3 Takeaways from the Apple iPad Launch
A Computer That Doesn’t Feel Like A Computer #
Its not a geek device, its a computing appliance. The iPad is a computer with an iPhone OS. Not a full fledged Os like we’re used to, no multitasking, terminal, filesystems…
Just a list of Apps that can be installed and updated from the net. Simple, elegant, and exactly what most people who aren’t computer geeks need.
The perfect “laptop” for mom and dad…
Apple Sells Relationship, Not Hardware #
The iPad’s amazing pricing just shows that Apple is really counting on people using the heck out of their device… that means buying apps, books, music and videos. Its building a relationship with its customer that gets stronger and stronger with each purchase on iTunes.
Customers who have all their applications, games, books, music and videos on iTunes are locked in the Apple ecosystem. They’re vested in it…
They’re not going to easily switch to an Android or a Zune…
HP\Dell\Asus\etc. only make money the moment you purchase their hardware (and on support and stuff) they make no difference if you use it or not. Microsoft too, only makes money when you buy your Windows license.
Apple on the other hand keeps monetizing its customers way after they left the Apple Store with their latest new device when they buy content for their device. They keep and nurture a profitable relationship with their customers and thats a way better business than a one-off hardware\license sale…
(btw, Microsoft is learning about making profit from a relationship too… that’s what drives its Xbox business)
iBooks Can Change the Publishing Industry #
Before the iTunes Music store, buying songs at a ridiculous 99c price was inconceivable. The iPhone App Store did the same to applications, changing the the economy (checkout this excellent App Economy graphic) of application taking prices down.
Same could (and would probably) happend with books… but there’s more!
Unlike Amazon’s Kindle (and Sony’s reader and the rest of the bunch) which support a very limited interaction – text and some grey imagery the iPad comes with a big, colorful touchscreen and a CPU that can handle 3D gaming.
The iPad’s hardware is perfect for interactive content and the Times Magazine demo showed during the launch shows a glimpse of how our future books and magazines should look and feel on electronic media.
Electronic “print” is going to be much more interactive and rich which means the entire process of book production changes.
The publishers’ role changes from mass printing and delivery to production of interactive content, the way authors work changes, and distribution costs drop..