Alexander Patsay: I would argue that everything “rests on Jobs” ...
In connection with the triple update that we received from Apple, it seemed to us mandatory to write about this company additionally. But another excursion into the history of the company would be too boring, so we turned to Alexander Patsay , independent expert, journalist and guru in the world of gadgets, who kindly gave an interview to Consumers . RU :
- Alexander, good afternoon! It's no secret that Apple is one of the most successful companies in a long time, but, as it should be, it is also a company that has gathered around itself the maximum amount of myths, gossip and rumors. I would like to dispel some of them, or, conversely, to make sure that what they say is true.
The first question is related to another scandal around Apple's companies and the supposedly released Smart Case. However, Samsung immediately denied this. Do you think it was a kind of artificially created scandal, or Samsung just did not want to get another lawsuit?
- Samsung claims that this Smart Case (which really looks very similar to Apple's Smart Cover) was developed by a third-party accessory manufacturer, and is not related to Samsung. Samsung also says that the manufacturer of this Smart Case was not given a “Designed for Samsung Mobile” mark, and the company is working with the manufacturer to resolve this situation. It seems to me that Samsung should have realized that the current lawsuits with Apple require caution in the future, but apparently, not all departments have been informed about this.
- Apple does not undertake the release of any new gadgets, such as, for example, TVs. Although a couple of months ago, there was a similar rumor. Is it possible, and then they will try to attract the attention of buyers, except for the big name?
- Apple does not rush into new product categories, without thinking it over and planning everything. If Apple decides to enter the TV market, it will be a “smart” TV with Internet access and the iTunes Store , to buy and view multimedia content from the store. The release of the TV looks quite logical option - Apple has a TV set-top box Apple TV , and the company probably gets good prices on the screens, as they are used in laptops and other computers of the company. Another thing is that in this market there are a lot of players and the margin there is not high, but Apple can work in such markets and remove cream from them.
')
- Does Apple have decent competitors today? If so, who?
- In some specific directions - there is. It seems to me that Amazon will become such a worthy competitor in the ecosystem-content market after the release of its tablet on Android. In terms of the design of mobile gadgets, it should be noted Samsung, which, by copying the best solutions, Apple produces quite decent devices. I would also mention HP , which, after acquiring Palm, has chances of a decent fight in the mobile device market - they have a good operating system and enough knowledge and experience to design good devices. However, HP lacks the attention to detail that Apple has.
- Is there a chance that Apple will sooner or later force out all large companies from the market?
- Hardly. Apple is not interested in mass production, they are not interested in a market share of 90%. They are ready to be content with a market share of 20-30%, removing the main cream from the market. For example, for the same mobile phones, Apple now has a 20-25% market share, but the company receives more than 50% of the profits of the entire market. The same with computers - the company's 8-10% share gives it control over 90% of the premium computer market, where the company gets a margin of 25-35% of the sale, while mass producers like HP and Dell have to be content with a margin of 3 -four%.
- What do you think about the recent joke that Samsung has “two designers, one is holding an iPhone, and the second is circling it”?
- I think that it is difficult to deny the fact that the Samsung technology - from packaging to cable, operating system design, and so on. - very similar to what Apple is doing. This is hardly a coincidence - Samsung, seeing the example of Apple, is well aware that the design can sell well, and they have found the easiest way to reproduce it: copy from the market leader in design.
- Is something qualitatively new from Apple threatening us, something that the iPad once became?
- Of course. But no one knows what it is and when it will happen (smiles) .
- Apple has a huge number of imitators and constantly made fakes. Do imitators bear any real threat?
- Not. To make a fake better than the original - you have to try very well, and imitators usually do not know how to try.
- In your opinion, what future awaits Apple after Steve Jobs leaves the company? After all, it is no secret that it is on him that the most powerful apple of our time rests?
- I would argue with the statement that "everything rests on Jobs." Of course, Jobs has some kind of vision that many other leaders of the IT industry lack, but Jobs was able to create a team at Apple, which, I think, is capable of continuing the work started long after Jobs leaves.
- Is it possible to merge Apple with any large company for a joint project? If possible, how do you see it? With whom? What to create? If not, why not? Does Apple have any interest in this?
- Apple is always full of joint projects - with Google , Microsoft , and so on. Another thing is that it is the new products, like the iPad, that Apple will always do on its own, without disclosing its plans to competitors. Apple simply does not need to cooperate with someone for large joint projects, and having $ 70 billion in cash, Apple is easier to buy someone and continue to develop the project, which is called in-house.
- Rumor has it that the iPhone5 will be the last in the iPhone line, because it will be the most perfect and then there will be nothing to add. Is it true?
- I do not think. The development of technology does not stand still, and in a year or two something new may well arise that was not previously assumed at all in mobile phones. At Apple, such things are invented by people who are able to think out of the box (outside the box, outside the box), which is often not enough for us, ordinary consumers.
- It is quite clear that when your offspring is on the crest of success, then you should not think about stopping. But how do you think it is likely that Apple will get tired of everything and just stop paying for itself? Or is it a company created to live forever?
- The very wording “get tired of everything” is incorrect. As long as the company produces products that are interesting to consumers (primarily due to the fact that they are simple, convenient and provide a high level of comfort at work), it will exist and flourish. Whether the team assembled by Steve Jobs will be able to ensure the creation of such products in the future is the answer to this question and will allow us to understand how long the company will continue to function successfully in the market. It seems to me that it can.
