Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth(tech.fortune.cnn.com)
tech.fortune.cnn.com
Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/03/steve-jobs-reality-distortion-takes-its-toll-on-truth/
325 comments
Somebody rebutted the points in one of the comments: none of the dual-core are really shipping over 100 000 a month (threshold for volume considering iPad ships 1,000,000 per month); Samsung admitted miscalculating their end-sales; iPad 2 has some intense minitiarisation, which as with other 'features/improvements' doesn't come free; Apple bore the entire cost of developing the OS themselves; Kindles, Nooks etc. aren't tablets. Not sure if his/her points were sound, just reporting them.
Lot of nitpicks and to be expected framing/number fudging by Steve, but straight up misquoting the Samsung rep was very odd. That had been widely corrected, so either Apple did not research their presentation (unlikely) or just knowingly lied (yuck).
How much of an Jobs/Apple hater do you have to be before you include Nook and Kindle in the tablet market to argue that the iPad share is actually close to 50?
Are we really debating whether a CEO over-hyped his product in a keynote? Next we'll be taking apart a sales rep for saying his product is better than its competitors.
I'm curious if specs in mobile devices have become less important when the device is only supposed to do more or less what it's advertised to doand what the user bought it to do, and not much else. Apple advertises all the apps that work on the iOS line of devices, but these apps are (should be) designed to fit "inside the box" of functionality on the device. Android seems to take a different philosophical approach where users are the big deciders in what is good and appropriate for them on their devices. In the face of advertising versatility, specs do become a bigger issue...especially when you compete with multiple devices on the same platform...like PCs. Apple devices don't have the spec issue, except where it's relevant to show difference between generations of devices. At least that's my two cents. I think both platforms put forth their design philosophies pretty well, and both are respectable options for users. Why people fight over what's better so much is a source of both hilarity and sadness for me.
You see, Apple loves to talk about specs when it is in its best interest (speeds and feeds).
Generalizing,
You see, [companies] love to talk about [what] is in its best interest.
Generalizing,
You see, [companies] love to talk about [what] is in its best interest.
This is a whole load of conjecture, but the product announcements coming out of Apple for the last few years seem to be converging on a pattern.
1) Update on success / market share / etc.
2) Possible update on retail.
3) Compare product that is about to be obsoleted with its competition while putting said competition in an unfavorable light.
4) Make the magic happen and take the press to their happy place.
#3 intrigues me. I can't help but wonder if casting the competition in a negative light is just an excuse for being able to talk about the competition at all. Given the possibility of government interference in any industry it is in the best interest of most businesses to maintain the perception of healthy competition. What has struck me about Apple's portrail of their competitors is that they preset what appears to be a finely tuned mix of recognition, disdain, and paranoia. It's almost as if they want you to remember that there are others out there. Any company that mops the floor with their competition is going to have to deal with the losers running off to the FTC, Congress, etc and whining about anti-competitive practices. At times Apple's presentations seem to be attempting to preempt that sort of thing.
Let me preempt any emotional responses by pointing out that I'm not saying Apple/iOS is better than Google/Andriod, etc, etc. I'm saying that in terms of financial success and overall market/mind share they're doing some serious winning (and not in the Charlie Sheen sense of the word).
1) Update on success / market share / etc.
2) Possible update on retail.
3) Compare product that is about to be obsoleted with its competition while putting said competition in an unfavorable light.
4) Make the magic happen and take the press to their happy place.
#3 intrigues me. I can't help but wonder if casting the competition in a negative light is just an excuse for being able to talk about the competition at all. Given the possibility of government interference in any industry it is in the best interest of most businesses to maintain the perception of healthy competition. What has struck me about Apple's portrail of their competitors is that they preset what appears to be a finely tuned mix of recognition, disdain, and paranoia. It's almost as if they want you to remember that there are others out there. Any company that mops the floor with their competition is going to have to deal with the losers running off to the FTC, Congress, etc and whining about anti-competitive practices. At times Apple's presentations seem to be attempting to preempt that sort of thing.
Let me preempt any emotional responses by pointing out that I'm not saying Apple/iOS is better than Google/Andriod, etc, etc. I'm saying that in terms of financial success and overall market/mind share they're doing some serious winning (and not in the Charlie Sheen sense of the word).
