“I’ve gone from being an iPod-hater to a full-fledged believer,” Scott Sternberg writes for The Washington Post.
“When Steve Jobs launched his first-generation iPod, I was still in high school. I didn’t buy into the hype early; I already had a PC-based MP3 player that was marginally functional. The hip advertisements didn’t faze me and I knew iPods had problems with batteries,” Sternberg writes. “But in college, I was baptized by the Mac. Apple sold me on two things none of my previous audio devices could give me: cool and easy.”
Sternberg writes, “The iPod completes my conversion to Mac in general — even though I held on to my PC beliefs long after my friends had switched over. ITunes is so functional, whether for managing songs or listening to friends’ music. It’s simple, seamless integration. And maybe that makes me less hard-core — a sellout who bought into the marketing and joined the bandwagon. It’s not because I can’t figure out computers — it’s just easier. I may never buy another PC again.”
Sternberg writes, “The critics have launched their salvos, but five years later, the success of the iPod single-handedly has shown us there are other options beyond bug-ridden Windows-based PCs and the bulky music players that once dominated the market. You also can’t beat Apple’s unyielding service and support. Comparatively, the price can be hefty, but this iPod generation has learned that you get what you pay for. Jobs, of course, already knows this: I certainly will come back for more.”
Full article here.
Related articles:
Analyst: Apple Mac market share primed to explode; iPod Halo Effect to become increasingly important – June 13, 2006
Is there really an Apple ‘iPod Halo Effect’ behind Mac sales or not? – November 17, 2005
Analyst: ‘there are definitely a lot of people joining Apple Mac ecosystem for the first time’ – November 08, 2005
Analyst estimates over a million Windows to Mac switchers during 2005’s first three quarters – November 07, 2005
Microsoft executives acknowledge Apple’s ‘iPod Halo Effect’ – July 29, 2005
RealMoney: Apple’s iPod Halo Effect ‘quite profound,’ Macs taking good market share from Wintel – June 27, 2005
The Street’s Wolverton: Apple’s iPod halo shines – July 19, 2005
Needham & Co: Apple ‘iPod Halo Effect’ fueling Mac purchases; predict 43 million iPod sales in 2006 – July 18, 2005
Comprehensive survey shows ‘iPod Halo Effect’ is increasing Apple Mac sales, market share – July 12, 2005
SG Cowen survey shows evidence of a significant iPod halo effect boosting Apple Mac sales – July 12, 2005
Merrill Lynch: Mac sales ‘appear robust,’ expects futher evidence of ‘iPod Halo Effect’ – July 07, 2005
Morgan Stanley: Apple’s ‘iPod Halo Effect’ is ‘roughly double what the market expects’ – March 18, 2005
Apple execs now see ‘iPod Halo Effect’ clearly paying off with higher Macintosh sales – January 13, 2005
IDC VP Roger Kay sees no evidence of Apple ‘iPod Halo Effect’ based on ‘Apple’s desktop share’ – January 10, 2005
What’s to say…
Apple has a new friend <- MDN
Apple first got their computers “out there” with the Apple II generation. Apple gave essentially gave way Apple II’s to school, where the next generation of consumers used them. Now it’s the iPod generation, and Apple doesn’t have to give away anything this time…
> Comparatively, the price can be hefty
Unless comparing price with a $40 piece-of-junk player with 256MB or less of storage, the iPod price is not “hefty.” iPods are often less expensive. Even Microsoft has to charge 99 cents more, and still lose $50 per player sold.
Ken1w thats so true, i asked a buddy about why he bought the ipod since you must use itune, he said its the best deal in town for a 60gb video player and smallest in that catagory.
Man that give me such a CLUE
How about the article in the Post where the guy complains his iPod died on Mt. Everest. Tool.
My niece and her boyfriend each have iPods and they continue to swear by Windows. There any many reasons for people switching from Windows to OS X. iPod may be one of the reasons and iPod may not be a reason at all. Relying on the iPod exclusively to encourage people to switch is neither a sound business strategy nor a positive statement of the value of OS X. Think for a moment, if the iPod did not exist would there be any other incentive for someone to switch to OS X? If so, emphasize these points.
