Is the honeymoon finally over for Apple?

Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:31PM EDT

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Hey, it's been a good, long run. The stock is way up. The customers love the company. Every product (well, almost) is a smash hit. Apple has long been able to do no wrong.

But the times they are a changin'. Apple is now finding itself beseiged, on a nearly daily basis, with bad press and one case of customer outrage after another. In the last few days, the initially-loved iPhone 3G has been the subject of numerous complaints (and now lawsuits) about its service quality and had a huge security flaw revealed that lets anyone who picks up an iPhone bypass the password prompt. MobileMe is now a full-on disaster. You've got the Psystar countersuit. And in Britain, the company had a TV commercial banned for being misleading (since you can't run Flash or Java on an iPhone).

Most recently, Apple even faced a small customer backlash when it banned an independent comic strip from the iPhone App store because it felt the animations were too violent. (You are welcome, however, to buy a copy of the ultra-gory Saw or Saw II from the iTunes Store.) Even mega-fan Michael Arrington has called the company to the carpet for what he has deemed an "unacceptable" rate of failure of a variety of Apple products.

Why, even the news media can't be pleased any more: In an obvious "accident," Bloomberg reported that Apple CEO Steve Jobs had died.

What's going on here? Growing pains, for starters. As any company grows, its attention to detail and its level of customer service almost always falters to some degree. It can't help that Apple is so distracted: The company has suddenly gotten its hands in so many industries and so many countries with its iPhone 3G launch that it's clearly struggling to keep up with the intricacies of a worldwide telco presence. But maybe there's more to it: Customers really seem to be tiring of Apple's strongarm, radio-silence tactics, and what was once seen as a maverick alternative to the establishment is rapidly becoming a mainstream monster itself. The same guys who used to chime in with "buy a Mac" in message boards are now the ones who say "buy Linux." (Don't let me down, fellas!)

Other theories are welcome, of course. In light of all the chaos and wringing of hands, I find it difficult to explain Apple's glowing report in the latest version of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which gave Apple its greatest gain ever in overall satisfaction and puts it 10 points ahead of its nearest rival in the computer industry. Is it a love-hate relationship or what? One explanation: People just really hate Windows Vista that much.

 

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  • 2 Posted by spencerjohnston@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    I was just talking to my wife about the concerns I have with Apple. I feel the juggernaut known as Apple has reached its growing point. They are venturing into new areas (IE iPhone, Apple TV) and with this deviation from the core business they were good at they are hearing some backlash. I don't think the company is bad now, but I do think they need to focus one what they have now before diversifying more.

  • 4 Posted by m_knopp on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    Well, there is the obvious answer. The media and people who complain online are not the majority nor are they the average user. Thus, the half a percent of iPhone's who have connection problems go online and complain, then the media is all over it. Meanwhile, the other 99.5% are perfectly happy with their Apple product. The not so obvious answer is reflected in Steve Job's remark that they don't need more engineers, just more engineering quality. Steve is starting to think like a darn accountant, and that is a sure sign that a physically based company is going to see problems. If a tech company takes their engineers for granted the best PR department in the world won't save them.

  • 5 Posted by rekrepfle on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    Apple used to be the David to Microsoft's Goliath. Remember the commercial based on "1984?" My how the mighty are falling. I have been a PC user for many years, and I will continue to be one. As far as the iPhone is concerned - I don't have an iPod and I won't have an iPhone.

  • 6 Posted by alexgannis on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    People who hate window vista know nothing about Computers so that is why they choose Apple Computers.

  • 7 Posted by btedrogers on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    some people don't want to have to spend the time getting to know computers, they just want theirs to do the things they want to do, not everyone aspires to be a technophile, Macs fit that segment of users, I use my Macs for business and they work just fine for all that I need to accomplish, as far as the honeymoon being over, not as long as there are those type of users that just want a computer to do home movies, photos, surf the net etc. computers that work properly and hassle free, you PCer's have yours and we have ours, deal with it, some people are windows some are mac some are linux, it's like chevy vs ford, always has been, always will be a never ending, never winning debate, and a complete waste of time arguing the points

  • 8 Posted by camaross427 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:17PM EDT Report Abuse

    One explanation: People just really hate Windows Vista that much ____________________________________________ I just upgraded to windows vista a month ago for dx10 and i must say i like it so much better than xp right now, but i also have a up to date custom built gaming pc, people with lesser pc's may find it to be a bit system taxing, with a good pc though it looks better is easier to navigate through dx10 games and actually runs faster in my opinion.

  • 9 Posted by bob_raffo on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:11PM EDT Report Abuse

    I take exception to the Apple fanatics who will defend Apple even in the face of obvious technical and quality control issues. Microsoft takesits lumps when it delivers product before it is ready. The answer is - buy what works for you - and be prepared to live with the fact that technology is imperfect because it is created by people.

  • 10 Posted by redhotspeakers on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    I just got the 2nd generation iPhone. It's too new to me to actually critcize the phone, but I can say for a fact that AT&T service sucks compared to Verizon. It constantly drops calls and shows no bars. Inside my house, Verizon was fine. AT&T constantly says no service. AT&T is the worst cell phone service I used out of 360, Alltel & Verizon. I'm still proud of Steve Jobs and Apple. I think they do things very well. I just wish they hadn't sold their soul to AT&T.

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