I hate when people compare Apple products specs with the other competitors.
I mean, if a device runs smooth including apps, and no crashes. Why the hell do I need to know if Xoom as 1GB and iPad2 has only 256mb ?
This will only shows that the iPad was better developed in terms of memory optimization then any another other >= 1GB device that does the exact same thing.
This will only shows that the iPad was better developed in terms of memory optimization then any another other >= 1GB device that does the exact same thing.
I was surprised to see Jobs hit Samsung with the repudiated 'quite small' quote, but at the same time Samsung hasn't exactly been eager to release their sell-through numbers. They haven't been shy about claiming their tablets are big sellers, though. Where is the condemnation of their claims that the Tab represented a third of tablet sales, when it's obvious from the near-total absence of them in the real world that they're nowhere near those numbers?
If Samsung is bothered by Apple's claims, they're easy to refute - just release the numbers.
If Samsung is bothered by Apple's claims, they're easy to refute - just release the numbers.
And lo, at the slightest bit of Apple bashing in the media, suddenly the floodgates open and the hatorade pours forth.
Do any of you Apple haters hold any other company to the standards you claim that Apple or Jobs has violated? No, you do not. You huff and you puff on their vapourware, but if Apple puts a single foot wrong you pounce.
Why?
Why the double standard?
I'm not defending Apple†, and I think perhaps if all companies were held to the same high standard that you hold Apple to, the world would actually be a better place.
Let's hold all companies to the same standard.
†They're big enough to fight their own battles, and as I've said before they are far from perfect and there are plenty of valid things to complain about, just not the ones that people pick on (for some bizarre reason that escapes me)
Do any of you Apple haters hold any other company to the standards you claim that Apple or Jobs has violated? No, you do not. You huff and you puff on their vapourware, but if Apple puts a single foot wrong you pounce.
Why?
Why the double standard?
I'm not defending Apple†, and I think perhaps if all companies were held to the same high standard that you hold Apple to, the world would actually be a better place.
Let's hold all companies to the same standard.
†They're big enough to fight their own battles, and as I've said before they are far from perfect and there are plenty of valid things to complain about, just not the ones that people pick on (for some bizarre reason that escapes me)
Disagree, although it was wrong for Job's to misquote Samsung.
Regardless, just because Samsung's tablet sales are "smooth" rather than "small" that doesn't mean that it's selling particularly well. It's not. Nor is the Xoom.
I mean c'mon, honestly how many people do you know who own a Galaxy tab or a Xoom? Or anyone who is even really looking forward to buying one?
And now how many people do you know who own an iPad or plan to purchase one?
Exactly.
Jobs didn't even need to waste his time attacking his competitors. To be honest I, like most people out there probably, never even heard of the Samsung quote until he brought it up, so he may have even given them more credibility now.
And the smart phone game isn't over. Nobody I know who live in other countries wants an Android phone. They want an iPhone. But a lot of people can't afford it. Trust me that will change too.
Jobs didn't even need to waste his time attacking his competitors. To be honest I, like most people out there probably, never even heard of the Samsung quote until he brought it up, so he may have even given them more credibility now.
And the smart phone game isn't over. Nobody I know who live in other countries wants an Android phone. They want an iPhone. But a lot of people can't afford it. Trust me that will change too.
The misquote was the straw that broke the camel's back. Everything else in that presentation was exactly like every other presentation given by Apple or any company touting a new product: Bring up the places you're better and leave out the places you're falling down.
If it wasn't for the obvious misquote, in bold type, nobody would have batted an eye.
If it wasn't for the obvious misquote, in bold type, nobody would have batted an eye.
Let's just take the bull by the horns here. Seth Weintraub's first sentence in this article, and ostensibly his main point, is:
"Apple twisted facts (or worse) to try to convince crowds that all other tablets had no shot at de-throning the iPad in 2011."
I'll put up $100 right now that says no competitor will sell more units than the iPad this year. I'd be surprised if anyone cracked 50%.
Does anyone seriously doubt that the iPad will kill its competition this year? I think it's pretty obvious. Weintraub is just dreaming if he thinks otherwise.
