Why Apple is a dead company walking

[GermanyChris]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-57594484/why-apple-is-a-dead-company

"And yet, sadly, I have to report that a new form of analysis reveals that the best brand in the world is lost, cannibalizing its luster without anyone apparently creating more of the Apple magic. Or, if anyone is, it's not CEO Tim Cook.

This analysis is based on a technique called "word mapping," in which a leader's words, in connection to other words, reveal their worldview and their bias for action. I've taught word mapping to a few groups, and the feedback was so positive that people said it must be brought to a bigger audience. (This is the first time I've written about it besides a more technical introduction in my personal blog.)"


It's dead because of word mapping of course!

 

[SkyBell]

...Yeah, whatever that guy is talking about aside; Apple clearly isn't dead, and they probably won't be for a very long time. But, I can see them falling fast from their pedestal above all others, very quickly and possibly quite soon. Honestly, they haven't pulled any real tricks out of their hat in a few years now; other companies have been. Apple isn't resting on their laurels, but they haven't been hitting gold like they used to either.

 

[ravenvii]

...Yeah, whatever that guy is talking about aside; Apple clearly isn't dead, and they probably won't be for a very long time. But, I can see them falling fast from their pedestal above all others, very quickly and possibly quite soon. Honestly, they haven't pulled any real tricks out of their hat in a few years now; other companies have been. Apple isn't resting on their laurels, but they haven't been hitting gold like they used to either.

I don't get why people kept saying this.

1999 = iMac
2001 = iPod
2007 = iPhone
2010 = iPad

If Apple hits gold again in 2013 or 2014, it'll look like this;

1999 = iMac
2001 = iPod
2007 = iPhone
2010 = iPad
2013/2014 = iGold

Looking at this timeline, does it look like Apple is not "pulling any real tricks out of their hat" longer than usual?

 

[needfx]

this thread is going to get ugly real fast

mods at the ready

 

[jbachandouris]

Wouldn't re-adding the downvote button be easier?

 

[Plutonius]

Some people make money when the stock goes down.

 

[vrDrew]

This analysis is based on a technique called "word mapping," in which a leader's words, in connection to other words, reveal their worldview and their bias for action.

I'm curious to learn more about this technique.

Have there been studies where the leaders of doomed companies public pronouncements were compared to those who led their firms from strength to strength? And if so - what were the results.

I don't dispute there very well may be some valid scientific insight about the personality and leadership style to be gleaned from word mapping.

But I question how reliable it is as a means of forecasting a company's future prospects. There simply seem to be far too many other variables that would come into play.

 

[GermanyChris]

I'm curious to learn more about this technique.

Have there been studies where the leaders of doomed companies public pronouncements were compared to those who led their firms from strength to strength? And if so - what were the results.

I don't dispute there very well may be some valid scientific insight about the personality and leadership style to be gleaned from word mapping.

But I question how reliable it is as a means of forecasting a company's future prospects. There simply seem to be far too many other variables that would come into play.

First this came into my facebook feed via lowendmac of all places..

I've read about work mapping in the past it's generally personal. While apple is highly (or at least appears to be) centralized the word mapping of one man doesn't spell the whole. In the playing field that Apple is playing on "I" produces no results but "we" do.

 

[ratsg]

Unfortunately, journalist love to write stuff like this, just to stir the pot, vs writing real news articles.

Unless Apple starts doing some really stupid things, I will start worrying about Apple's fate after microsoft has disappeared and is just a (bad) memory.

 

[throAU]

who cares.

i'm happy with my macbook and will buy another.

 

[roadbloc]

Apple aren't dead. They have freaking billions.

 

[SkyBell]

I don't get why people kept saying this.

1999 = iMac
2001 = iPod
2007 = iPhone
2010 = iPad

If Apple hits gold again in 2013 or 2014, it'll look like this;

1999 = iMac
2001 = iPod
2007 = iPhone
2010 = iPad
2013/2014 = iGold

Looking at this timeline, does it look like Apple is not "pulling any real tricks out of their hat" longer than usual?

I suppose it all boils down to a matter of personal preference and opinion, but here's how I would change your first version of the list. (bolded)

1998 = iMac
1999 = "Clamshell" iBook
2001 = iPod, "TiBook" PowerBook G4
2002 = "Lamp" iMac G4
2003 - PowerMac G5
2004 - iPod mini, iMac G5
2005 - Mac mini, iPod nano
2007 = iPhone
2008 - MacBook Air
2010 = iPad

Again, in the end no one person can say for certain Apple's fate, but it's just my opinion that they had a lot going for them for quite a while - and need to get back on the ball if they want to continue being on top.

 

[tkermit]

I would change your first version of the list.

In that case, I think you should add the Retina MacBook Pro (2012) as well as the new Mac Pro (2013) to the list...plus maybe the iPad mini.

 

[quagmire]

I suppose it all boils down to a matter of personal preference and opinion, but here's how I would change your first version of the list. (bolded)

1998 = iMac
1999 = "Clamshell" iBook
2001 = iPod, "TiBook" PowerBook G4
2002 = "Lamp" iMac G4
2003 - PowerMac G5
2004 - iPod mini, iMac G5
2005 - Mac mini, iPod nano
2007 = iPhone
2008 - MacBook Air
2010 = iPad

Again, in the end no one person can say for certain Apple's fate, but it's just my opinion that they had a lot going for them for quite a while - and need to get back on the ball if they want to continue being on top.