> Relying on the iPod exclusively to encourage people to switch is neither a sound business strategy nor a positive statement of the value of OS X. Think for a moment, if the iPod did not exist would there be any other incentive for someone to switch to OS X? If so, emphasize these points.
Your statement implies that Apple’s strategy is to “rely exclusively on iPod” for marketing, which any idiot can see is not true.
Just read about every other story on MDN for reasons other than iPod for making the switch to Mac. Microsoft is doing a pretty nice job without any help from Apple…
“My niece and her boyfriend each have iPods and they continue to swear by Windows.”
Exhibit A:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome
Exhibit B:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationalization_(psychology)
I used to eat dog food exclusively, then someone told me about hamburgers, pizza, roast chicken…
I am listening to my 80 Gb iPod Vidoe, sitting at an intel 17″ iMac (how I wish I had waited for just a few months and gotten a 24″,
The 80 Gb iPod was ordered on the day that Steve announced it and rec’d in less than a week.
My first iPod was ordered on the day that Steve announced it. It was a 5 gb 1st generation model and probably within the first 100 or so to arrive in Canada. It still works great,still uses it’s original battery and provides about 4 hours run time (not bad in my estimation) for my wife.
My kids have a 2 Gb nano and a 60 Gb Video iPod (the iPod minis have been passed on to some other poeple (1 died when it was dropped).
The basement has a dual 1.25 mirrored door with a 22″ Cinema display. A G3 B&W with 17″ Apple Studio populates one kids bedroom and a G4 Cube with 15″ studio lives in the other’s.
There have been a string of Macs here (and a few StarMax clones) all preceded by an Apple ][+.
At work, a 20″ iMac intel is my main machine with an HP Compaq laptop thingy being used occasionally to provide a demo for a client. (Other than the times I have to use the PeeCee laptop for a demo with our cross-platform software, the only time I fire up the PeeCee on the network is to change my password on the corporate network… or to investigate some problem a colleague may be having with their machines.)
Some might say I “drank the koolaid” and I have to say yes… cause it tastes so good and is so satisfying. It just works, goes down my throat easy and I don’t have to read, decide and approve 37 dialog boxes and wanrings about the contents possibly making me ot my computer sick or other such nonsense.
Think for a moment, if the iPod did not exist would there be any other incentive for someone to switch to OS X? If so, emphasize these points.
Let’s see, where did I put that damn blue book? Did he say put my name on the top right or the bottom left? How much time is left? Shit, my number 2’s point just broke. I can’t do this in ink! I HATE TESTS!
Is anyone else getting a CLUE like me?
less bugs
less viruses
less bloatware
less Ballmer
less money in Gates’ pocket
less MS control of the worlds gadgets
iLife
Garageband (what ever happened to MS’s answer, Monaco?)
I think the question is why stay with Windows? Oh yea, solitare.
maczealot I question where your heart is?
mdn word “wrong” as in The wrong place
fewer bugs
fewer viruses
less bloatware
less Balmer
less money in Gates’ pocket
etc.
Oops. Misspelling Steve Ballmer was a typo.
I had a clue once.
But when will the iPod get SquirtsForSure?
Fewer viruses?
How ’bout ZERO viruses? For 5 years and counting!
Yeah, that’s it!
Switcher satisfaction chart
Wow, a testimonial from a former Windoze PC user who finally ‘got it’.
Nice to see…
Welcome, Mr. Sternberg.
MW ‘show’. As in, ‘Show someone an easier, simpler, more convenient, less stressful, more secure, and much cooler way of computing and they just may see the light.’
Stuart
Last post.
http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/11362/
Frank –
I am currently available for adoption. I promise to keep my room clean, let Aunt Millie kiss me through her mustache, and clean up after the dog. Also, as I am 40, I can also make beer runs. Thanks for your consideration.
The iPod can’t do it all. That’s what the Apple Stores are for – hands-on experience.
Hi,
Can someone answer what may be a very dumb question – when did Apple release a white 80 Gb iPod? I thought the 80 Gb came only in Black. I first saw the white 80 Gb today at Target. Was it launched with the 80 Gb black model and I just missed it / forgot about it?
I’m glad to see Apple is sticking with the classic white iPods at the upper end. (Yes I know this is NOT true with the Nano – at least not yet.)
Thanks for your response.
Peace.