So who's guilty of reality distortion, here?
"Apple twisted facts (or worse) to try to convince crowds that all other tablets had no shot at de-throning the iPad in 2011."
I'll put up $100 right now that says no competitor will sell more units than the iPad this year. I'd be surprised if anyone cracked 50%.
Does anyone seriously doubt that the iPad will kill its competition this year? I think it's pretty obvious. Weintraub is just dreaming if he thinks otherwise.
So who's guilty of reality distortion, here?
How does a link like this make it to the top of HN? It's nothing more than petty, spiteful Apple bashing by a Google guy.
First, I don't think this is really a reality distortion field. Yes, he does do it, but I think this is simply marketing.
Let's clarify a little what might be going on, and I don't think that many of the commentators here are thinking this way.
Have you noticed that a lot of the Apple advertising and marketing is directed towards those that already have apple products? Obviously people who favor android devices are going to be put off by this talk.
But if one is already invested in Apple products, then he might be addressing that little doubt such owners might have.
All of this hoopla reminds me of how for the better part of 30 years commentators were standing in line to underestimate Bill Gates.
And seriously, if this kind of talk, or john gruber's columns annoy you to the extent indicated in the threads, I suggest the following alternatives:
1) Look the other way, perhaps at something pleasant. 2) Figure out why it is working for Apple: can it work for you? (And that is what you are here for, right?)
Let's clarify a little what might be going on, and I don't think that many of the commentators here are thinking this way.
Have you noticed that a lot of the Apple advertising and marketing is directed towards those that already have apple products? Obviously people who favor android devices are going to be put off by this talk.
But if one is already invested in Apple products, then he might be addressing that little doubt such owners might have.
All of this hoopla reminds me of how for the better part of 30 years commentators were standing in line to underestimate Bill Gates.
And seriously, if this kind of talk, or john gruber's columns annoy you to the extent indicated in the threads, I suggest the following alternatives:
1) Look the other way, perhaps at something pleasant. 2) Figure out why it is working for Apple: can it work for you? (And that is what you are here for, right?)
The author must've missed the entire range of keynotes from the late 90s through the mid 2000s when the highlight of each was to have a shootout between a Power Mac and a Wintel PC at Photoshop.
My memory is poor but they seemed to stop this practice maybe 5 years ago.
So, this practice is really nothing new. It's marketing. Google did the same thing when they trotted out specs about how Android browsing is much faster than the iPhone during Google I/O. Horses for courses, etc.
My memory is poor but they seemed to stop this practice maybe 5 years ago.
So, this practice is really nothing new. It's marketing. Google did the same thing when they trotted out specs about how Android browsing is much faster than the iPhone during Google I/O. Horses for courses, etc.
That's not including all of the Android-powered Nooks out there,
I like the look of those.
those cheap $100 Androids you can buy at Walgreens or Amazon
Those aren't doing Android any favors.
and even Windows-powered Tablet PCs (which are mentioned two bullet points above!).
Have one of those. While it is great that I can use any Windows software I want on it, I only use the iPad nowadays. It's just more comfortable to use. Not sure they're the same category as the iPad.
I like the look of those.
those cheap $100 Androids you can buy at Walgreens or Amazon
Those aren't doing Android any favors.
and even Windows-powered Tablet PCs (which are mentioned two bullet points above!).
Have one of those. While it is great that I can use any Windows software I want on it, I only use the iPad nowadays. It's just more comfortable to use. Not sure they're the same category as the iPad.
Case is it's a bad article by a frenetic journalist. Bad written and more biased than Jobs. His 90% "math" is ridiculous.
It's a great piece, but I don't agree that Jobs focuses on specs. Apple is great in that they do their utmost to explain what is good about their products and simplifying the purchase and customization options for the user.
The iPhone 4 wasn't interesting because it had x more DPI clocking in at a total of y; it was interesting, because they had achieved so many DPI that the average person would not be able to discern the pixels.
The Android handset manufacturers are losing the marketing battle partly because they get caught up in numbers and data: x megapixel cameras, y RAM, z megahertz. To the average consumer, all these extra parameters to consider before buying a product makes it all the less likely and rewarding to pick out your next phone.
