Australian newspaper the Herald Sun has published a very positive look at the iPod phenomenon. The paper heaps praise on Apple, Steve Jobs, the iPod, and the iTunes Music Store, including positive words from analysts and competitors alike. From the article:
If ever a single device has had an impact on the mindset of consumers way beyond its actual size, it is Apple’s iPod.
Barely larger than a deck of cards, the beautifully designed, deceptively simple digital audio player has redefined the notion of listening to music on the move.
It is the Walkman of the 21st century.
[…]
But the iPod is much more than just another hi-tech gadget. It is arguably the most desired object of its type on the planet.
The article also includes comments from a Creative Labs executive who offers praise to Apple’s success. From the article:
Creative Labs marketing manager Nick Angelucci pays tribute to Apple’s marketing savvy in opening a doorway for digital music to the masses. "I applaud them. If I had that sort of money for marketing, I would be doing the same thing."
[…]
"I remember when we started we were laughed at. I have to give Apple credit for softening the market up," he says. "What iPod has done is given us a whole other market. They may not be tech-savvy or know much about computers, but they have fallen in love with the marketing and think it’s trendy. You get this blind devotion. I am surprised at how far people will go to buy an iPod without doing any homework."
There’s more about the iPod and its success, including the success of the iTunes Music Store, in the full article at the Herald Sun‘s Web site. We recommend it as a very interesting read.
The Mac Observer Spin:
For those well versed in the history of the iPod, there’s little that’s new in this article. Apple is presented in such a glowing and unabashedly positive light, however, that we felt the piece important enough to point out. Such exposure for Apple is always a Good Thing™.
It’s interesting that the iPod has given Apple credibility in ways that the Mac simply never did. Will that credibility ever spill over into the Mac side of Apple’s business? Likely no; Steve Jobs himself says that his company no longer looks at iPod as a Switcher vehicle. The world’s a funny place, however, and all these positive vibes about Apple aren’t just dissipating into the ether. A different mindset about Apple amongst ordinary people, and we are very much seeing that mindset change, will eventually get some of those people to think differently about the Mac, too.