Is this a bad Apple?
The catch and chase model isn’t new to Apple, and depending on what reports you’re inclined to read, you may know that they’re soon to embark on undefined territory once again. This time, reports say, Apple may be in a position to revolutionize the way that we interact with print media.
Now, let’s take a step back and look at what has happened in the past.
Music
Music > digital music movement > mp3 players… {read Music > iTunes > iPod} all of which were (arguably) led by Apple. Now people bitch and moan about how Apple has dominated the market… how they have such a firm grasp on the recording companies, on bands, the list goes on. But, then again, nobody really does anything about it. There are others in the market to sell music, but what do they do differently? Nothing. They may charge a couple of pennies less per song, but they still take the majority of money away from the artists. Are they any better? Why do people pirate music.. because people (or at least I) would rather not pay Apple (although they do have many expenses from a sale – think server costs, bandwith costs, even credit card charges), and I would rather not pay the handsome fee that recording companies charge their artists. I want to pay artists. And it’s just that – I am all about supporting artists, but until they actually receive the money that I’m willing to give them… pass. The industry has to change. It has to change because the model is built on an old system… a system that doesn’t exist today! The cost of producing music isn’t the same as it was 50 years ago, or even 15 years ago. Take a look at John Mayer and his upcoming album that he appropriately named Battle Studies. He’s producing an album by himself (and his band) and doing the work himself. He doesn’t need a giant label with high-paid execs to create an album, and no band really does anymore. An artist does not need to pay these now-obsolete people, but are because the model doesn’t support otherwise.
Please read this great article that Eric Karjaluoto wrote regarding this very thing
He states:
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The problem with [the industry], however, is that the people who should actually get paid are instead screwed. This is a shame. While few of us care about the recording industry, no music lover wants to steal from the artists.
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It’s an excellent article, and a very worthwhile read.. here’s the link again, in case you missed the first one. Anyway, he goes on to mention a few different approaches and models that would solve the issue.
Now here’s my main point:
Print Media
Ohh… the dreaded print media. The story that has been in the news for weeks… months, even. This medium of information is too stubborn, too far back on the curve to change their model, to remain successful and to stay afloat. The internet has changed things, nobody can deny, but not many people know how to approach the issue of changing and even more so, are hesitant to do just that.
So, enter Apple. The same company that brought the music industry to what it is today. Apple has apparently been working on a tablet since 2003.. and more recently news surrounding this tablet has been brought forth. They’re saying that Apple is planning to “redefine print media” by offering interactive media placed on this mystified tablet. Is this by any means a bad thing? Isn’t it a God-send to save a dying bread of media? More people are inclined to purchase a mid-priced tablet that’s transportable everywhere, with content delivered to them, anywhere, than to wait for the paper to come to them in the morning.
So, is this a bad thing? Well… it depends on how you look at it. Apple is doing something that others aren’t…. again. And that’s the thing… with Apple’s secrecy, they’re years ahead… 6 years, in this instance. When Apple comes out of the gate, they fly at mach speed, and it takes 2 or 3 product cycles for others to catch up. Look now! Phones today are just catching up to what the iPhone introduced over 2 years ago – and one cannot deny that the whole mobile industry hasn’t improved because of it all.
Now, this is the thing… the print industry is fighting back (if you want to put it that way).
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Ad Age reports that the print industry is not sitting idly by while it becomes increasingly obvious that Apple is planning to enter the tablet market. In fact, these traditional publishers are worried that Apple may quickly dominate the industry in the same way they dominated the music industry with iTunes and the iPod.As a result, publishers are discussing the creation of an industry-wide digital storefront to allow customers to purchase digital content and subscriptions in an effort to bypass whatever solution Apple might provide.
“It’s true that magazine and newspaper publishers are eager to sell digital editions tailored for the tablet and other devices — but they’re just as determined to prevent Apple from getting between them and their readers along the way.”________
Yeah, Industry, you fight back… but guess what, if Apple hadn’t created the vision, you wouldn’t know where to go. As with any leader, Apple included, there are pros and cons. Yeah, Apple holds monopoly-like market share in a lot of areas, but without Apple, there probably wouldn’t even be a market, or for at least a few more years.
So, isn’t it a good thing?
Word. Life.
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