Just a quick note on something that is blatantly obvious to me. Every time some new device comes out from Apple, its always a crappy version compared to the version that comes out shortly (within a year or so) after. In some ways, this is to be expected because new technology comes out and the costs of technology go down. But in Apple's case, they seemingly put out dumbed down versions of the device everyone actually wants first and because they're Apple and the devices are so new and sleek looking, everyone wants one. It doesn't help that Apple fan-boys must have every new product the day (or even the day before) it comes out, that they're already willing to pay a premium price for Apple products as they have in the past, and that they seem to think that if they don't get one ASAP, they'll be shunned from society and lose points from their "hipness" factor. These people don't take into account that the technology in the product may be years behind competitors or that a better version is on the horizon if you can wait long enough.
Let me give you some examples:
iPhone - Yes, the iPhone was and still is a really cool piece of technology. When it came out in its original version though , it was only 2G however. This, when most other phones were already 3G! I honestly think they could have made a 3G version right from the get go, but instead they decided not to because they new that the cult would buy it again when the 3G version came out... and some even again when the 3GS came out.
iPad - The iPad is also a really cool product but also makes my point much more clear. The initial version that came out only includes WiFi. Everyone of course had to have it because the cult members (and wanna be cult members) have to have every cool new device. Only thing is that another version, the 3G connected one, was already known to have been slotted for a few months later. I can't believe there was any reason Apple couldn't have come out with the 3G and WiFi version at the same time... It's one extra chip, and they already have experience putting it into smaller versions of their devices. Instead, Apple seemed to double down on its clueless customer following. They knew people who got the WiFi version would love it and want to use it even more (especially for the price tag they paid for it). They also knew that people would realize that it was a much more limited experience without being connected to the internet all the time, thus creating the impetus to need the 3G version even though they just shelled out for the WiFi version full well knowing that the 3G was coming out. Almost everyone I've heard who bought a WiFi version says they're going to go out and buy the 3G version... doubling the profits of Apple.
So, to sum it up... it seems to be part of Apple's business strategy to use the hysteria behind their name to put out crappy versions of new products to coerce people to buy more than one. I'm not saying its a bad business strategy... in fact I think its amazing. But every time they do it, I can't believe how many people fall for it. Fortunately for Apple, I don't see that changing any time soon.
