# Apple- Yesturday, Today, and Tomorrow



## GroundZeroX (May 24, 2003)

Where do you see Apple going in the next few years. Do you think Apple is the same company it was 10 or even 15 years ago? What do you think is Apple's biggest mistake?


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## thisbechuck (May 24, 2003)

I think in the short term, Apple's biggest mistake is clinging to the G4 as long as it is. Hopefully, the next few months will reveal Apple is acknowledging this...


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## Ugg (May 25, 2003)

Persuing the digital hub, expanding throughout the world, solidifying its market in film software and becoming more like Sony.

I think few tech companies are anything like they were ten years ago but Apple has been pretty consistent with its product and its approach.

Not expanding fast enough outside the borders of the US.


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## Giaguara (May 25, 2003)

the only thing that does not change is that everything changes. apple is not what it was years ago, whatever it means, and it will not be what it is now or what is what before, after some years.


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## Koelling (May 25, 2003)

It blew my mind reading macosxhints.com today and someone wrote about cocoa not being very "Mac like" but I guess in some ways it's not. He was refering how carbon apps such as iTunes will live update the scripts folder and he was being very nostalgic in general.

But people who hold on to distant memories of Macintosh aren't very Apple like, because Apple has always been about change, bleading edge and a little risk. I think that embracing NeXt was a good idea and whatever is to come will distance some, welcome others and life will go on. I'm not saying that the future will be good if Apple says so but I'm saying they have a pretty good track record thus far.


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## Jack Hammer (May 25, 2003)

i think apple will always be around and probably always about anywhere from 2-8%.

i think the PC industry in general is about to move into it's modern age soon during the next economy spike.

by then (5 yrs from now), tech will be more standard and the new ideas and innovation from Apple will truly be adopted. i think lifestyle  is a legitamite guess and peripherals will have a lot to do with it. i think the ipod will eventually change into (or evolve seperately from) something more Newtonish but of course with the Apple twist to it. 

Think about it. Ipod is already a A+ mp3 player. The ipod is a D organizer presently. If they made the iPod an A organizer in the next few years, they can have a tremendous product in their hands. 

Also, currently mMode phones are very close to being  easy to use IMO. I have a AT&T Mot 720 and i find it ok, but the potential i see in it are exponential. If Apple can streamline the process with their own phone, and software...i see this as important as the Music Store. Owners of GSM phones with the mMode type features like games and software that download to the phone know what i'm talking about. It sucks now just like Pressplay and iListen did but if Apple got their hands on it and made it brilliant...watch out.

I do not see Apple making home Audio devices. I have seen people making their own iPod rigs connected to the home audio and they seem to have no interest in another big audio box clogging their equipment when a plug and their ipod save space, effort and is cheap (to turn your portable player into a home audio device as you already use the iPod for portable usage).

I see Apple finally moving into the next generation of processing with a new processor but how much damage has the G4/Mot done already and how big can IBM be in terms of development and the roadmap for the 970? How fast does the processor ramp and will the processor be *FASTER* than PCs at any given time? Remember Avis commercials where they work harder becauuse they are #2? Well Apple is #2 and their processor does not work harder. They need a clear cut advantages instead of BS like they currently have. Winning Wintel converts easily is imaging Apple store salesmen saying "This G5 performs exactly 15% faster than the latest Intel processor and here is a flyer with benchmarks as well as website links to independent benchmark scores where Apple beats every wintel score in every major category".

But Apple it will always be around and we will always enjoy owning and speculating about the future.


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## LVzardoz (May 25, 2003)

Opinions from MacRumors.com:

http://tinyurl.com/cnpa


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## fryke (May 26, 2003)

Please don't link to other forums' threads (according to site rules, it's not nice to do it, anyway...), we have enough people with enough opinions on board. ;-)


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## evildan (May 26, 2003)

I can remember being very concerned with Apple's future, emotionally concerned, at that. I was younger then, but mostly, just frustrated with the concept of a better product being replaced by a "more popular" product. Something about the injustice of it all, made me very aggravated.  I remember being in a store where people were looking at computers. One guy asked me out of the blue saying "I know nothing about computers, heck I don't even know how to turn one on, which computer should I get?" I, of course, told him to get a Mac. To which, he responded "Does that come with Windows?"