- Thank you very much for such a wonderful conversation!
- Thank.
Interviewed by Margarita Velehova
- Alexander, good afternoon! It's no secret that Apple is one of the most successful companies in a long time, but, as it should be, it is also a company that has gathered around itself the maximum amount of myths, gossip and rumors. I would like to dispel some of them, or, conversely, to make sure that what they say is true.
The first question is related to another scandal around Apple's companies and the supposedly released Smart Case. However, Samsung immediately denied this. Do you think it was a kind of artificially created scandal, or Samsung just did not want to get another lawsuit?
- Samsung claims that this Smart Case (which really looks very similar to Apple's Smart Cover) was developed by a third-party accessory manufacturer, and is not related to Samsung. Samsung also says that the manufacturer of this Smart Case was not given a “Designed for Samsung Mobile” mark, and the company is working with the manufacturer to resolve this situation. It seems to me that Samsung should have realized that the current lawsuits with Apple require caution in the future, but apparently, not all departments have been informed about this.
- Apple does not undertake the release of any new gadgets, such as, for example, TVs. Although a couple of months ago, there was a similar rumor. Is it possible, and then they will try to attract the attention of buyers, except for the big name?
- Apple does not rush into new product categories, without thinking it over and planning everything. If Apple decides to enter the TV market, it will be a “smart” TV with Internet access and the iTunes Store , to buy and view multimedia content from the store. The release of the TV looks quite logical option - Apple has a TV set-top box Apple TV , and the company probably gets good prices on the screens, as they are used in laptops and other computers of the company. Another thing is that in this market there are a lot of players and the margin there is not high, but Apple can work in such markets and remove cream from them.
')
- Does Apple have decent competitors today? If so, who?
- In some specific directions - there is. It seems to me that Amazon will become such a worthy competitor in the ecosystem-content market after the release of its tablet on Android. In terms of the design of mobile gadgets, it should be noted Samsung, which, by copying the best solutions, Apple produces quite decent devices. I would also mention HP , which, after acquiring Palm, has chances of a decent fight in the mobile device market - they have a good operating system and enough knowledge and experience to design good devices. However, HP lacks the attention to detail that Apple has.
- Is there a chance that Apple will sooner or later force out all large companies from the market?
- Hardly. Apple is not interested in mass production, they are not interested in a market share of 90%. They are ready to be content with a market share of 20-30%, removing the main cream from the market. For example, for the same mobile phones, Apple now has a 20-25% market share, but the company receives more than 50% of the profits of the entire market. The same with computers - the company's 8-10% share gives it control over 90% of the premium computer market, where the company gets a margin of 25-35% of the sale, while mass producers like HP and Dell have to be content with a margin of 3 -four%.
- What do you think about the recent joke that Samsung has “two designers, one is holding an iPhone, and the second is circling it”?
- I think that it is difficult to deny the fact that the Samsung technology - from packaging to cable, operating system design, and so on. - very similar to what Apple is doing. This is hardly a coincidence - Samsung, seeing the example of Apple, is well aware that the design can sell well, and they have found the easiest way to reproduce it: copy from the market leader in design.
- Is something qualitatively new from Apple threatening us, something that the iPad once became?
- Of course. But no one knows what it is and when it will happen (smiles) .
- Apple has a huge number of imitators and constantly made fakes. Do imitators bear any real threat?
- Not. To make a fake better than the original - you have to try very well, and imitators usually do not know how to try.
- In your opinion, what future awaits Apple after Steve Jobs leaves the company? After all, it is no secret that it is on him that the most powerful apple of our time rests?
- I would argue with the statement that "everything rests on Jobs." Of course, Jobs has some kind of vision that many other leaders of the IT industry lack, but Jobs was able to create a team at Apple, which, I think, is capable of continuing the work started long after Jobs leaves.
- Is it possible to merge Apple with any large company for a joint project? If possible, how do you see it? With whom? What to create? If not, why not? Does Apple have any interest in this?
- Apple is always full of joint projects - with Google , Microsoft , and so on. Another thing is that it is the new products, like the iPad, that Apple will always do on its own, without disclosing its plans to competitors. Apple simply does not need to cooperate with someone for large joint projects, and having $ 70 billion in cash, Apple is easier to buy someone and continue to develop the project, which is called in-house.
- Rumor has it that the iPhone5 will be the last in the iPhone line, because it will be the most perfect and then there will be nothing to add. Is it true?
- I do not think. The development of technology does not stand still, and in a year or two something new may well arise that was not previously assumed at all in mobile phones. At Apple, such things are invented by people who are able to think out of the box (outside the box, outside the box), which is often not enough for us, ordinary consumers.
- It is quite clear that when your offspring is on the crest of success, then you should not think about stopping. But how do you think it is likely that Apple will get tired of everything and just stop paying for itself? Or is it a company created to live forever?
- The very wording “get tired of everything” is incorrect. As long as the company produces products that are interesting to consumers (primarily due to the fact that they are simple, convenient and provide a high level of comfort at work), it will exist and flourish. Whether the team assembled by Steve Jobs will be able to ensure the creation of such products in the future is the answer to this question and will allow us to understand how long the company will continue to function successfully in the market. It seems to me that it can.
- Thank you very much for such a wonderful conversation!
- Thank.
Interviewed by Margarita Velehova
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/124687/
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