He isn't saying Apple hasn't released good products between those years. But his original list shows off the timeline of Apple's "big" innovations that catapulted Apple to where they are today.

You had the original iMac. Then had the iPod which started the music revolution. Then the iPhone changed the way we use our phones. Then the iPad defined the tablet market.

Yes there were other cool products and showing Apple wasn't resting on their laurels, but those products didn't revolutionize anything or is seen by the public as major innovations/cool. To us yes the iMac G4 was an amazing design. The titanium Powerbook was awesome in design and material( which evolved to the aluminum Powerbook). But, the timeline for Apple's big revolutionary products is that original timeline.

The only product that can be argued to be included in his original list is the MBA considering it did jumpstart the ultra notebook market and is doing quite well.

 

[BaldiMac]

A rebuttal:
http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/apple-death-knell-63-apple-is-a-dead-company-walking

 

[SkyBell]

In that case, I think you should add the Retina MacBook Pro (2012) as well as the new Mac Pro (2013) to the list...plus maybe the iPad mini.

The new Mac Pro may be one that makes the cut; it remains to be seen at this point in time.

The rMBP, I don't see as anything special. No ground-breaking design in my eyes.

iPad mini? It's an iPad... but smaller.

Again, these are just my opinions.

 

[quagmire]

iPad mini? It's an iPad... but smaller.

But, you included the iPod Mini in your timeline....

 

[maxosx]

...Yeah, whatever that guy is talking about aside; Apple clearly isn't dead, and they probably won't be for a very long time. But, I can see them falling fast from their pedestal above all others, very quickly and possibly quite soon. Honestly, they haven't pulled any real tricks out of their hat in a few years now; other companies have been. Apple isn't resting on their laurels, but they haven't been hitting gold like they used to either.

There's a lot of truth to your comments. I think they're already beginning to fall even thought its not readily apparent to many outsiders. Luckily Apple has a huge safety net in the form of its pile of cash.

Yet make no mistake, outside the walled garden of Apple, lives the slap of reality. As Apple learned once before, the retail buyer is fickle. Nothing stays the same in business. You're either growing, or dying.

 

[pdjudd]

I think they're already beginning to fall even thought its not readily apparent to many outsiders.

Wait a second though, how do you know for sure that this is that case if you are an outsider? How can you be sure that you are not misreading things or are blinded by bias unless you have information that nobody else does?

My question, what is your factual proof? Can you really state something like this without having a good operating knowledge of the future? I bet that back in the 90's people would have said that it was a sure thing that they were dead. They turned out to be wrong. How do you know that you are right now? What proof do you have that is definitive.

 

[SkyBell]

But, you included the iPod Mini in your timeline....

Yes, because the iPod mini was quite a leap forward; it introduced the clickwheel, which became the standard iPod interface for years to come, and still survives to this day in the Classic. It was also the precursor to the iPod nano, which became even more of a sales success than the mini was. Not to mention it introduced the wide array of colors which have been spread across the entire iPod line at one time or another.

The iPad mini, on the other hand, really hasn't been anything other than a shrunken iPad AFAIK.

 

[GermanyChris]

Wait a second though, how do you know for sure that this is that case if you are an outsider? How can you be sure that you are not misreading things or are blinded by bias unless you have information that nobody else does?

My question, what is your factual proof? Can you really state something like this without having a good operating knowledge of the future? I bet that back in the 90's people would have said that it was a sure thing that they were dead. They turned out to be wrong. How do you know that you are right now? What proof do you have that is definitive.

Generally when people preface a comment with "I think" we are not dealing with factual and provable. You cannot prove something will fail there is always a chance for success.

I get the feeling that right now that Apple it trying to redefine itself and focus. Jobs in many ways was Apple. They need a core personality like his to drive them, that personality has yet to be found.

In the end I think this is what people are the market is feeling and reacting to.

 

[slu]

Yes, because the iPod mini was quite a leap forward; it introduced the clickwheel, which became the standard iPod interface for years to come, and still survives to this day in the Classic. It was also the precursor to the iPod nano, which became even more of a sales success than the mini was. Not to mention it introduced the wide array of colors which have been spread across the entire iPod line at one time or another.

The iPad mini, on the other hand, really hasn't been anything other than a shrunken iPad AFAIK.

Small correction - the click wheel was introdcued on the 4G iPod. I won't deny the huge success the iPod mini was though.

 

[quagmire]

Small correction - the click wheel was introdcued on the 4G iPod. I won't deny the huge success the iPod mini was though.

He's right. The iPad Mini was the first with the click wheel. The 4G iPod later adopted it.

 

[slu]

He's right. The iPad Mini was the first with the click wheel. The 4G iPod later adopted it.

I stand corrected!

iPod mini - introduced 6 January 2004
4G iPod - introduced 19 July 2004

I could have sworn the 4G came out first, but that just may be because that was the first iPod I bought.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod

 

[macintoshi]

http://blog.kissmetrics.com/internet-war-report-2013/?wide=1 death company walking... yes