Here it was, the perfect example, Windows had already won. They were so effective about building a name for themselves, that even the "ignorant" consumer knew they need Windows. Not even knowing what that was.

In 1995, I was at the height of my frustration with the release of Windows 95. That, for Apple, was a significant turning point. Microsoft had released one of their worst OS's, which was a blatant copy. Windows only took the trouble of putting everything on the opposite side of the screen. But still, Apple couldn't win over the mass public. They still lingered in second place to the Window's platform market share. Apple, in my opinion, had never seen darker days. A company concerned so much about their image, and the "computer world" was scoffing at their operating system. The very same operating system that lead them to their beloved Windows 95. 

It's comparable to a musician today, scoffing at the Beatles, or the Beatles scoffing at Elvis, or Elivs, every blues musician he was influenced by.

Apple then did the unthinkable, they tried to be more like Microsoft. Microsoft had very early on (even before windows 95 of course) done something that increased their market share with little to no effort. Microsoft made sure their operating system was on every personal computer, no matter who built it. Since there was no competition, overnight they had multiple companies working for their operating system. Apple was too busy trying to develop the entire computer experience, they let Microsoft take the other 95% of the market, uncontested. So Knowing all of this Apple decided to start allowing cloning of the macintosh platform. Apple hoped that there would be a birth of computer manufactures who would pick up the Apple line and move the company past their Microsoft counterparts. 

Unfortunately, that was a mistake, a very big mistake. The computer industry wasn't as small as it was when Microsoft did it. And the small Apple share was divided amongst itself. Suddenly Apple had less then 3%, how terrible.

Apple pressed on, they squashed the cloning program, and started innovating again. 

Say hello to the iMac.
The release of the iMac once again proved that Apple could innovate, despite the adversity. And, whoa, what a surprise, the design was copied... everywhere. Suddenly everything had to come in colors. The grey box was dead. But it didn't matter, since Apple had already publicly announced that it was indeed their innovation. The mass population equated colorful computers to Apple. Every knock off computer and grill all seemed to promote Apple. Apple was riding high.

Unfortunately, the first iMacs were not the best machines. Some of them over heated, and others crashed a bit more then they probably should have. Apple scurried to fix their increasing mistake. It was time for Apple to review their operating system. The last piece in the puzzle. But it wasn't all bad for Apple, Steve Jobs announced what was to be their new hardware lineup. 

1) A personal desktop
2) A personal portable
3) A professional desktop
4) A professional portable

This was timed very well. Of course they deviated from that a few times, with varying results. The cube was a good idea on paper. I almost bought one, but the problems (hardware related) concerned many consumers, and it was pulled from manufacturing soon afterward.

Moving forward, Apple has done some great things. Apple seems to be a more confident computer company. Apple, started innovating again. Apple's market share actually began to settle in. Apple finally began to stretch its legs and get comfortable with the 3-5% market share that they had. 

Then came osx, which changed everything. With osx, another audience that Microsoft discredited, started looking to Apple. UNIX and LINUX people have been embracing the operating system even if they don't use it. Apple is building relations with other companies.

Apple takes their first stab.
With their new operating system in place Apple launches the "switch" campaigns. They were very successful. I myself didn't care too much for them. Then again, they weren't aimed towards me, I was already an Apple buyer. But it had never been any clearer to me how successful the campaign was until Microsoft was caught trying to copy it. Wow, does Microsoft have an entire department dedicated to just copying Apple ideas? Microsoft quickly pulled the website after it was determined that the "real person" was actually an image from Photodisc. Probably just a placeholder graphic, but still, it showed everyone that Microsoft wasn't done with their copying tendencies.

As far as the future, I try not to speculate about it. I guess it's the fear that I'll be misquoted in the future.

But it would seem quit certain that Microsoft is very interested in maintaining its position in the market. And it would seem that they are not above "copying" a few ideas from Apple to be sured that their customers remain happy Microsoft users.

