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My Turn is Low End Mac's column for reader-submitted
articles. It's your turn to share your thoughts on all things
Mac (or iPhone, iPod, etc.) and write for the Mac web. Email your
submission to Dan Knight
.
Steve:
I am one of Apple's absolutely most enthusiastic supporters (e.g.
check out my well-known Mac vs. PC website <http://macvspc.info/>).
Furthermore, my personal opinion is that you have done a simply
superb job of directing Apple forward during the last few years.
Since the buck stops on your desk, I am conveying my
disappointment concerning Apple's recently announced Dot-Mac plans
directly to you. Here are my views:
The way this situation was handled gives the semblance of a
bait-and-switch tactic. This is not good PR for Apple. [Note:
bad PR for Apple means lost income to Apple.]
Despite your (hopefully) humorous Macworld comments, there are
many worthwhile things for free. Close to home are such nuggets as
iTunes, iMovie, iPhoto. Unfortunately, your observation might be
interpreted as an omen that these other benefits to being a Mac
user will soon evaporate. [Note: undermining users' confidence
in Apple's dependability means lost income to Apple.]
I fully understand that Apple has to make a profit, that there
are costs associated with maintaining the iTools site, etc.
However, the projected annual income from making iTools a fee
based service is very small potatoes when you look at Apple's
total revenue.
For any manufacturer of a 5% market product to survive against
a 95% competitor, they must maintain a significant
array of distinctly better benefits. Free iTools fits this
description. [Note: reducing these benefits means lost income
to Apple.]
One of Apple's main selling points to counter the often lower
initial cost of Wintel PCs is that a user should take into account
more than just the initial price. In a similar vein, Apple should
apply this thinking to having free iTools: they get compensated in
many indirect ways (e.g., by offering services and a
mentality not available in the Wintel world). [Note: lessening
these distinctions means lost income to Apple.]
Free iTools is an important selling tool for selling to the
education market (e.g., for students to use to transfer files to
their home computer). Success in the education market is
absolutely critical for Apple's survival. [Note: eliminating
this education market selling point means lost income to
Apple.]
Free iTools encourages Mac users to be more expressive,
exchange more files, write more software, etc. All of these are
beneficial to keeping Mac users happy and creative, which means
dollars in Apple's coffers. Just one example of this is my
Mac vs. PC site (posted on iTools). I never would have done this
if I had to start by signing up for a $100/year service! Why is that? Well, although I have been willing to
donate many hundreds of hours of my time for the benefit of
Apple, I would not be interested in paying for that privilege.
Based on the feedback I have received, my little iTools site has
been responsible for a minimum of hundreds of Mac sales.
In a similar vein that I would never have started my Mac vs.
PC site with iTools if I had to pay for it, I will also not
continue it on Dot-Mac if I have to pay for it (for the same
reasons).
When users have "homepage.mac.com" URLS or "@mac.com" email
addresses, this is free advertising for Apple. I have had
many PC users comment on my "johndroz@mac.com" email. I tell them
that this is a free service - another benefit to being a Mac
user. They are always impressed. A fee based service will
severely reduce both of these (estimates are by 90%). [Note:
reducing free advertising means lost income to Apple.]
In summary it seems like this decision was made by accounting
types vs. insightful leaders who have the big picture. Apple
cannot afford to be led by accountants.
When Apple is at a crossroads and has to make such a decision,
they need to answer the Big Question. Accounting types think that the
Big Question is, "Will this be a profit center?" Visionary leaders
know that the Big Question is, "Will this increase our market
share?"
The answer to the Big Question when applied to this situation is
no! (Charging for iTools will not increase our market
share, in fact [for reasons stated above] it may reduce
it....)
I there any solution? I'm sure that others can offer even more (and
probably even better) alternatives, but I would suggest these:
Have a two tiered setup: continue a basic free iTools
program and also offer a more comprehensive Dot-Mac option for a
fee (much less than $100/yr. - $50 max).
Continue to offer free mac.com email addresses.
If Apple must stick with the $100/yr. iTools fee, then some
additional incentives are needed, like a free hosting service for
Mac users who have their own domain names, inclusion of QuickTime
Pro, etc.
In any case, iTools should be free to new users for at least
six months.
I could go on, but I'm sure that you get the message: I find this
plan - and the mentality behind it - to be most disappointing.
Again this is coming from an ardent Apple supporter.
Share your perspective on the Mac by emailing with "My Turn" as your subject.
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