks are sub $500 ultraportables
the air is a "regular" ultraportable with a hefty price tag to match

[ServedUp]

The PC war is far from over. Apple just doesn't want to win it. If Apple ends up gaining marketshare. Its because Microsoft isn't creating a compelling enough product that people want. Early versions of Windows XP and Windows VISTA are the main reasons people are switching. XP was put together because Apple had caught them off - guard with OS X. Vista is Microsoft's second approach at emulating OS X. Windows 7 is their attempt at finally getting OS X right for the PC or thats what PC tech bloggers would like to have you think.

If Apple really wanted to win the PC war they could. All they'd have to do is license OS X to PC vendors but that would be to simple.

[kelmon]

"If Apple really wanted to win the PC war they could. All they'd have to do is license OS X to PC vendors but that would be to simple."

Er, no. The great thing about Microsoft is that they have a huge platform in Windows that suites businesses and Apple cannot really compete with that simply by licensing OS X. Certainly you couldn't replace a large company's Windows infrastructure with one from Apple. Rather, Apple is more content to make their systems play nicely in a Windows environment (possibly to make them as trojan horses) instead of trying to take on Windows directly.

Certainly the licensing of OS X would help make the Macintosh platform more attractive to business since you could have individual suppliers competing for your computing budget, plus continue to get computers that would work with your environment if one went out of business. However, this is far from all that is needed for the Macintosh platform to succeed on a large scale and I really don't think that Apple is interested in attempting to do this. When you are making huge profits, particularly when compared to the rest of the industry, what incentive is there to change?

[OzSaul]

Not focusing on market share but instead creating desirable products is not the same as not wanting Market share. It would seem Apple's philosophy is a simple (I loath to say it) 'If they build it they will come' mentality.

[El_Segfaulto]

I think Apple is quite content with where it is. I wonder if Porsche and Mercedes Benz worry about how they'll ever compete with Honda and GMC. Apple sells more than hardware and software, it's a prestigious status symbol. Yes I know it "just works" and it's "great for artists" but when it comes down to it Apple couldn't function nearly as well if it had too much of the market. Statistically you'd have more hardware and software problems and their veneer of being the perfect marriage of hardware and software would take some hits. So the short answer is that they're quite happy with having their niche market.

P.S. In my opinion a netbook is more than a smaller laptop, it's also in the sub $400 range.

Flame on people!

[jbyron00]

I don't think developing a cheaper iPhone was a shift in Apple's thinking over the last six months. It was probably part of the strategy from the beginning. It follows the path that Apple went down with the iPod. The original 5GB iPod was priced at $399 when it was introduced in 2001. It had a loyal following but didn't reach the masses until Apple had iPod mini, iPod shuffle, and iPod nano. Do you think Apple didn't know how it came to dominance with the iPod?

[kyle_74]

"Apple believes in its strategy of protecting the Mac as a high-end, high-margin brand "

(sigh) Has Apple not learned anything over the last 20 years?? It is this type of thinking that will always relegate Apple to a niche role in computing. Very disappointing.

[btbeme]

If you look at the article above, Steve Jobs made it clear 13 years ago that they were fine with being a niche market. I am certainly fine with owning the best personal computers, the best portable, and the best mini-computer (my iPhone, though AT&T suxx) on the market. I will take quality over quantity any time, any day, any where.

[ballmerisanape]

So?.. Look at how healthy the company is.. how much cash they have.. the quality experience they provide??? Seriously.. diluting quality with quantity is not good for Apple or their users. Microsoft is proof that you can't be everything to everybody.. just look at XP... its archaic... and was the MS standard until little over a year ago. I mean.. it displays memory usage in KB for God's sake!

[SactoGuy018]

For all the huzzahs about Apple's financial performance, they're all forgetting one thing: Apple is being buoyed by the enormous continued success of the iPod and iPhone lines, which don't need to be tied to the Mac to be highly successful (the overwhelming majority of iPod and iPhone users own Windows machines). Note that sales of desktop and laptop Macs have not done as well, which may start to bode ill for Apple unless they figure out how to build a netbook machine and a less-costly desktop machine above the Mac Mini (the MacBook, iMac and Mac Pro lines are looking just too expensive compared to the PC competition).

Is it small wonder why HP Pavilion desktop machines continue to do well? I use an HP Pavilion a6400f and HP did a masterful job integrating all the included software so it doesn't interfere with system operation, not bad consider all the complaints about too much software preloaded from PC manufacturers.

[dbloyd]

If this was day one of computing then Mac OS X would win hands down and would be licensed out to other vendors. Right now Windows will always be the dominate operating system. Apple might as well appeal to a niche market. The worst operating system won. The war is over.

[Zaunto]

Apple isn't going to change anything about the way they do business. Not until all of the rich people have saturated the market. How many rich folks are left in this economy? I admit that if I had the money or my workplace wasn't cost conscious, I'd have a Macbook, but until I win the lottery, my band gets signed to a recording contract, or I hook up with a rich girlfriend, I won't be getting a Macbook any time soon.

