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TMO at MWSF - Editorial - Apple Keynote: Lots of Stake, Not Much Sizzle
by , 5:45 PM EST, January 15th, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO - This year's keynote address by Steve Jobs solved a major problem for Apple - its relationship with Hollywood was at stake. It also introduced some evolutionary improvements in the iPhone, iPod touch, and the MacBook lines. However, when it comes to sizzle and excitement, it wasn't there, and the audience was quite a bit more subdued than times past.
Apple is a changed company on many levels. The approach to consumer electronics and entertainment has required Apple to work more closely and visibly with partners, and as a result, we're not on the edge of our seats about new products so much as we are about affirmations of the stories we hear regarding what Apple is up to with its partners.
This year we knew something was cooking with 20th Century Fox. We knew that the Apple TV had to have new life breathed into it. We knew that Apple had to start offering high-definition movies in some starter fashion no matter what. And that's what a lot of the keynote presentation was all about: affirmation of Apple's essential initiatives.
In that vein, Apple had a lot at stake. When Mr. Jobs showed the list of minor studios that have come on board first, there was a pregnant silence in the audience. When Mr. Jobs showed the next slide with six major studios, there was an obvious gloat on this face. "See, we did it," the look seemed to say. All you naysayers said we couldn't do it.
However, the compromises Apple had to make then became obvious. The customer will have only 24 hours to finish watching a movie. One can start watching it on a PC or Mac, finish on an iPod, but that may be the limit. Coexistence on both devices was not so clear. Compromise. Hollywood is very much in control of these viewing terms.
In terms of the MacBook Air, it's going to be a wonderful computer to use, but, again, it is an evolutionary device. To be sure, there was some extreme effort on the part of partner Intel to make it happen, but evolutionary nonetheless. It's not that Apple won't sell a boat load of them. Rather, we al kind of sensed that evolution. After all, as my distinguished colleague Jeff Gamet said, how can one improve on the MacBook design? Thinner and lighter is a good start.
But hardly sizzle.
Apple is a company that feeds on making our dreams come true. More that ever before, that's going to require that Apple work with other companies to deliver entertainment and creative tools. As a result this keynote merely avoided disappointments and gave us incremental improvements in our lives. It paved the way for, as Mr. Jobs said, the remaining 50 weeks in 2008.
Come to think of it, the development of Apple is like a war. Apple has to take the beach before moving inland. And those beach scenes can be ugly and dangerous. Sizzle will have to wait for another keynote.
Observer Comments
Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:02 pm Subject: The stock price agrees with no sizzle
Like a Pavlov dog the market expects something radical when it didn't get it, the stock tanked and even the audience was subdued. IMO, a they needed to take care of these details for their products to gain further depth. the new laptop is somewhat like the introduction of the ipod mini. Everyone thought it was a terrible idea being just $50 less than an ipod with a lot less capacity. Yet it was a hit and helped put Apple on main street.
Plenty for me. What more do you want? And the week b4 they brought out 8 core macpros as the standard model. I think they are kicking but. I think it's really not fair to diminish a really great effort. Check out the Sony TZ notebooks and see what you get for $2G. A POS next to the Air, not even considering you are stuck w/ winblows.
Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:09 am Subject: Lots of steak, Lots of sizzle
John Martellaro must have gotten up on the wrong side of bed this morning! Remember, sizzle is in the eye and ear of the beholder!!! I watched the presentation and was very impressed by Apple's new innovations and what they're going to mean to Apple's performance this coming year! Apple continues on a roll! People who still haven't switched to Apple (and there are far more who haven't than have!!!) are going to sit up and take notice now!!! IN MY OPINION, THERE WAS PLENTY OF STEAK and PLENTY OF SIZZLE ... so much that I plan to add to my Apple holdings ... certainly NOT SELL!!! Today's sell-off is going to make a lot of people VERY happy because it means bargain prices for those looking to add to their positions!!!
Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:04 am Subject: Evolution rather than Revolution
I watched the video of the keynote. What I saw was evolution in every product Apple is producing. I think that this shows stability and sense of direction. Apple Inc. is now to big to do revolutionary flip-flops.
I really appreciated that Steve admitted that the original Apple TV was not a success. The Apple people are only human and the resulting change in Apple TV shows that they are learning from their mistakes. I also have a feeling that the new Apple TV is a masterstroke. The whole rental industry might just be put on their ear.
The MacBook Air is a great product, a logical evolution of the MacBook line.
We must remember that Apple Inc. is not only in the technology business, it is also in the business of making money so that it is important in how, and at what pace the technology is rolled out to the public. The marketing is second to none.
In the last two years there has been a steady roll-out of new stuff and features which are enough for mac folks to buy more and some exciting products that attract the attention of non-mac folks so that they too join the mac world.
The great thing for me is-- the tools I use get steadily better and better.
We are all winning.
Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:40 pm Subject: Not impressed with air?
QuoteGuest wrote:
I was hoping for a MacBook Pro update, but no news on that. That sucks.
What´s the purpose of the MacBook Air? Those components, at that price, the one with 64gb SSD is more expensive than the Mac Pro, which is the most powerful computer ever! And the cheapest MacBook surely gives better results, for only $1100! Ok, it´s thin... so what? It´s a VERY nice toy.
so was the iPod. People said "It's pretty and all, but I can't mount it like a flash-drive and I can get more music AND FM on the existing and cheaper MP3 players."
But hordes and hordes bought "pretty" and pretty functional.
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