Many technologists have criticized the iPad for lack of features. Some have even compared it to a rock. While these complaints are fair, there is a much more important issue. With the release of the iPad, Apple has won the digital media race.
Portable media:
The iPod and the iPhone product line have grown at a pace that very few products have achieved in their entire lifespan. Nearly every person either owns an iPod or knows someone that owns an iPod. And, with each revision, the product continues to get better.
Big-screen media:
To many, the Apple TV has been a failure. However, I disagree. While it hasn’t pushed a lot of units, it is one of very few ways in which a consumer can view their iTunes collection on a big-screen TV. Apple TV also seamlessly integrates with the iTunes store, which makes purchasing and renting movies extremely easy. With season passes for TV shows, it is a great option for those that want to disconnect or downgrade their cable service.
The biggest disappointment here is that Microsoft was in this space first with its XBOX 360 console — a device that is superior than the Apple TV at a similar price point. However, Microsoft didn’t make it easy for users. On the other hand, Apple did.
Books and news media:
One of the biggest announcements from the iPad launch event was the release of the iBooks store, allowing users to download and view books on the tablet. And, make no mistake, this is a big move. Amazon.com recently pulled all of Macmillan’s books from it’s online store due to a pricing dispute. Over the weekend, they all re-appeared with a higher price point. The price? Similar to the price of books on Apple’s tablet.
Amazon’s statement:
Dear Customers:
Macmillan, one of the “big six” publishers, has clearly communicated to us that, regardless of our viewpoint, they are committed to switching to an agency model and charging $12.99 to $14.99 for e-book versions of bestsellers and most hardcover releases.
We have expressed our strong disagreement and the seriousness of our disagreement by temporarily ceasing the sale of all Macmillan titles. We want you to know that ultimately, however, we will have to capitulate and accept Macmillan’s terms because Macmillan has a monopoly over their own titles, and we will want to offer them to you even at prices we believe are needlessly high for e-books. Amazon customers will at that point decide for themselves whether they believe it’s reasonable to pay $14.99 for a bestselling e-book. We don’t believe that all of the major publishers will take the same route as Macmillan. And we know for sure that many independent presses and self-published authors will see this as an opportunity to provide attractively priced e-books as an alternative.
Kindle is a business for Amazon, and it is also a mission. We never expected it to be easy!
Thank you for being a customer.
What most people fail to realize is that Apple has built an entire digital media universe — one device at a time. It’s relatively easy to sell products through an online interface (iTunes), but it is challenging to sell content without complimentary products. Apple has done just that — and so far, it has succeeded.
Apple is known for making good and user-friendly products. They’re not known for making products that are chock-full of features. And the iPad matches that pattern.
While this is expected to be one of the last major releases for the next couple of years from Apple, it will be interesting to see how Apple expands its content offering.
