FaceTime and Why Apple’s Massive Integration Advantage is Just Beginning

TechCrunch ^ | Jul 3, 2010 | Steve Cheney

[stripes1776]

The success of iPhone 4 has been astonishing to witness, despite the antenna issues, proving once again that Apple has a unparalleled ability to differentiate around design and integration, not simply “features.”

Perhaps the best example of this so far is FaceTime, Apple’s take on video-calling. FaceTime makes video-calling on the Android-based Sprint HTC EVO look silly, because the EVO awkwardly requires users to sign up and download a third-party app, then launch it every time they want to talk. Normal people simply won’t do this...

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Rather, you’re comparing one company to multiple companies; Android is an open OS, it’s not a single company. That’s your comparison, not mine.

So how about Apple versus Nokia? Want to do that? Talk about phones?

[Cold Heat]

Apple was not the first with apps! The first generation of what Apple calls the I-pad was called a tablet computer. IBM made one and Microsoft made software for them as well. The idea never caught on and that was in like 1996.

Apple did make some inroads into real inventiveness back when they were losing money, but changed direction when the founder returned and became a marketer along the same lines as the Sharper Image business model.

I am not alone in my assessments. Apple has huge following, but the fan base is about tapped out. There are only so many people who marry a company and are willing to use all their proprietary add on's like being forced to all drive red cars and use Apple gas. Most people resent that sort of stuff, and that is what happened to sharper image and other predecessors using this same business model. I could name dozens of them. The app thing was a great way to plant the hook, and every good marketer has a hook.

Analysts on the street are not yet shorting Apple because they are waiting for the solid downtrend to become firm on the charts, but Apple will show that weakness soon as they finish this rollout of 4G and after this, I will predict they come out with a bigger phone and a bigger screen....Oh wait! several companies already have one out or are on the drawing board but all the mac heads will claim it is new innovation by Apple. They did not invent the MP3 player, they just marketed one called the I-pod.

Eventually, reality catches up to the company that does this, and Apple will be no exception to the rule and Apple has have a long run by comparative standards.

I have never bought a product from a proprietary vendor with one exception, I bought a Bose Wave Radio and paid a ridiculous price for it because I had plenty of dough at the time and wanted to treat myself. I can't say it was a mistake because It still works and I've had it for 15 years, but you can't use any other remote with it and you must deal with them for any replacement parts and I am a pretty good board level electronic tech. I resent that. They even rubbed off the part numbers or had them made with Bose Id numbers to make it impossible to repair but I fixed it because I have a good memory for parts in that era.

Apple does much the same with their stuff. it is largely over the counter stuff with mods and changes that make it a must to deal with Apple.(desk tops)

These days the stuff is now mostly throwaway but I would much rather deal with a independent company that builds to suit, or do it myself and as far as phones are concerned, I first want a phone that works and does not lose signal. AT&T ain't it!

I don't know if Apple will ever make this deal with Verizon. Verizon has a 1XEV network for the most part except in large cities and the data draw from I phone users would compromise the network and make the phone have issues. A 1XEV runs everything through the phone servers, where AT&T had to install a additional network to piggy back the phone to handle the data load. That is the 3G. I use a Blackberry storm. I note that their networks are just about at capacity in some areas,(Verizon) but at least I stay hooked up where ever I go and make calls which is the purpose of the phone..Larger cities have 3G service though. I can't see that deal going through, but it might. If it does, it will be a disaster for much of the Verizon network just as it has been for AT&T. That is why they made the video chat app for wi-fi only. The network is overloaded now.

So....for all these reasons and more, I think the run is done.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

I see, shift the goalposts on technology invention; how very "Applish" of you...;) You stated:

Apple was largely responsible for every single thing you take for granted

And that's not even close to true. ALL those things you listed were invented outside of Apple and introduced by other computers before Apple. So where's the innovation?

But if you want to talk commercialization, great. What was the first personal computer to sell 1 million units? What is the best selling personal computer model of all time? What computer OS has dominated the computer world for close to 20 years?

[PugetSoundSoldier]

You guys might get a kick out of this...;)

[stripes1776]

And I guess you have a jailbroken iPod Touch since Apple has banned all WIFI sniffers from their App Store.

No, I bought this when they first offered it on the app store. Bought and paid for and legal. But you can put a sniffer on your laptop.

Not to mention that if you use someone else’s WIFI point that is breaking the law...

Most of the networks you see are private and password protected. But it will let you see the open networks that are free to use. For example, Starbucks, which as of July 1 is offering free WiFi. The point is that there are lots of people using there own private WiFi networks at home. And when not at home, using public WiFi networks. WiFi is becoming ubiquitous.

I dunno, just seems like it would be easier to use video conferencing anywhere and everywhere, and also one that inter-operates with open standards (not just FaceTime).

Well, I can use it from any room in my house. And FaceTime is an open standard. Why even an Android phone could use it if the vender wants it.

[BunnySlippers]

So how about Apple versus Nokia? Want to do that? Talk about phones?

Go back up thread. See, I said that Apple dominates in mobile devices.

How many Smartphones, MP3 players and netbooks does Nokia make? Apple dominates in mobile devices.

[RegulatorCountry]

OK, you’re right. Every innovation in the desktop PC, the cellphone and the MP3 player has come out of Redmond, Washington. Microsoft is known for elegant, integrated solutions and always has been. You want innovation, think Bill Gates and thank Bill Gates. From Microsoft Bob to Zune to Kin to massive $17,000 table computers, Microsoft is always at the forefront and the rest of the industry resorts to copying whatever Microsoft does. /sarc

I can understand people being so-called “bots” for Apple of their own volition, because Apple actually makes a product people love. I know, I fit that description and have since 1988. There’s no explanation for you, aside from a monetary one, however. There is nothing to love about Microsoft. The money isn’t even all that great anymore.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Like I said, if you’re happy being tethered to WIFI and talking only to other iPhone 4 owners, great. More power to you!

