Supply Chain Integration
I’ve said this before, but the real power of iTunes and the iPod aren’t the design and features; it’s the complete supply chain from iTunes to your ears with one click. As I’ve said before, I don’t really like the iPod design as I find the spinny thing clumsy, the absence of an obvious Back key irritating, as is the absence of an obvious OFF key.
However these gripes fade into nothing compared with the ease of grabbing a bit of music or a funny little film. I just downloaded two Pixar shorts. Boundin’ I already knew from when it prefixed the Incredibles. It was a joy to get hold of it, as I love that film. Then I downloaded For the Birds as it looked fun. It’s brilliant. Rush out and hit your credit card.
Now compare and contrast with your local friendly mobile phone. Vodafone have tons of music, but you can’t find anything unless it’s the latest pop hits. All the video on Vodafone (last time I looked) was like Jackass, or just the last three letters. And the two pieces of music I did download don’t play anymore as the phone tells me I don’t have the right to play it. Now I payed for it!
So I’ll join my voice to the chorus that started at 3GSM and is going to continue at CTIA that is calling for the mobie world to get it’s act together. Or become a dump pipe and get out of our way.
March 24th, 2007 at 8:47 am
Without the design and features of the iPod, there would be nothing to “complete supply chain” to.
Remember, you’re not really the target audience.
I’ve watched people who maintain pages and pages of written notes in manual information systems pick up an iPod and start using it, and - shock horrow - go out and buy one.
I have also seen technically-savvy people struggle with crap cellphone UIs that are wired-up backwards, roll their eyes and give up.
March 28th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Nobody in is going to defend the inexcusably awful user interfaces on phones! Not just mobiles either - home and desk phones are even worse.
However, when you have a Sony MP3 player, with the Sony software on your computer, the experience is as good or better than using iPod/iTunes combination. However there is no link back to the Sony music catalog, or indeed any other source of information.
The latest rev of Windows Media Player is much prettier than iTunes, and they both do pretty much the same thing.
March 30th, 2007 at 9:28 am
But with Sony, where is the kick-ass supply chain integration?
March 30th, 2007 at 9:30 am
BTW, if Sony is so good, why have they failed so badly to compete with Apple’s iPod?
I think I know the answer - Sony score too many own-goals, and their design and UI are not what they used to be. They basically are left copying Apple, playing catch-up.
April 5th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
I think Richard was making the point that the only reason the Apple stuff works better than Sony is because Sony lacks the total supply chain integration. I.e. not because the Apple stuff is better designed.
I actually think the Sony MP3 players out there are some of the least iPod-alike of the bunch. They put some genuine innovation into their designs, and they look and feel very nice indeed - in a very un-iPod way.
That said, you’re absolutely right about them scoring own-goals. Witness the last generation of Sony MP3 players (at a premium, iPod-like price) that looked slick but had outdated low-res monochrome screens. I think a lot of Sony’s failing is simply due to the fact that they’re trying too hard to be un-iPod-like and consequently some of their design decisions and features are questionable.
But the main reason Sony’s MP3 players aren’t selling like iPods is that iPod really hit the nail on the head, way before anybody else was even close. Back when MP3 players barely existed, and when what did exist was clunky, ugly, complicated, and nightmarish to use (and mostly produced by no-name Taiwanese brands), Apple came out with their simple, sleek, beautiful solution that [at least claimed to] dispose of the user’s need for extreme technical savvy. Oh, and there were the mega-budget, hyper-slick advertising campaigns…