The iPhone 4 wasn't interesting because it had x more DPI clocking in at a total of y; it was interesting, because they had achieved so many DPI that the average person would not be able to discern the pixels.
The Android handset manufacturers are losing the marketing battle partly because they get caught up in numbers and data: x megapixel cameras, y RAM, z megahertz. To the average consumer, all these extra parameters to consider before buying a product makes it all the less likely and rewarding to pick out your next phone.
ill never understand why someone so far ahead lowers himself like this. in american politics this is what a vice president is for.
Since when is it not okay for a company the emphasize the pluses over the competition and leave out what's not so good. This is common practice.
If you want a full comparison, you have to do it yourself or use independent tests. I always rely on my own tests, if possible.
Mr. Job's keynotes are rhetorically first class and most people can't wait to get hands on the products after they have seen the show. This is no reality distortion, this is perfect marketing.
If you want a full comparison, you have to do it yourself or use independent tests. I always rely on my own tests, if possible.
Mr. Job's keynotes are rhetorically first class and most people can't wait to get hands on the products after they have seen the show. This is no reality distortion, this is perfect marketing.
It's a bit hard to take CNN seriously as a tech commentator, frankly. They published this today:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/gaming.gadgets/03/03/missing.fr...
I've rarely seen a tech article that was less useful or more silly.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/gaming.gadgets/03/03/missing.fr...
I've rarely seen a tech article that was less useful or more silly.
How come Fortune didn't predict the 2008 bubble? Isn't that a much worse reality distortion field that hurt too many people...
At the end of the day, none of Jobs' points or of Weintraub's rebuttals have any bearing on how the quality of the product. It's really just a bunch of bickering. I just want to see the new gadgets and what they're capable of, not how much one company can one-up each other.
Look at SJ's talk as "entertainment" .. which is what practically all of Apple's products are about :)
Rgd Samsung tabs, I believe the writer's choice of "last quarter" itself shows bias, 'cos the debate on what "smooth" means seems to be about post-Christmas sales. It is indeed a vague word which can be interpreted as "slow" in comparison to "faster than expected". Bottom line is that we don't know what the sales figures are with any degree of accuracy if Samsung can say "2 million sold" .. and later on add quietly "to retailers".
The real bottom line is, do you care about these numbers when making your decision to get one of these things?
Rgd Samsung tabs, I believe the writer's choice of "last quarter" itself shows bias, 'cos the debate on what "smooth" means seems to be about post-Christmas sales. It is indeed a vague word which can be interpreted as "slow" in comparison to "faster than expected". Bottom line is that we don't know what the sales figures are with any degree of accuracy if Samsung can say "2 million sold" .. and later on add quietly "to retailers".
The real bottom line is, do you care about these numbers when making your decision to get one of these things?
Isn't this just called marketing?
[deleted]
"To the author:
You have been warned. Take down this article based on lies or else we will sue you. You have 24 hours to comply.
Sincerely, Apple Customer Relations Posted By Apple CR, Cupertino, CA: March 7, 2011 5:41 PM "
fanbois are always entertaining.
Those comments there are the bread and butter of this article. I am pretty sure that, even lolcats won't hold a candle against those commenters.
You have been warned. Take down this article based on lies or else we will sue you. You have 24 hours to comply.
Sincerely, Apple Customer Relations Posted By Apple CR, Cupertino, CA: March 7, 2011 5:41 PM "
fanbois are always entertaining.
Those comments there are the bread and butter of this article. I am pretty sure that, even lolcats won't hold a candle against those commenters.
You actually expect any company representative to be truthful in what essentially amounts to a sales presentation? The naivety in these comments is astonishing - I mean, it's not like Jobs works for a non-profit doing humanitarian work in third world countries. I'm not saying it's right but this is the world we live in.
If he had come out and given all the ways that the iPad 2 is better than the iPad, I'd have been impressed. But spending half the time criticising competitors just came across as the kind of tacky tactic that really shouldn't be needed unless you're trying to catch up to them - not if you're trying to prevent them from catching up to you.
Oh, and that's just for the attacking competitors. Going even further than that, and attacking them with incorrect spin, way too far.