Is Apple Getting Too Big?
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Over the years I have always considered people who used Apple computers as kind of eccentrics. I say this as a compliment and not as a criticism. I personally believe that Apple has and does make a great computer system. But as with any type of consumer product, we all have our personal favorites. Mine just happens to be the PC, Personal Computer. Why? Because they are cheap! 
Let’s face it. A Cadillac is more luxurious but a Chevy will get you there. That is just my opinion. But as Apple products have become more popular, they are now going to face something that they haven’t faced in the past. There are the non-zealot Apple users who will speak up and complain. Previously it was almost like a religion, that Apple users did not speak of problems they were having with their Apple products. It was kept in the family. While over on the PC side, every little problem made explosive headlines.
This Wired article states:
One reason more Apple customers are complaining is simply that there are more Apple customers than ever before. And, while an angry minority may be particularly vocal, the majority of the company’s customers continue to be happy with its products.
”Apple, it seems, now has to deal with the average Joe and the average Joe is considerably more cranky than some turtle-necked fanboys in their loft in SoHo,” Biggs wrote.
But on the flip side is the fact that Apple has introduced new products that can only be labeled as ‘brilliant’. The Mac Air is unbelievable thin, which begs one to ask ‘how did they do that’. The Apple iPhone [both models] are not only attractive but also very functional. Let’s face it. Any other company, including Microsoft, would love to have these products. Plus the Mac vs PC commercials have really made people actually think for themselves. Something that Microsoft doesn’t want to see.
So what is your take? Do you believe that Apple’s success is a curse? Or is this just an example of success?
Comments welcome.
6 Comments
Michael Forian
July 28th, 2008
at 11:10am
“Is Apple getting too big?”
BIG APPLE! Couldn’t resist
For me, price doesn’t matter. The quality of Apple’s products are pretty decent. Apple will be VERY successful over the years. This is why I am angry for not buying their stocks…
Great post Ron!
Stefan
July 28th, 2008
at 12:27pm
it is, as you point out, a mixed blessing.
there all this talk about a huge influx of mac viruses (which were yet to see really. theres now 3), and since the switch to intel (arguably half the reason why Apple’s computer business is booming) there are definitely issues with hardware reliability.
The most reliable machine Ive owned is a G3 Powerbook from 2000. My G4 Cube is stable too, and only breaks when I change the internal hardware with 3rd party stuff. But my MBP has had issues with going to sleep (hibernate), waking from sleep (screen wouldnt turn on) and a few others. Most recently (last friday), the GPU completely failed. This last one is most likely NVidia’s fault, as its a 8600M GT, but theres been a host of hardware complaints at Apple from battery power through to the quality of thermal adhesive used since the 2006 switch over.
but in reality, its all about the people that things go wrong to. The stats show that Apple’s are no more likely to fail than any other brand, and in the mean time many people enjoy how OS X ‘just works’ in comparison to XP or Vista.
Equally, ensure that you get AppleCare when you buy. Outside the standard warranty I have now got a brand new battery after the old one was down to 25% capacity at just 60 charge cycles, and now, with the GPU failure, I get a brand new Logic Board. The AppleCare has paid for itself in this instance, and thats not to mention the absolutely excellent customer help, where after helping me diagnose the issue precisely I was pointed to an Apple store where I sat down with a ‘Genius’ and went through everything they could think of to get it working again within the 20 minutes.
so even if your computer or iphone or whatever fails you, the customer services will set you right as quickly as is possible.
Id say its a continuation of a long standing period of success.
hi
July 28th, 2008
at 8:21pm
I think it’s a good thing when people speak up and complain. It keeps the company on its toes.
H. Mueller
July 29th, 2008
at 3:15am
Apple has become FAAAAAAR too big. They don’t even need their old Power PC customers (no more support in the 10.6. version of OS X). So, it is great that Linux is ready for prime time.
Greg
July 29th, 2008
at 7:40am
“PCs”, as you call them, are only cheap until you start buying the software that comes free with the Macintosh. This may not be important to those that don’t need anything in the iLife suite, but to the rest of us, it’s a veritable bargain. The “free software” that has come with any so-called “PC” I’ve ever purchased as been either crapware, crippleware, or time-bombware … “you pay nothing and you get nothing”.
No PowerPC support in 10.6? Boo hoo. Come on, H. Mueller! Apple doesn’t support my 0.3 megapixel QuickTake 100 digital camera anymore, either. Get over it. Buy an Intel or stick with 10.5 … it’ll be fine. Enjoy Linux … been there, done that! My wish for you is that your Linux experience will be just as enjoyable as mine was!
JmactheAttack
July 31st, 2008
at 9:35am
lol, funny you should mention Cadillac and Chevy..Both owned by one very large and global company(GM).
Anyways, I dont see Apples recent growth as a problem. They still are still only a fraction of Microsoft’s immenseness. Once they come out with an A-Box Entertainment Console then I think we may have something to worry about…
Personally I like PC’s a lot more because you can customize everything about them and everything on a Mac is completely the same. I do wish that Windows was better for how much it costs.