> $3000 laptops that are comparable to most $1200-1500 laptops, but are slightly prettier and less serviceable

So all those people who buy them are just stupid then, are they? What nonsense. This is little better than trolling.

Perhaps a better comparison would be the Apple Store's $400 price tag for 8GB RAM modules when you can get it for around $100 normally. I don't think the "customer service" is worth $300.

You said it, not me.

There are people who care very much about the visuals. They're not stupid for paying extra.

This comment may have been relevant many years ago, but these days companies are struggling to compete with Apple on price (notably Macbook Airs, iPads, etc).

I'm in the market for a nice lightweight laptop for development. I was amazed to see that the best one I can get is a Macbook Air. Other brands don't even come close to it, with regards to price:quality ratio. Heck, even ignoring quality the Air still beats other ultrabooks.

My friends have a hard time admitting that an Apple product is actually the saner choice.

My guess is that many executives at competing companies think just like this: Apple just sells "slightly prettier" laptops at a premium. So they give their designers the job of making the products "slightly prettier", and then they are surprised when these products fail to compete with Apple.

lulz. The author's bio. This says it all.

Clayton M. Christensen is the Robert and Jane Cizik Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, and is regarded as the world’s foremost expert on innovation and growth. James Allworth is a Fellow at the Forum for Growth and Innovation at Harvard Business School.