Apple

Facebook Gets It

While Facebook’s presentation skills were lacking during today’s new features event, I thought there were some interesting tidbits that came out of Zuckerberg’s ramblings. 

1) Facebook gets it.  Over the past few years, Facebook has unveiled incremental design changes and new features, which by themselves aren’t earth-shaking, but collectively have served to move the platform forward and give Facebook the freshness users demand. Doesn’t this strategy sound familiar?  I was also pleased to hear Facebook’s goal to make the Skype integration and video calling “stupidly easy”. As seen with Apple’s current success, if your business is built around scale, new features and products must be easy enough to use that even people who don’t like dealing with technology will have a blast using your product. Facebook gets it. 

2) Facebook wants to redefine how we use the web. Zuckerberg is a believer of apps and while a ton of people at Apple HQ agree with him that apps are the way to go over the next 3-5 years, Zuckerberg wants those apps to run on the Facebook OS, whereas Apple wants to keep the curated app garden on Apple soil.  While Facebook’s primary goal has been to increase its user base (and I suspect this will remain a top priority until 1-1.5 billion people are on Facebook), eventually Facebook will shift its attention on third party apps and webpage connectivity (and I am not just talking about Zynga games). Down the road, the Facebook OS can be expanded outward, with the help of mobile devices, so that Facebook serves as a bridge between our daily lives and our always changing social network (re: how your social network may impact the way you perform mundane chores around town, shop for birthday gifts, or even get a new haircut). We will look at the web in a much different light.

3) I doubt Facebook cares about competitive pressures from Google+ (if there are any), Twitter, or any other social networking platform. Facebook’s biggest competitor isn’t another company, but instead user’s quest for privacy. Facebook’s success depends on people sharing information, privacy be damned.  Twitter and other social features are helping people get use to the idea of sharing ideas and thoughts.  If Google+ catches on in some way or form, Facebook would hope users will become only more willing to loosen their privacy setting because “everyone else is doing it”, or “it’s becoming the norm”.  Only a few years ago, it was taboo to have a public Facebook profile due to concerns over employers or family peeking into one’s life. Now its common to share mundane photos or interesting posts from the web with strangers.  As time goes on, people will continue to lower their privacy walls and not even realize it. 

Facebook is quietly hovering over its targets, not yet ready to attack. Showing little outward aggression and more secrecy and obscurity than clarity and straight forwardness, Facebook is content with expanding its reach and building its army. Eventually, the time will come for Facebook to attack with its foot soldiers being you and me (assuming you are on Facebook).  With a current valuation in the neighborhood of $50-$75 billion, investors are betting Facebook has its sights on quite the large battle.

Will Your Mom Love Google+?

Normal consumers are more likely to try out a new product if they hear their children raving about it, or watch Diane Sawyer report on it during the evening news.  Normal consumers are more likely to try out a new product when they feel left out by their reluctance to “join the movement”. Grandparents and parents are joining Facebook because all they hear from their children and grandchildren is “it’s on Facebook” or “go on Facebook to see it”.
 
I suspect Google realizes how popular Facebook has become with the masses and will rely on what it does best to get people to use Google+; force users (Gmail, YouTube, search) into interacting with Google+ in one form or another.
 
Force is the wrong word.  I mean coerce.

Snapshots

While surfing the web this morning, I could only laugh at the amount of optimism given to Windows 8. Posts on how Windows 8 will truly revolutionize Microsoft (they said the same thing about Windows 7) were the cherry on top. Commenters rushed in with Microsoft support throwing around such figures as 350 million Windows 7 licenses sold to date or some other funny math that supports their claims. If I wanted to live like it was still 2004, I could go along with these individuals and drink the Microsoft kool-aid, but its time to wake up. 

People are making a fundamental error. Rather than looking at tech trends, many are looking at snapshots of the current technology landscape and then extrapolating what they see into the future. Snapshots do nothing but reinforce the dying status quo. 

June 2011 technology snapshots would show:

1) Nokia is still selling plenty of phones.

2) Microsoft is crushing it with Windows 7 licenses. 

3) Research in Motion is still selling a boatload of blackberries. 

All snapshots; singular moments in time that won’t show:

1) Mac sales are gaining market share every quarter and will soon surpass 15% of the consumer computer market.  

2) iOS is becoming ever-more vibrant as a growing number of developers are now earning a honest living from iOS app revenue.

3) iPad power.

4) Android is largely becoming the non-Apple destination for anything mobile. 

While Windows 8 may have its attractive points, interesting features don’t change consumer technology trends. Instead, years of successful product launches and value-added services help turn a loyal consumer base into an army of brand enthusiasts. The tech industry is still in the early stages of working through the death of a monopoly.  Industries take years, if not decades, to work though such an industry-changing event. Certain brands are dying a slow death, while at the same time, being replaced by up and coming brands. Taking snapshots will never give the true picture. 

You Want iPad 2?

1) You head to your local Apple store.

2) Although you see a queue line outside, you walk in and ask an Apple store employee if they have any iPad 2s? Answer is no. 

3) After walking around aimlessly for 10 minutes, you head outside and get in-line.  You are #14. 

4) After talking with #4, #8, and #12, you realize that this store hasn’t received any iPad 2 shipments for two days.  

5) You start to think that you can be in line for days. You have no chair, little food, and already skipped this morning’s shower.  Your Apple dedication begins to wane. 

6) Apple store employee walks out and says there will be no iPad 2s sold today, but an iPad shipment might arrive tomorrow morning.  Queue line doesn’t seem too upset. Inside, you are torn.  You think, it’s just a stupid big iPod touch.

7) Apple store is now closed. It’s dark and somewhat cold outside.  Queue line is now 30 long.  You wonder if anyone in line has anything else to do.  Your question will go unanswered. 

8) You fall asleep while laying on some gum and leaves. 

9) You wake up with the sun.  Two hours later, an Apple store employee comes out and says they received a limited number of iPad 2s. Numbers will be passed out shortly. 

10) Line is downright giddy. 

11) Apple store employee reaches you and asks which iPad 2 model you want. You say 16GB Black Wi-fi.   The response: “Sorry, we didn’t receive any of those.”  In a moment of desperation you then say 32GB Black Wi-fi.  The response: “Sorry, we didn’t receive any of those either. We do have 64GB White Wi-fi.” You know you don’t want white and you know you don’t need 64GB, but you have waited in line for half a day.  You say okay. You now own one 64GB White Wi-fi iPad 2.

12) You head home and log-on to eBay.  You realize you can make $40-$50 selling your new white iPad 2.

13) Eight hours later, and after a long nap, you head back to your local Apple store (this time with a sleeping bag).

14)  Although you see a line outside the Apple store, you walk in and ask an Apple store employee if they have any available extension cords.  Your Macbook Air only gets 10 hours of battery life and the nearest outside power outlet is near queue line #4. You are now queue line #18.