“Some companies seem to be wise to the PR game,” Sam Diaz blogs for The Washington Post.
Diaz writes, “Consider the Apple ‘advisory’ that went out late last week. The company is telling consumers that use its iTunes software that they should hold off on buying a new Windows Vista computer because the iTunes software might not be compatible with Vista computers.”
Tunes 7.0.2 may work with Windows Vista on many typical PCs. Apple recommends, however, that customers wait to upgrade Windows until after the next release of iTunes which will be available in the next few weeks.
Diaz writes, “Might not be compatible? Hold off on the purchase for a few weeks? Riiiight… It sounded suspiciously like a suggestion to hold off and decide to buy a Mac instead.”
Diaz writes, “Apple’s advisory went out a couple of days after Vista’s consumer launch, and just before the weekend. A clever move… By issuing that news on Friday afternoon, people will see it all weekend. It even can make the news on Monday morning. (The WSJ had the advisory in this morning’s paper.)”
“But this ‘advisory’ just seemed shady to me. After all, we’ve known for months (years, really) that Vista was being released. Reviewers have had it in hand for weeks so they could give it the proper thumbs-up or thumbs-down. And developers have had access to the code for some time, as well, so their programs would work on Vista. Of course, it’s never an easy road when the OS is new. There’s bound to be bugs,” Diaz writes. “Yet, it strikes me as too convenient that Apple would issue an advisory for something like this. How about jumping into the lab and fixing whatever ails the Windows Vista version of iTunes?”
Full article here.
It’s okay, of course, for Microsoft to play hardball whenever, wherever, and however they wish, but when Apple lobs in a softball from time to time, it’s “shady?” Is obliquely affording tens of millions of people a chance to wake up and consider the possibility of a vastly better personal computing solution really such a “shady” thing? If anything, we hope to see Apple exert such influence more frequently, not less. Aim for the head, Apple!
Of course, Apple actually is “jumping into the lab and fixing whatever ails the Windows Vista version of iTunes.” That’s why Apple stated: “Apple is preparing to address a number of iTunes compatibility issues in the next release of the software.” Plus, Apple has already released one such fix, iTunes Repair Tool for Vista, just days after Microsoft inflicted Vista upon their hapless sufferers.
Related article:
Apple releases iTunes Repair Tool for Vista, advises Windows iTunes users wait to upgrade to Vista – February 02, 2007
For the record, the “few weeks” will tie over potential windows buys until Apple releases the March 27 date for Leopard in late Feb.
At least … the wait oughta prolly be a whole lot shorter for iTunes/Vista than the one that those Adobe dudes are causing many potential Mac buyers to endure, no?
“How about jumping into the lab and fixing whatever ails the Windows Vista version of iTunes?”
Right. How about MS jumping into the lab and fixing Office for Mac 2007 in parallel with the Windows release too?
predictable article from Washington Post writers.
waiting for their response to the Newsweek/Gates show.
“Gates points out painful truths concerning Macs”
It writes itself.
I suppose it’d be far better if they just told people to “upgrade” to Vista then faced a huge volume of complaints when people had problems running iTunes. Now in a perfect world iTunes would work with Vista or they would have released an updated version for the launch (in a perfect world we’d be using Macs but anyway), but its not exactly only Apple who will have issues like this with Vista when it comes to pre-existing software. Microsoft are far worse when changes like this come along.
All Apple are doing is stating fact – iTunes and Vista might have issues when run together, if you want to avoid that and still run iTunes then don’t use Vista for the time being.
They could have said “Loading Vista on your machine will be something like bathing in a river of sewage,” too. It would have been about right. But of course they can’t say that, but I can.
XP iTunes users: NOW is your chance to break the cycle of pain and agony. Don’t ‘upgrade’ to Vista. Just bag the whole thing and get a Mac.
Thank you.
-c
If some PC loving person enjoys his or her iTunes more that what version of MS OS they’re using then who cares. Besides, it’s a Washington based paper which has no basis in reality.
Forget iTunes – plenty of better alternatives. Maybe Apple could spend their time getting iLife and iWork to, boom! – it just works.
Right now this Apple software is not worth fooling with – get yourselves something that will produce results, not headaches, calls to Apple Care (with little or no help), and the desire to shove the Apple box off the cliff.
From what I read, Apple issued a warning, saying that the current Windows version of iTunes had some potential problems with Vista and they (Apple) were working on a fix that should be released in a few weeks.
Sounds more like truth in advertising than some shady scam.
Even if Apple had said wait until we release Leopard before you “upgrade” to Vista, it would still be legitimate advertising.
