Why no special event...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 10:53PM So Apple did release a ton of new and improved products today, two days before the Windows 7 launch.
I won't regurgitate all the details as I'm sure you're fully aware, but in summary:
- A brand new advanced Mouse with multitouch
- A spectacular update to the iMac with larger 16:9 displays
- An updated Macbook with a new unibody enclosure
- Revisions to the Mac mini including a new Server option with in effect, a free, unlimited licence copy of Snow Leopard Server (of potentially huge significance)
- A new Apple remote
- An updated Airport Express
- Two updated Time Capsules
Excuse me?
As @patmahon said on Twitter:
When you think about it Apple have released more today than at some past Macworld events with nothing more than fanboy tweets. Clever stuff
My sentiments exactly! (well except for the references to fanboys but I'll excuse Pat, as I know he's a big a fan as the rest of us)
Seriously, Apple could have announced a "Special Event" for these announcements quite easily and I've no doubt that they could have filled an hour easily and it would have been very well received.
The "Magic Mouse" is crying out to be demo'd, the gorgeous new iMacs prime to be drooled over, an examination of the new Macbook unibody easily shown off, along with an opportunity for the new Mac mini server with it's amazing value proposition to be spelt out to all the Small and Medium sized businesses (SMBs).
But no announcements, no special event, just a Tuesday store take down and back up again?
So why no event?
I've no idea!
I don't think Apple have ever launched such a wide ranging update to their range without a live demo. Was it due to timing? Too late to organise something before the holiday season? I don't think so, all these changes would have been planned ages ago, so the decision for the low key launch was most definitely deliberate.
A change of strategy from Apple perhaps?
Perhaps they want to elevate the "Special Event" type of product announcements to radically new products, products that warrant a truly "Special" event. Perhaps there's another product launch coming soon that they wanted to distance from these announcements. A really "Special" product.
Can't think of what that might cover though.
Cough!
Reader Comments (5)
They are probably getting more positive buzz out of doing this way and just as much coverage as if they had done a Special Event.
Consider the reaction to the September iPod event. A lot of the reaction was mixed and in some instances somewhat negative (for e.g.., did they really need a special event to tell us that the Nano has video)
Apple is the master of managing expectations down and over delivering. This new strategy makes a lot of sense when you consider the results, i.e., very positive coverage at minimal cost.
Don,
As I was reading your article the thought that came to my head, was the same one you mentioned in the last paragraph. I think Apple is moving towards using "Events" to be just that "EVENTS!" While yes the announcements last month were a bit lack luster compared to what people hoped they would see, everything announced was big. Maybe not revolutionary, but big none-the-less. They also had a common theme... MUSIC. That's obviously the cash cow right now, if you throw the iPhone in with the rest of the music herd.
I'm still reviewing the equipment announcements from today, but from reading what you wrote and what i've seen already... today's changes were more of simple "updates." Very cool updates to be sure, but the everything "new" about them seems to be rehash of changes already implemented with other devices. Desktops aren't going to get any kind of real air time anyway, at least in my book. Notebooks are making up a HUGE portion of the business, so if you are going to spend money on an event... make it about notebooks - like they did.
I agree with you Apple could have had an event and filled up an easy hour talking about all the cool stuff they were releasing. One more thing could have been the Magic Mouse or the Mac Mini Server. Would have been fun and the masses would have shown up. So would the media, but maybe something else was also at play.
Windows 7... A big event today, might be seen as Apple attempting to still the thunder from Microsoft. That's a lost cause. Windows 7 will be the big news in a few days, and will remain so for a while. I think any major event by Apple would be lose-lose for them. A quiet release like the one today, garners just as much attention from the likes of us, without Apple looking like they are trying. Who knows, maybe a record quarter screamed... it's not necessary to boot.
Timing may have been more of an issue than some think too. Days are running out for Apple to get products into the brick & mortar stores and warehouses of online retailers for the big rush that comes in just over 30 days - DAY AFTER US THANKSGIVING. I know it's the biggest shopping day here, and I think pretty big around the world. I believe the magic date is before Halloween. Miss it and you may not have a good spot on the shelves, maybe no spot at all.
Hell, maybe we are all over thinking this announcement. Apple does what Apple does, and since they don't see fit to explain why they do what they do, we all have to sit back and try and figure it out. Is there a master plan? I'm sure... but if you hear about it - DON'T SAY ANYTHING. I'm sure Steve Jobs has Ninja Assassins just waiting to go to war.
No event now becausein a couple of weeks there will be the Tablet event.
Don't forget Apple may well ready spearheading an ad campaign. They could go let this off tomorrow for all we know.
It's an understated strong move - a show of where Apple is.
An iMac that can double as a medium HDTV?
A mini that can double as a server?
A mouse that brings in likely some tech coming for any tablet?
There had indeed been an event planned on campus at apple but it was cancelled somewhere around last Monday. Not commonly known of course but there are ways to hear such bits if news.