Fact remains, though, that video conferencing exists on Android, too - and it’s not just WIFI. More and more people are doing what I do - use my phone for my Internet connection (as a WIFI router, something the iPhone cannot do). No need for an Internet connection or WIFI network at the house, my cell phone is plenty fast (2 Mbps over 3G with Verizon). For those people, they’re out of luck with FaceTime.

[stripes1776]

Like I said, if you’re happy being tethered to WIFI and talking only to other iPhone 4 owners, great. More power to you!

Well, I am tethered to WiFi now with Skype and that works pretty good. As for iPhone owners talking to iPhone owners, it's a very impressive service--clear and sharp video. The best I have seen on a mobile phone.

For those people, they’re out of luck with FaceTime.

Well, I am sorry to say that since you have an Android, we won't be placing any video calls to each other. I hope you won't be too heartbroken.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Nokia sells about 43% of all cell phones worldwide (about 500 million units a year), and Symbian - their SmartPhone OS - dominates in total worldwide usage as well.

Apple does about 2% of the worldwide market, about 1/20th that of Nokia. HTC, Samsung, LG, and Motorola each outsell Apple in the phone market.

And I haven't even talked about the Asian giant brands like Gionee and Acer (Gionee alone sells about 50 million phones a year, and that's a brand that is basically China and Hong Kong only).

In terms of mobile OS, Symbian totally dominates, and RIM's BlackBerry comes in second. Recently Android started outselling iOS as well, pushing Apple to 4th place.

So, is that domination in the phone market? I think not...

[BunnySlippers]

Mobile devices.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

OK, you’re right. Every innovation in the desktop PC, the cellphone and the MP3 player has come out of Redmond, Washington.

Is that what I said? No. I never said that, nor did I even imply that. Nice strawman for you to rail against!

However, what I did show was that all that invention you claim came from Apple actually came from other people, well in advance of Apple. Apple is not an innovator, they are like Microsoft - an integrator. They take good ideas, polish them, and then market them as their own.

They make good products, they make good money, and they tell a good story. But they are by no means innovative.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

I have Skype on my phone, and it works wherever I am, even when traveling in Asia. I have several SkypeIn numbers too, so clients and friends around the world can contact me.

And actually I have Windows Mobile 6.5 running on an HTC Touch Pro2; it’s a very powerful platform, and with SPB Mobile Shell it is about the most user-friendly AND customizable UI I can find. I can set it up exactly how I want it, it’s incredibly simple and easy to use, and looks nice to boot...

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Does Apple sell more than 150 million cell phones, iPods and iPads a year, combined? If not, they’re second to Nokia.

In fact, in much of the EU and Asia, the Nokia 5800 cell phone is the best selling MUSIC player out there. People buy the phone not to use as a phone, but as an MP3 player.

[BunnySlippers]

Nokia Vows to Regain Mobile Leadership:

http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/smart_phones/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=225702243&subSection=News

They come in after Apple and Google.

You’re not adding in cellphones, are you?

[BunnySlippers]

Well, the Information Age article I posted proves you WRONG, as you always are.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Did you read your own link? Nokia has 44% of the SMARTPHONE market. About 3 times what Apple has:

Symbian and RIM are bigger than iPhone, and in just 1 year, Android has come within striking distance of iOS.

And in total market? It's not even close. Nokia captured 35% for Q1 of 2010, selling 110 MILLION units in 3 months. Apple? They did just over 8 million units to capture under 3% of the entire market.

Simply put: Nokia absolutely DOMINATES mobile devices. Close to half a BILLION units a year in total sales. Compare that to 50 million TOTAL iPhones sold over the last 3 years. That is not even close.

Nokia is the mobile device 900 pound Gorilla. Samsung, LG, RIM all dominate Apple in terms of mobile devices. It's not even close.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

You spoke too soon...

Tell me how Apple outsells Nokia. Nokia pushes nearly 500 million devices a year. Does Apple sell that many iPhones, iPods and iPads combined each year? Not even close... You’re flat-out wrong, and provably so!

And you also confirmed you cannot read your own link, where it outright states Nokia has the largest market share in smartphones. Ignorance is bliss, I guess!

[BunnySlippers]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/hardware/Nokia-slipping-in-smartphone-segment-as-rivals-race-ahead/articleshow/6061156.cms

HELSINKI: As Apple struggles to meet demand for the latest version of the iPhone, Nokia is still waiting to ship its only model that may compete.

The Finnish company has announced just one handset, the N8, from its new high-end line based on revamped Symbian 3 software, while Apple’s recently unveiled iPhone 4 is flying off virtual shelves with 600,000 pre-orders and other vendors are rolling out models with Google’s Android software.

“The smartphone revolution has started and Nokia is not there,” said Helena Nordman-Knutson, a Stockholm-based analyst at Oehman. The N8 “will be old when it’s out because everybody has taken the next step.”

The world’s largest mobile-phone maker lowered revenue and margin forecasts, citing competition in the high-end smartphone market and showing that its fortunes in the application-rich iPhone segment may not turn before 2011. Chief executive officer Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo has struggled to deliver on a touchscreen model on a par with the Apple device.

[stripes1776]

I have Skype on my phone, and it works wherever I am...

Skype is a great program.