Microsoft the convicted (but unpunished) Monopolist gets away with figurative business mayhem and murder, but Apple releases a heads-up and is evil and “shady”.
Wow, the Microsoft shills are at it already this week!
is it shady when Microsoft says there are bugs in Office for Mac????
Well Microsoft is now inferring that OS X is insecure by issuing a security warning about Office for the Mac 2004…so is this a real concern or is it shady propaganda.
We are not alone in waiting for Apple to put a spreadsheet in their iWork package so that many of us will be able to avoid using Office.
Not because it’s from Microsoft, but there has to be something cheaper and better and Apple has done it before. Resurrect MacProject too.
APPLE is playing games here, plain and simple. Who ever thought of this at Apple needs to be fired. It only contributes to the public’s perception that Apple & its users are all about smugness. Thats the problems with success… people become too cocky and they end up comming across like a bunch of D*CKS.
These ridiculous press releases will only reduce the coolness factor associated with the Apple Brand. Apple should have just repleased a note indicateding that a fix to the problem would be comming in the next few weeks – period.
Don’t get your point. Why would M$ saying that there are bugs in Office be shady? M$ not saying there are bugs in their product would be shady.
But then I am sure that has happened, many times.
Hold off on the purchase for a few weeks? Could it be that Apple will have a OX for PC’s in a few weeks.
like some of the comments in the article, MS Zune software didnt work on Vista when it was 1st released
I talked with a friend in Texas, he was all excited, had just bought Vista home Premium and was in the process of DL it, his wintel is 8 months old, went thru the ms tester?? for Vista, said his machine was fine for Vista
called back a few hours later to see how it went, he told me it kept freezing up during down load, and that he had re installed XP.
I called yesterday, he wasnt home, I asked his wife if he had re-installed Vista, she told me he couldnt even re install XP , and the tower was sitting on the kitchen table so he could take it into the repair shop!!
If I didnt want to rub it in, I would suggest he enter MS “show us your WOW contest”
Enter the “Show Us Your Wow” competition
When did something leave you awed and exhilarated? Something that made you go “Wow?” Pick your own videos or photos and show the world your “Wow.”
I am sure he said more than WOW !!!! WTF !!!!!! more likely
Give me a break. Apple states to wait “a few weeks” and that is considered shady? What would they expect to happen in a few weeks that would encourage someone to buy a Mac instead? Come on! The reality is, if you’re a Windows user, and you have 30+ applications that you own, you’re probably going to buy a Windows computer. That’s the reality. As Mac owners we can wish all we want that “they” will see the light, but the reality is that they won’t. Apple’s not playing any games. They are just giving a heads up that the pending iTunes update will resolve more issues.
Does Zune yet work with Vista? Last I heard, it didn’t work at all!!!
The WaPo is projecting. You know the game — if you are shady, accuse everyone else of doing what you’re doing. Those brilliant boys and girls have been spreading FUD about everything for years.
I’m the real slim shady.
It is amazing how a reporter would color the article this way. Apple didn’t say not to upgrade, just that a fix for something broken will be avaialbe soon. Seems to me they should be praised for the heads up. If they didn’t then they would be dumped on for NOT doing so.
Perhaps Apple’s perspective here for the warning is that iTunes holds a lot of importance for some people and that they would be very unhappy if iTunes broke and they could update their iPods. What is wrong with that?
Also consider the short time frame. How ‘fast’ does MS fix such problems with their own software (hint …Vista was supposed to fix PC security).
Clearly Diaz hates the Mac and is looking for hits or he is a bored bitter butthead (I love aliterations)
I think the latter
Why should Windows users wait to upgrade to Vista? It would have been more sensible for Apple to say,” There are some compatibility issues with iTunes and Vista, it would be advisable to wait a few weeks for the next iTunes update before installing iTunes.”
Why should Windows users wait for Apple to fix their problems?
Microsoft even recommends that you check with your software and peripheral vendors to see whether new updates or drivers are needed for any new OS upgrade. This is really pretty standard stuff. How is Apple supposed to know what bugs will be in Vista until people start installing it and migrating their iTunes libraries over to Vista?
Iranians claim to have cracked Vista and sell it at $8 a pop http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37441
What else is Apple supposed to say? Sure, go on ahead and upgrade to Vista today so you can make sure that your iPod and purchased music won’t work for the next few weeks! Is that what he wants to hear? Geez, Sam Diaz is nothing more than a moron with a half baked conspiracy theory.
What this idiot fails tom point out is some people using their PC use it for music. And some mainly for music. So the advice Apple gave is correct. Ifmusic on your PC is a priority, updating should be reconsidered.
So simple. Apple actually looking out for the user once again.