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Posted by William Davis on 10/18/05 05:52
In article <43520ad9$1@clear.net.nz>, Nathan Mercer <nmercer@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Dave Martindale wrote:
> > Richard <rich@ihug.co.nz> writes:
> >
> >
> >>Makes the video ipod look like just another halfassed apple product if it
> >>only
> >>takes quicktime... why not the avis that everything else is happy with...
> >>only
> >>apple..
> >
> >
> > You might as well ask why all ipods do not play WMA audio files. To do
> > so would certainly benefit consumers, but it would also help one of
> > Apple's rivals.
>
> The underlying Portalplayer chipset's support WMA, Apple specifically
> disables the functionality
Just for the record, I don't think that Apple is really "selling
hardware" here. Nor are they "selling software."
They're building a digital distribuition network for creative content
that happens to have hardware and software components. Note that since
the implementation of iTunes for the PC, this is not a "strictly Mac"
model. Also note that, as other posters have mentioned, apple software
(Quicktime) is NOT strictly necessary for viewing.
The success or failure of iTunes - and by extension iTunes for Video -
is that it's a digital distribution model for making it EASY for users
to satisfy their desire for LICENSED creative content.
It's a little like when the networks wired America for TV in the 1950s.
Right now, Apple has a commanding lead in digital players (iPods) and in
a distribution infastructure (iTunes music store) - they seem to be
running faster and farther than any competing system.
They've had a remarkable run of providing both a product (the players)
and the service (the store) that customers have flocked to and voted to
support with their credit cards.
Apple also seems to understand that in this fast moving era, you don't
build category dominance with the "old" hardware evolution model. I
personally think it was amazingly gutsy for them to replace a hardware
product (the iPod Mini) at the PEAK of it's popularity - when it was
still selling like hotcakes - with a new model (the Nano). I can't think
of another company that's EVER done that prior to sales moving over the
peak popularity curve and into decline.
Whether their category dominance in personal entertainment players lasts
is anybody's guess. But they're re-writing the rule book and it's kinda
fun to watch.
For what it's worth.
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