Mac Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 I've been mulling recently about the evolutionary nature of Apple now, rather than the revolutionary stuff that made Apple what it is. Read my thoughts here. Apple has some real strong competition now, especially from Microsoft who are now gunning for them, will be interesting to see how they react. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 I've not had chance to look at Windows mobile 8 properly yet, but from an interface point of view, what's different about 'tiles'? They just look like larger versions of ''icons' only with live info on them. What's to stop Apple making the icons resizable and show 'live' info? Apple are traditionally slow to add features, but i'd be surprised if they didn't add such a feature in a forthcoming os update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Maybe the impact of Jobs death are starting to ripple. Nature of the beast isn't it? You do something high value, I do it for less or better. Apple knocked the socks off MS and various hardware styles a while back and it's competition warfare at its best. I guess there's a huge pile of users that sit in the middle and will take best at time products. Since a vast majority of desktop are still MS generic there must be huge logic to having full portability products on the same platforms. Archive this thread and let's come back in 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m4ttm4son Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Agree with a lot of that, but weren't they starting a market for a lot of those products. They've created niches and developed new products for smartphones, ultra-portable laptops, mp3 players, tablets and the operating systems they use. After such rapid expansion, isn't it just sensible to have a period of consolidation and improvement on those items before punching the envelope again? Are MS really being the innovators ATM or are they just coming into the same party, but with fresh ideas and another case of beer to liven it up again? Rather than actually creating brand new (a)venues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 a 20% drop in share price isn't too funky either for Apple! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanG Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Motorola. Once Market leaders in mobile devices, GEMS, military encryption and radio tech, Networking, cellular technology etc etc nearly $17bn in cash in the bank... Change in management resulting in a complacent buffoon in charge and an end to the company as we know it. It can happen... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted November 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 ....and don't get me started on their 'Retail Experience'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinspark Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 My experience of the Cardiff Apple store has largely been positive. It did feel a bit odd not going to a 'checkout' to pay for an iPhone, though - but everything else was fine. Including dealing with a 'genius' when I needed an out of warranty (but 'goodwill') repair to my MBA's hinges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 ....and don't get me started on their 'Retail Experience'. Join the grumpy feckers club 1st rule of shopping is on arrival at pay point review queue and if more than a minutes wait drop basket full of goodies on floor and walk off muttering about ridiculous wait to give them money. Apple may have played most of its product cards, and true new innovation may have slowed but they are an established player and I see it as round xyz in an never ending fight with the other players. If they really want to stir up trouble maybe they could see Goldman's and start a hostile bid for ms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 ....and don't get me started on their 'Retail Experience'. My last Apple retail experience was perfection itself. I needed an adaptor, I walked into the Basingstoke store, picked it up off the shelf, scanned the barcode on my iphone using the Apple Store app, entered my AppleID password to pay and walked out. Didn't even talk to a blue t-shirt person Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 See, that's what the London stores *use* to be like. Maybe they're just a victim of their own success now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I walked into the Basingstoke store, picked it up off the shelf, scanned the barcode on my iphone using the Apple Store app, entered my AppleID password to pay and walked out. Wow. That's what shopping should be like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 See, that's what the London stores *use* to be like. Maybe they're just a victim of their own success now. Can't you do that in the London stores? Use your own iphone to scan and pay without having to talk to a member of staff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 You can if you have it set up I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burble Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Can't you do that in the London stores? Use your own iphone to scan and pay without having to talk to a member of staff? You can but that's only useful if you want to pay for the product you're buying with the same card that's registered with your Apple ID. Yesterday I wanted to buy a couple of cables on my company credit card so needed to find someone in a blue t-shirt, as far as I could see they don't even have a cash desk there any longer. I gave up, went to HMV and bought them there instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 You can if you have it set up I think. Just d/l the latest version of the Apple Store app and you're set, however as pointed out above it only works on the credit card you have on file with your appleID Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m4ttm4son Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 What stops you from picking up an item, messing about with it for ten minutes with your iPhone and then walking out with a five finger discount? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopsta Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 The law :nono: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torino101 Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Does seem like paradise for those with light fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I wouldn't be surprised if the app notified the store before authorising the purchase. So the store staff at the door have an iPad saying "x" is paid for and about to leave... head home with a MBA under your arm and they might wonder why it's not on their list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I wouldn't be surprised if the app notified the store before authorising the purchase. So the store staff at the door have an iPad saying "x" is paid for and about to leave... head home with a MBA under your arm and they might wonder why it's not on their list? Exactly this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Perhaps I should ask Apple for a job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedywheels Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 What stops you from picking up an item, messing about with it for ten minutes with your iPhone and then walking out with a five finger discount? I regularly visit the Apple Store in Delaware, located in a large Mall complex. There is a security guard permanently posted outside the entrance to the store, so people helping themselves must be a real concern for Apple. The purchase experience at Apple is unique but the 'open' style of their stores makes it tempting to the light fingered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Putting the Apple Store experience to one side (the local one in Southampton is not good) - Microsoft have completely changed their tack with their new marketing campaign - they're not as much pushing Windows 8 as the devices, which is what Apple have always done. Microsoft Surface (very clever TV ads), Windows 8 on smart phones, Nokia being the main push, but who cares what the phone is - it's the experience that counts. You can port everything from iTunes and all that gubbins, plus they work seamlessly within a business environment using Exchange, Lync and all that. The iPhone walked into the corporate space, because RIM took their eye off the ball with the Blackberry and Microsoft didn't have anything that "just worked". I reckon Windows 8 will save Nokia, so it'll leave (mainly) Apple with the iPhone, Nokia with Windows 8 and Samsung with Android. Apple versus Microsoft versus Google. Again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 I agree with most of what you've said there, and this may not apply so much to the corporate market, but as a 'home' user, the fact Microsoft have almost no control over who, or how their products are sold, isn't going to do them any favours. From personal experience, if my iPhone etc goes wrong, or I need some help, i just walk into an Apple store (ok, sometimes you need an appointment) and they will sort it, there and then. As far as I can see, that doesn't exist in the Windows world, or Android for that matter. The other downside I see with Windows 8 mobile, is that while on a top of the range handset, I have no doubt it will be excellent based on what I've read so far, but the 'brand' will be devalued by the bottom of the range phones struggling to run the software with limited capability. At least I know if I buy an Apple phone, it's going to do everything, and it's not going to be restrained because it isn't top of the range. It's quite interesting times to be honest, and I wouldn't like to hedge a bet on who will come out on top. I was going to buy a Macbook of some description to replace my ageing laptop, but now i'm waiting to see what the Surface is like, and what people who's opinions on such subjects I respect think of it, and it was Microsofts excellent advertising as you mention that made me stop and wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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