Lifestyle vs. Performance
Two reports that came in too close to ignore, first one:
Simplicity Rules: iPod Shuffle at 58-Percent Marketshare (Link)
the other one:
[…] the iPod Shuffle is the only flash player without a screen, the only one without an FM tuner, and the only one without replaceable batteries. Most of the others have voice mkis, too, and a line-in jack is available on the Creative unit, which costs less than the comparable Shuffle. (Link)
Strange huh? Is it really Simplicity that rules ? In my (very humble) opinion the Shuffle is not simple, rather artfully restricted, for sake of coolness … a mixture of styling, carefully steered stealth promotion and a kind of halo effect by the more capable iPods are boosting the Shuffle’s success … making it extremely hard for the competitors … this hardware vending business model of Apple is resting on numerous pillars … competitors should innovate their way out … Apple got its weaknesses too, and they resemble the strengths …
Will be interesting to watch …
