Comment Take a Step Back (Score 1) 331
What's been interesting to me is that Apple seems to be making the same mistake they did last time around. They lost the PC war because they wanted control of the entire (at the time) stack, i.e. the hardware and the OS. In the short run, this was to their benefit as they were able to innovate more quickly -- but in the long run, horizontal innovation blossomed on the more open system and that drove a much broader adoption.
With the iPhone and the iPad, Apple has extended their business model to include control of the application layer. As before, they (and their ecosystem) are innovating rapidly and profiting wildly. And while I agree with those arguing that Apple's offering fits its niche (and a growing niche, at that) to a tee, I still can't help thinking that there's still plenty of opportunity for horizontal innovation in mobile commuting. I find it hard to believe that one hardware-cum-OS company has the forethought and the resources to cover the bases and build the complete foundation for the next round of disruption.
With the iPhone and the iPad, Apple has extended their business model to include control of the application layer. As before, they (and their ecosystem) are innovating rapidly and profiting wildly. And while I agree with those arguing that Apple's offering fits its niche (and a growing niche, at that) to a tee, I still can't help thinking that there's still plenty of opportunity for horizontal innovation in mobile commuting. I find it hard to believe that one hardware-cum-OS company has the forethought and the resources to cover the bases and build the complete foundation for the next round of disruption.
