iPad is not the “innovation”
First all, we need to understand in this chaotic and exciting moment what is the iPad. The iPad is a sexy and great engineering product, supported by a company who is probably the king of strategy marketing and expectation, but the “tabled” product isn’t new.
From the beginning of ’90 years many company develop prototype device, OS for tabled computer and other hybrid solution like as Apple Network, or Palm device, Microsoft, GO Corporation, etc…
In the 2001 Bill Gates @ Microsoft introducing the term “Tabled PC” and in the follow years develop Tabled OS for many company like as HP, Samsung, Fujitsu Siemens, and many others. Microsoft again, for first introducing the patent for wireless monitor using like as table.
But, we know, the best capabilities of Apple is not develop Device or develop good OS and Software, but they are AMAZING to create a complete mood around a product.
For first open the door to large public to the portable mp3 player with the iPod and define a new category market: “the iPods”.
For first open the door to large public to the multitouch and always online mobile phone/device with the iPhone.
For first probably now too open the door to large public to the Home-entertainment family device with the and to the Application & eBook online store.
The real Innovation: the Business Model and accessibility
In the next month probably we will invaded from “tabled” device from many company especially from HP and LG for first.
The “tabled” computer probably in the next years replace many Notebooks and desktops computer in our house because will be more flexible, comfortable, easy to use, they don’t need a pointer device (Mouse, trackpad, etc..) and you can use everythere (Sofa, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, etc…).
Apple with the iPad introducing the first real innovation. They packed a use-mood and identify a user-type. They create and explain a mood where many people can identify them-self into it, where using computer for check email, internet browsing, manage photo, watch video, write, share documents, manage meeting and event and more.
Apple develop and easy UI for an easy approach to this action. No Application to looking for in the directory, of file to install, to unzip, no menu option to search for do specific action. The use become intuitive, the pointing is immediately (just a touch), you have a specific app for any action you want to do, you have a huge offer or downloadable Applications, Games, Movies, Music, eBooks, where the buy-process is easy, immediately and sure because Apple guarantee your shopping in a secure direct connection to the market.
The iPhone and iPad create a new approach to mobile devices with each use and specific functions for the devices.
Apple create their future and big business in a iron-delivery-process-model starting from the Online Stores (App store, iTunes store, eBook Store) until your device, now understand too from the large public too like as the right shopping-model for digital content.
Other biggest company now follow the same way and many other will do the same things in the same business or other like as Nokia with OVI, Motorola and Blackberry with Application online store, Sony with his store for digital content, Netflix for movies, Samsung, Xbox-Microsofot, and many others.
Music, Application and eBook stores
Apple dimostrate in the latest years how an online store for digital content, where the shopping process will be garantee by the device producer, take the trust of consumer and buyers online.
The customer introducing only one time the credit card and Apple garantee for them the security of their data and information during any future buying without share more others their access information.
iTunes sell billions music files and million application for iPhone/iPod, where the operative margin for Apple is estimated in 10% of their business.
Now they start a new business, probably the more biggest and the more un-explored market, that of digital book.
This is a really important and huge market because the Readers and Sponsor advertising of traditional paper-book and magazine in the latest years fall down in a critical market situation, but the request-community-market is there and is always more biggest.
The editors and publisher from many years looking for a solutions for moving from off-line to on-line, but until now the web approach with portal website working well for some target and can’t yet fight the full target community only because the access to information wasn’t easy and especially was hard make payable their content with an easy and controllable shopping method.
Now Apple show this is possible, this is ready, and the Publisher don’t want lost this opportunity.
The full Touch-mood UI approach: the easy interface need to Editorial Publisher.
Probably the presentation of iPad by Apple, the introducing to the “tabled” concept to large consumer target and then the starting the tabled-area a big wave of innovation will be fight all publisher.
In the latest 3/4 years the main magazine and Newspaper, understand their business is changing. The divisione between content Text, Audio and/or video merging. Always less is the different between a TV channel and a Newspaper like as The New York Times, CNN, or BBC.
Everyone merging traditional text article with Video content and in many case with specific redactional or custome video-series for offer a melting-pot of new information media content.
But now with the access to large consumer target with tabled device and the Touch-mood Apple UI all publisher need to moving in this business and really quickly but a large part of them don’t have the capabilities and knowledge for do it well.
Many Interactive agency too aren’t ready for help their client in this action and this will be open a great confusion time but in the same time a great business opportunity.
I see this time really close to the 1998/99 years where all company understand to moving into the web, but without knowledge and experience how do it. In that time for this reason, born many and many small and big company surfing the new digital communication wave for death in the next year when the market take aware about the “digital thing”.
Conclusion
Thank you Apple not for your devices, but for innovating the business models market and define the new path for digital evolution.
