Re:Apple HomePod – a missed opportunity
by gmueckl on Wednesday November 22, 2017 @10:54AM
(#15757721)
The iPod and the iPhone had something new and significant to their credit at launch (the music store with a big collection on launch and the touch based interface, respectively). What pushes the HomeBox ahead of its competition? I don't see it.
Re:Apple HomePod – a missed opportunity
by Juliate on Wednesday November 22, 2017 @11:16AM
(#15757931)
iPod was first released in 2001, with an updated iTunes. On a technical ground, not that much different than the competition at the time (poor battery, not the biggest memory). The message focused on benefits, not on the technical details.
iTunes Store was a (huge) complement to it, released 16 months after that.
iPhone was significantly different, yes. Without 3G, just a barely good enough battery on first release. Those were a basic expectation for other market phones at the time.
As for HomePod, can't say before I see/touch it for real. Watch for complements too.
Every single new product is behind the existing competition in so many ways (or going in such a different direction) at launch. Industry experts "don't understand" why.
But for a set of properties that are/become their distinctive anchors into people's mindset. So people can't really compare side-by-side: it looks/feels like a different thing.
Then Apple builds from that while the competition tries to copy/adjust their course.