[Sourdust]

I think Apple knows what they're doing. Every year you read about how the new iPods aren't very different from the old models and finally have competition, yet they sell well. The iPhone got a lot of criticism early on (no keyboard, etc.) and wasn't expected to do very well, but it did. The new Blackberry and Google phone were supposed to really hurt iPhone sales, but they didn't. So I think Apple knows what they're doing in the netbook arena. And besides, Apple dropped "Computers" from their name because they knew they were going to focus on more than just computers.

[TreesofMyTime]

If Iphone does not offer an alternative vendor for the Iphone, I will give it up as a source of communication when our current contract is up! No doubt about it. I control all 3 of them and there is no doubt whatsoever
my intention.

ATT stinks!

[Yellowspikes]

I'm not dawging the iPhone by any means. Because I own one and I love the phone except a few features. But once 3.0 is released I will like my phone a lot more than I do now. But I sure wish that Apple would start selling the iPhone on Verizon because where I live I will have full service on my main level and then boom no service in my basement wich is really annoying. Oh and the 3G is a joke I can only get it in one of the towns that is 10 min away from me, but if they were with Verizon they have 7 towers in between the the 10 min radius. So pretty sure their sales would soar!!!! Because AT&T's service is horriable u always drop calls!!!!!!!

[NikEst]

Apple needs to change somewhat. If they can reduce their prices, even 5%, they probably should.

The MacBook Air is a net book, but too big to really be a net book. Apple could produce a killer net book and that would sell. The beauty of a net book is that you don't need much platform compatibility, so the included Apple apps would be more than enough for most people. They are really missing out on a niche market that they could fill very well.

[edcase512]

Interesting to read how often people criticize one product, MS Windows, by comparing apples to pomegranates.
I like OSX, I really do. However it is part of a package, hardware and software. make it hardware independent and we have a fair comparison.
However this will never happen, Apple are firmly committed to their marketing plan. They are niche, will always be niche and will always have to rely on "style" to survive.
Truly there is nothing innovative about any of their consumer products...beyond "style" they market very well. The moment they cease to do so..they lose.

[SteveW928]

@ edcase512 - so you like OSX... but think it is all only about style? Are you sure you've really used a Mac?
They will never license as long as anyone intelligent is running the company, because that would ruin OSX as an OS rather quickly... look at Windows.
As for 'niche'... as Jobs is fond of saying, then BMW is a 'niche' auto-maker too. What does that have to do with anything?
Nothing innovative? Maybe you should look at Apple's history.... while they didn't invent all these things, they certainly made them popular: GUI, Mouse, Laser Printer, PDA, Laptops (to a large extent), Digital Camera, Wireless (at least made popular - Airport), On-line music purchase, On-line TV - video purchase, Made USB popular, Got rid of floppies...
BTW... people have been predicting Apple's demise for decades now... take a look at the recent financials for M$ and Apple.

[cushcush18]

"'If we find a way where we can deliver an innovative product that really delivers a contribution, than we'll do that.'" It should be then, instead of than

[Angmarr]

Guess time will tell how long this elitist mindset will work!
if history is any suggestion ........

[trentZ2]

"We view AT&T as a very good partner, and believe they are the best wireless provider in the U.S.," Cook said. "We do not have a plan to change the iPhone relationship."

Well there went a whole blog out the window...

[iGlad]

I am sick to death of those people who seem to think that lowering prices is the answer to increasing market share, when all it does is erode a companies' profit margin. Apples' market share will never be large and the company know that however if they can be the number 2 then that adds up to millions globally. I for one don't buy my PC's from Walmart or Dell anymore as I am strictly a mac man, if you want a netbook there are plenty of them available at fairly low prices.

Someone mentioned Porsche and they are a niche player. Also Apple are a hardware and software company and if you actually get your brain gear are the only company who provide both.

[lakorai2]

Hey if you really want a Mac and don'[t want to get ripped off from Apple, use EFI-X. Run Mac OS X, get less of the Apple Tax. Actually have an upgradable computer.

For laptops running a Core2Duo cpu and an intel chipset or the 9400M chipset you could always go with Boot 132, at least until EFI-X releases a module for laptops.

Apples crap is too expensive. That opinion is pretty well accepted. They don't want to go cheap; not because of quality, as we have seen Apple's quality lately hasn't been steller. Maybe it's the illusion of quality behind the veil of marketing..... Check Macfixit.com for major issues on many iMacs, Macbooks with staining plastic, oissues with the Radeon 4850 iMacs freezing/overheating etc.

Apple is about marketing, margin and creating an elitist image. I run OSX using EFI-X. The OS is great and has lots of potential. I don't have to deal with Apple's facist lock-in on their products, soldering cpus, soldering batteries, overpriced laptops etc. Their business model prevents more profit from being created as Apple could easily compete with Microsoft if they opened up their platform.