What happens when you give typing lessons to a geek wannabe? Critical thinking disappears. Christian Zibreg in Geek on Sony to stop Apple dead in its tracks with iPhone and iPad killers:
Sony won’t put up with Apple’s aggressive expansion into its own turf anymore.
Uh oh. Here it comes again. Another Apple iPhone, iPod, iPad killer. Do you mind if I dismiss Sony’s efforts to get back in the game?
Anyone dismissing Sony’s renewed attempts to slow down Apple needs a reality check. Yes, one could say that Sony lost its touch with consumers by allowing Apple to take over the music space. You could also blame them for losing ground in just about every consumer electronics category except gaming.
One could argue that Apple’s iPod touch success, in heavy use by casual gamers, is as much a game success as Sony’s recent gaming efforts. Alright. I’ll bite. Apple’s products have been kicking Sony’s products—hardware, software, online—since the iPod debuted in 2001. So, why should Apple quake in fear of Sony’s newest renewed efforts?
Sony has been around since the end of World War II, long before Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created the first personal computer in Jobs’ parents’ garage.
And that’s an argument how? How many of Sony’s executives from before Apple’s birth are still at Sony? My guess? Zero. Surely there’s more to this effort to pump up Sony’s repeatedly anemic efforts to reclaim past glory.
Sony commands vast categories, unlike the self-proclaimed consumer electronics giant Apple which only plays in phones, computers, and music.
So does Microsoft, yet their efforts to venture into portable media players, game consoles, and smart phones have met with terrible financial losses. I see more of a Sony comparison to Microsoft than to Godzilla awakening to reclaim his island from Apple.
Sony is one of the world’s largest media conglomerates and a top player in electronics, games, and entertainment. While Jobs boasted the fact that the $15.68 billion revenue in the last quarter made Apple a $50 billion company, Sony’s fiscal year 2008 revenue exceeded $78.88 billion. Although down from $90.5 billion a year earlier, it’s still way more than Apple raked in.
So, we’re to believe that Sony will rebound because revenue fell by $12-billion last year, but Sony still has more revenue than Apple? Gimme a break, Christian. Have you ever heard of profits?
While Apple’s influence in entertainment stems from the iTunes and iPod ecosystem and the fact that Jobs is the largest individual shareholder in Disney, Sony owns several movie studios and record labels. And just like Apple, Sony designs its own hardware, software, and services that work together.
Sigh. This is too easy. Chris, how well do Sony’s own hardware, software, and services actually work together. Oh. That’s right. They don’t. Maybe that has something to do with Apple’s success. Unlike Sony, Apple made things work together.
See, if anyone can take on Apple, it’s Sony.
How’s that working out so far?
Christian is writing for Geek.com. Ostensibly run by, and read by, well, you know—geeks. Where’s the math? Exactly how is Sony going topple Apple’s position? How will Sony’s new products and services line up and compare against Apple’s current line? I’m a non-geek and I want to know. Where are the iPhone and iPad killers? How will they be better than Apple’s products?
Here’s a painful truth. Market leaders are terribly difficult to unseat. Saying so doesn’t make it happen. Strutting and posturing does not bring customers in the door. Quality products and services that work well together actually matter to customers.
Here’s another painful truth. Knocking off a market leader has requirements. If Company B wishes to sell more gadgets than Company A (taking away their customers), Company B must have a much better product, or a much less expensive product, or a much easier-to-use product. Any two will help the effort. In the end, it’s math. Sony can’t do the math. Neither can Geek.com.
Geek.com + Sony – Apple = Fail.