Steve Jobs on the Couch

From CNet article on the release of the new iPod video: The iPod has "been a huge hit for us so it's time to replace it," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said as he showed off the new product at a press event in San Jose, Calif.

This statement really makes me laugh. Either it's a freudian slip, or Mr. Jobs is even more diabolical than I previously thought. Why? The statement, I think, was meant to be ironic. We are supposed to wonder: "why woud they replace a product that has been a huge hit?" Especially, since it's questionable whether I would ever actually watch a TV show on a two inch screen.

In reality, he's talking about the customer -- it's time for "us" to replace our old iPods. The price points are the give-away. The iPod video costs the same as a regular iPod with the same size hard drive. Since sales have been leveling off, Apple needs a new reason to get people to replace their old iPods - since the photo didn't work, they're releasing video, but this time complementing it with content on iTunes.

It's the dynamic duo of content and hardware that got apple to where it is at the top of the MP3 mountain. If it ain't broke, don't fix it ... or just add a feature to increase sales.

10.12.05 11:31AM | 227 words | (2) | |