It would also seem clear that Apple is still interested in bridging the gap between Apple users and Windows users. Apple's friendly, trendy persona is an honorab approach. They have already found ways into the Windows' world, with the iPod. Suddenly Apple has a product that ties it to the computer. PC users could start to equate the iPod to Apple and suddenly the Apple computer doesn't seem that intimidating. People buy designer clothing, cars and houses, why not designer computers? Why not designer operating systems?


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## toast (May 26, 2003)

Where do you see Apple going in the next few years >> Same as it was a fw years ago. In homes, not in companies.

Do you think Apple is the same company it was 10 or even 15 years ago? >> No. Hopefully not.

What do you think is Apple's biggest mistake? >> I don't know, being no expert. But I hate some of their communication (non) skills.


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## chevy (Jun 11, 2003)

Apple's biggest mistake ? Good question ? 

Not having spoken with Bill in 1981 when Bill was open to develop on Mac ?

Having chosen the PowerPC instead of Pentium ?

Having fired Steve at the end of the 80's ?

Nobody knows. Apple is still alive. And one says that all mistakes that don't kill you make you stronger.


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## chevy (Jun 22, 2003)

The future is REALLY TOMORROW - June 23rd !


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## Ponderosa (Apr 30, 2005)

GroundZeroX said:
			
		

> Where do you see Apple going in the next few years. Do you think Apple is the same company it was 10 or even 15 years ago? What do you think is Apple's biggest mistake?



Perhaps, allowing Bill Gates to steal the Macintosh GUI and get away with it.


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## Ponderosa (Apr 30, 2005)

Apple has had many good ideas throughout it's lifetime only to have it's ideas used by windoze type machines. Furthermore, Apple should have visited the stores they chose to sell their products along with windoze products. If they hired mystery shoppers and paid them to file a report of their findings, Apple would have been the leader in computer sales in the past. Most sales clerks sold Apple down the drain for the Bill Gates machines. It makes me wonder if there was some sort of monetary reward from the Microsoft folks to discourage potential Apple customers from purchasing Apple products.I visited many store and was told by the clerks that Apple was not the way to go. However, that didn't stop me from buying the better platform. Apple of course.


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## riccbhard (May 2, 2005)

I agree with Ponderosa, I think Apple's biggest mistake was letting bill gates getting away with the macintosh gui. If this didnt happen, and you asked somebody about windows they'd say "what, windows?". Unfortunetly people say "what, maintosh?".


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## Lt Major Burns (May 3, 2005)

i know, other boards, other opinions, but this is the height of irony



			
				 a guy on Mac Rumours said:
			
		

> Longhorn delay?? Since when?? All I've read is we are looking at late 04, early 05 release which is right on schedule.


 ::ha::


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## Lt Major Burns (May 3, 2005)

riccbhard said:
			
		

> I agree with Ponderosa, I think Apple's biggest mistake was letting bill gates getting away with the macintosh gui. If this didnt happen, and you asked somebody about windows they'd say "what, windows?". Unfortunetly people say "what, maintosh?".



there's a problem with that. gates didn't steal it off jobs. he stole it off xerox _with_ jobs....

the court cases fell through at this point. hence: "mac's, they're like PCs right?"


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## fryke (May 8, 2005)

Ah, we can't change history, anyway. So let's just say Apple should continue to drive innovation. And maybe create one or the other wonder like Mac OS X and the iPod. But better. Insanely great. Can they repeat success? What will be _the_ next product Apple rocks the world with?


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## iSwitch (May 9, 2005)

And what about the processor?


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## Lt Major Burns (May 9, 2005)

my g5 is completely comparable to a mid-to high range pentium. which is what it is in competition with.  the difference is, my computer _uses_ it better.  the powerPC architecture is just that - archtiecture. it can still be as powerful as the x86 thing, and pentium, at the moment, simply can't keep up with athlon anyway, so it would have been a bad choice again.

everyone is hitting power-walls at the moment. it'll be fine in a couple of years.

future?  just carry on!  at the moment, apple are doing pretty much everything right.  jobs and his team are doing a very good job of making good products mixed with enough media hype to sell them.

just improve, and keep on innovating!


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