09-22-2002, 10:00 AM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Apple PDA plans nearing no chance at all?
http://www.osopinion.com/perl/story/19461.html
"Apple's pioneering PDA, Newton, failed to take off a decade ago, largely because it was a clunky, expensive device that the public was not ready for. Now, with the market saturated with PDAs and smartphones, Apple may not be ready to try again."
Well, PDA, yes. But saturated smartphone market? The only market saturated with smartphones is the media's little world where they have devices to play with. The one here in the real world has sparce choices for a true smartphone device. Microsoft's smartphone has yet to launch and the P800 isn't out yet from Sony-Ericsson either. Everything else is a phone with a full PDA crammed in it, but I digress.
"Rumors persist that Apple has a PDA up its sleeve. Aberdeen Group analyst Isaac Ro points to the iPod, along with Apple's new iSynch "Mac to mobile" Bluetooth platform, as evidence the company is experimenting with PDA functionality. "The iPod has the basic technology to be a PDA, with limited PIM (personal information management) data applications built into a wireless device," he said. "But it is not clear that Apple would bring a PDA into the market."
Think they will? Think an iPDA is in the cards for Apple? Personally I don't. The market is saturated, and while they might do an iPOD with basic PDA functionality, that would be too big to appeal to mainstream PDA users. I think the only market left for Apple to seriously consider is the smartphone market, and unless they are already 2 years into developing a viable product, they may be too late for that. Thanks to Foo Fighter for the link.
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09-22-2002, 01:47 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5
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Well if they do bring one out they sure as heck can't call it an 'iPaq' coz Compaq beat them to it by a few years! :wink: 
kyoukoku
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09-22-2002, 01:51 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 7
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Not at this time, no.
But if voice-recognition technology finally arrives*, the form-factor and small screen of the current iPod should be more than adequate for notes, tasks, contact information, even composing e-mail. That'd be quite a device, and I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
I'm assuming Ed's comment about the iPod being too big to appeal to mainstream PDA users is if the iPod had a much larger screen, a stylus, etc., as it's pretty compact as is.
*RSN. :wink:
PS. Oh, and the voice recognition has to run on an embedded processor with plenty of oomph but minimal heat. Again, RSN :wink:
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09-22-2002, 06:10 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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From a philosophical standpoint it has to be a very difficult step for Apple to make. Even the most diehard PC, or Pocket PC fan I think, if not openly at least secretly think that when Apple does get it right they really do get it right. So, I think many of us are setting the bar fairly high for them to clear if they do come out with a PDA. We expect Apple to come out with something very different from the offerings that are out there now. Something ground breaking or at least outside the box. We expect them to be different
I wonder if that is what is holding them back. They either can't come up with anything earth shattering or they are afraid that they will fail to meet the expectations set for them.
Does anyone else agree with that? Or am I the only one who thinks that way?
Dave
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09-22-2002, 06:36 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Apple faces a couple of significant hurdles that may be scaring them away:
1) Everything they do is more expensive than everyone else. It's also very high quality, but if their PDA costs $1000, how many will they really sell? Sure, the Mac-faithful would buy it, but can they survive on just that?
2) Developers! You can have a killer PDA, but if you don't have a strong pool of developers, you're dead. Let's say they slap OS X on it - now what? How many developers are out there for OS X, and how many of them will want to make PDA software?
Still, it's something I'd like to see. If nothing else it might make the OEMs put more care into the physical design of their units.
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09-22-2002, 07:08 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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I think your second point is a very strong one Jason. Without software developers you are dead in the water. If you look at Microsoft based PDAs they didn't show any signs of taking off until Pocket PCs came along and Microsoft made it easy for developers to get on board. I know myself that Pocket PCs were on the market for 4-5 months before I switched from Palm. I only did this because I saw the signs that developers were getting "on side" If I hadn't seen it I would still be using a Palm....eeeeewwww <spit> I can't believe I said that
What are the advantages of them making a PDA? Are they going to make great amounts of money off them? Doubtful. Are they going to sell more desktop computers if they do? Doubtful. I think the risks for them aren't worth what little, if any rewards there maybe. At least in todays picture. Things may change in the future.
Dave
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09-23-2002, 01:28 AM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Still, it's something I'd like to see. If nothing else it might make the OEMs put more care into the physical design of their units.
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Totally agree - it would be nice for them to introduce a PDA that very reason. Raise the bar, then watch others clear it and eat their lunch. :wink: Their hardware is generally very nice (when it's not sickeningly cute) and it would be good if they really could 'think' different in the PDA area. Maybe they can't.......
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09-23-2002, 02:15 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 667
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Apple faces a couple of significant hurdles that may be scaring them away:
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I think there's an additional issue as well. The Newton was a point of serious contention between Jobs and Scully, and was essentially Scully's baby. Killing the Newton was one of the first things Jobs did when he took control of the company again, and I don't see him being very receptive to doing an about face and effectively "admitting" that Scully was right (about there being a market for this concept). That's not to say this is an insurmountable barrier, but I would imagine the case in favor of a PDA would have to be pretty overwhelming before Jobs would backtrack on that one.
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09-23-2002, 02:57 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 21
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Paragon
What are the advantages of them making a PDA? Are they going to make great amounts of money off them? Doubtful. Are they going to sell more desktop computers if they do? Doubtful. I think the risks for them aren't worth what little, if any rewards there maybe. At least in todays picture. Things may change in the future.
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Couldn't the same have been said about the iPod before it was released? Fact is, there were a great many people who bought a Mac desktop or laptop simply because they wanted to use an iPod. Personally I could never spend that amount of money so frivalously, but maybe I am reading this wrong. Perhaps the iPod was the least straw for a lot of those people - as in they had been sitting on the fence for a while, wondering if they should buy a Mac. Who knows. The point is, it worked. I don't remember the stats, but there were enough people who bought Macs because the iPod existed to make it interesting, enough Mac users that bought iPods, and, finally, enough Windows and Linux users that bought iPods and hacked software together to use them to make it profitable. Why couldn't that happen with an Apple PDA?
Here's the facts. Apple has one of the strongest R&D teams out there. They always have four or five projects going, 3 of which may never become public knowledge. Apple is DEFINITELY warming up to PDAs, with software releases and announcements, and features added to the iPod. They may release a PDA; they may not. It will all depend on whether they come up with a good design. Let's not forget: the first digital camera ever released had an Apple logo on it, and Apple not longer makes digital cameras. They support them heavily(with apps like iPhoto), but no one spreads rumors about them releasing a new digital camera. They may take the same route with PDAs.
Or maybe I am an idiot. That's alwaysan alternative.
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09-23-2002, 01:34 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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TQBrady
I understand what you are saying, and I can agree with a great deal of it, BUT I have a hard time believing that Apple could pay the utility bill for long on the money raised from people buying a new Mac because of the iPod. Sure there may have been a few that were going to anyway, and it knocked them off the fence. I just can't believe it would be that many.
dave
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