Technology companies often tout that they are the first to accomplish certain feats. With saturated markets and intense competition, marketing teams from across the tech spectrum are constantly touting every little advantage as some type of "first". This article from the Verge explains that it isn't just about being the first. It's about being the best in class.
Last week, Apple released a new Macbook. PC makers quickly noticed that it wasn't quite as thin as some of their ultrabooks:
The article points out:
All these counter-hype tweets from major PC companies betray an obvious insecurity about their trendier competitor. It’s fine to seek to undermine Apple’s bandwagon by pointing out the limitations of its new product, but comparing minuscule numbers is really not the way to do it. Do you really think zero-point-whatever millimeters of extra thinness will convince people to put up with the worse trackpads and battery life of most MacBook competitors?
It’s a lesson that tech companies should have learned by now. Being first to do something is unimportant. Being best is what counts.
It goes on to discuss first to market innovations like the Dell Streak (5" smartphone) and Intel Mobile Internet Device (Ipad mini precursor). Never heard of them? That's exactly the point. They were first, but they didn't survive. Being first helps you get noticed. Providing usefulness helps you stay on top.
Here's the close to the article.
The emphasis on beating others to the market just seems silly and misguided. When you’re shopping for a new mouse, do you search for the first laser mouse or the best one? Do you care who built and sold the first set of Bluetooth headphones? When it comes to personal electronics, no good idea is left uncopied and, before long, everything good that might once have been unique becomes a matter of choice for the consumer. So even if you’re first to reach a new technological breakthrough, your window for enjoying that lead will be brief.
When Apple cites numbers, one of its favorite data points to bring up is user satisfaction, which is close to 100 percent for all of its products. That’s in spite of the company rarely being the first to do anything. Just take HTC as an example: it had an aluminum unibody phone, a 7-inch aluminum tablet, a plus-sized smartphone, and the Beats brand all before Apple did. Apple’s just doing all these things a little bit better and profiting from it.
Quality matters more than speed. That is especially true in a tech industry where speed advantages perish almost as soon as they appear. I’d love to see the new MacBook legitimately overshadowed by a better competitor. With Windows 10 on the horizon, that’s a real possibility. But as of today, Apple’s best competitors seem lost chasing their spec tails and neglecting what matters. Beat the Mac’s experience, not its numbers.
Here is the link to the full article: First doesn't matter | The Verge
No comments:
Post a Comment