Recently, I was asked a few questions by a very concerned
company. One of which really struck me and I thought maybe I should share my
response with the world.
They asked me if I think there is a great big company
presently in the world which I believe can go down as happened with other major
super corporations like Kodak, Nokia or Blackberry. Naturally, no company out
there could have a prolonged lifespan unless they keep on changing with times.
And I mean change in a big way. Let's first recall the devastating story of
Kodak.
Kodak is a tragic story of a company being successfully
leading the market for more than a century. What brought their demise was the
very thing which made them great- their unwavering faith in their products,
customer loyalty and tenacity. Sadly, they were in an industry which almost
ceased to exist as the march of time led us all into a future where their
products were no longer relevant. Being a player with over 90% share in the
market would certainly have meant death for Kodak which eventually did happen.
What they could’ve done is taken a revolutionary stance from early on when they
perceived there could be such phenomenal changes in the industry. Even before
their deterioration began, they should’ve jumped ship into segments where
atleast survival was ensured, if not success. Their beloved photofilm category
of products was something they could not let go of, while the rest of the world
did away with traditional photofilm. Even their biggest competitor at a time-
Fujifilm is diversified into development, production, sale and servicing of
business document solutions, medical imaging and diagnostics equipment,
cosmetics, regenerative medicine, stem cells, biologics manufacturing, optical
films for flat panel displays, optical devices, photocopiers and printers,
digital cameras, color film, color paper, photofinishing equipment,
photofinishing chemicals, graphic arts equipment and materials.
As we move far and far into the future, the life of any
company seems to become shorter and shorter. Today’s giants become almost
extinct from public eyes in a matter of months. In such an era, any company
which seems like they’re doing pretty well can go down like Blackberry and
Nokia. The two company once synonymous with the most prominent and specific
mobile devices in the market but eventually faded into oblivion.
My take on this could encompass many companies which we feel
relevant today but won’t be so much tomorrow. On an ordinary day, I would’ve
said Facebook as the users are declining rapidly and active users even more so.
There is no area left to expand and no more innovations to integrate in. But,
today, I’d like to highlight someone else. Yes, a company which is almost a
living entity in itself. One of the world’s most valuable companies and the
third largest tech company in the world. Yes, you’ve guessed it right- Apple
inc. The company some find to be the most innovative and ground-breaking one.
The company shows absolutely no signs of slowdown even when it steps into the
next decade. Yet, I feel it can go down like the titanic. Why? Let’s find out:
• Apple products are too expensive with very limited
utility- Their approach of providing most simplistic and stylistic products
have become obsolete with advancing times. Now they’re a manufacturer known for
making expensive stuff.
• No new products- Ever since the Ipod and Ipad came out,
apple seems to have forgotten how to make a well liked trendsetting product.
The new apple TV is useless and too expensive along with all other accessories
they’ve come up with.
• Time’s up for Iphone- Iphone used to be a device which was
worth the high price. With its cool slim design, seamless interface and quality
camera, it gave users the joy of feeing superior over other users. Now, it’s
just a matter of time before the consumers all over the world realise that
their device is nothing more than an overpriced piece of obsolete tech. In this
way, I doubt they can save themselves. As history repeats itself, the ghost of
Nokia and Blackberry will catch up with Iphone too. With every new Iphone,
Apple basically sells the same device every year with a better camera (which
have recently become an ugly symbol) at a higher price. Iphone’s battery is an
issue they haven’t been able to resolve since forever.
• Incompetency of the Mac OS and Mac computer- Let’s be
fair, it was the Macintosh which made Apple what it is today. Ipod and Iphone
were just things which lifted it to newer heights. Macintosh was a computer
which courageously challenged Microsoft- a gigantic computer company with
almost no competition in the market whatsoever. Macintosh was the renegade
staring it right in the face. Simplicity and precision of work like never
before, this is what overtook nerds all over the world and opened Microsoft’s
eyes to something entirely different yet as capable as them. However, the years
have not been kind to the Mac. With limited usability and operating in a niche
market, it’s nowhere near Microsoft’s Windows OS in terms of software
availability and customisability. Ease of use is forgotten and its chic interface
is a thing of past.
• Lack of integration with other companies' products- Apple
is a player which operates as a lone wolf. It does not allow products,
subproducts and complementary products of any other manufacturer to be paired
with its own. For a Mac OS, you have to buy a Mac computer. For an Iphone, you
have to buy Apple earphones. Your music will only be shared in your other apple
devices. Combine this with Apple’s annoying habit of selling paired products
individually. Most recently seen in the Apple TV where the TV stand was sold
exclusively and yes they were charging exclusively (exorbitantly!) for it too.
• Ignorance to sustainability- Apple products and company
policies took some time to come to terms with the fact that they cannot
continue if they don’t work in the favour of planet. Now named one of the most
environment friendly tech companies by Greenpeace, Apple claims to only use
recycled materials for manufacturing their products. But the problem stems from
their premature obsolescence of the products. Apple products can’t be held onto
for long or repaired. New Iphones make the older ones seem reduced to waste
overnight and consumers have no choice but to discard their old phones and buy
new ones.
The list can go on forever. However, if Apple keeps such
policies and practices up, then unfortunately they won’t go on forever.
