Watch Jason Calacanis’ rant all the way through:
I’ve watched this three times today, and am still not sure where to start.
His main point goes something like this: Apple and its founder Steve Jobs are sellouts because their closed systems have become popular. Oh yeah, and all of those people who buy into this are idiots.
To answer Calacanis’ rant, I’ve broken this down into several different chunks.
Apple: The Rebels
Back in 1970s and 80s, Apple was rebelling against IBM, whose mainframe computer systems were only available to business people and university staff. No one had a computer at home — there mere idea of it was laughable.
But to Jobs, Woz and the others present at Apple’s birth and meteoric rise, the idea was a dream. Having a computer on in every classroom and every home meant the average person could have access to what only a few had access to before. They saw themselves as the Robin Hoods of the Silicon Valley — bringing to the common man that which was once only reserved for the elite.
The Closed System
While the Apple II that preceded it was very open, the Macintosh was a closed system, much like a household appliance. It helped the average consumer embrace the personal computer. With the guts hidden under the CRT, the computer looked far less scary.
Not to mention the fundamental reason Apple’s systems are clsed: with a closed box and closed software, Jobs and his team could guarantee a good, consistent experience across millions of users.
That’s the same reason Apple’s products are closed today. The iPod and iPhone sync so well with computers because Apple designed them to work hand-in-hand. Apple’s hardware works so damn well because they control the software as well. The fundamental flaw in Windows is that Microsoft has to write an OS that can run on literally thousands of machines. With Snow Leopard, Apple only has to worry about 25 or so models. Guess which one has fewer problems.
Living in a world where Apple makes most of the choices isn’t a bad thing — they usually make good ones. Yes, Apple products have compromises. The new notebooks, for example, all have built-in batteries. This means I can’t pop a spare in and keep going, but with the advances Apple has made where it comes to battery life, I don’t need to carry a spare battery. And when Apple blows it, they usually fix it. Even with the App Store, Apple seems intent on making things right.
The iPhone as a Closed System
Yes, Apple has botched things over and over with the App Store. Yes, AT&T sucks. Yes, some in the iPhone using-community long for more.
That said, the iPhone — by its very nature — is the most open mobile platform on the planet. Very few other handheld makers allow — nay, encourage — users to download apps that can do almost anything to run on their devices.
Yes, there are a few things the App Store doesn’t allow for — leading some to call Apple out as a monster, controlling every aspect of their users’ experiences.
For those people, jailbreaking is the alternative. Those of us who jailbreak our devices do so for very specific reasons, but we’re the fringe. The large majority of iPhone users will never even know what “jailbreaking” means.
The thing that makes me chuckle is that very few people actually get upset about this enough to stop using the iPhone. A jailbroken iPhone is still an iPhone, still an Apple product, which means Apple still makes money off of it. If you want open, go by an Android-power phone and suffer through the poor user interface and lack of applications.
The Sellouts
In many, many ways the Apple of 1994 and the Apple of today are different companies. In 1984, they were a tiny operation trying to face down Big Blue, with the odds stacked against them. Today, they are a wildly successful — and profitable — company.
With their growth, Apple has changed. They aren’t the rebels anymore. They don’t have to be — there isn’t a Big Blue threatening to dominate the entire technological landscape. There isn’t an entire generation of computer users who grew up in their garages soldering chips onto boards, praying for a system they can buy and be proud to own.
In short, there aren’t any Goliaths, so Apple doesn’t have to be David anymore.
Sure, Microsoft has the majority of market when it comes to OS installs, but even being small, Apple is making money like very few companies are these days. And when it comes to digital music, music players and smart phones, Apple is king of the hill, without a doubt. Microsoft simply can’t compete with iTunes, the iPod and the iPhone.
Everything in the computer industry changed after the Macintosh in 1984, including Apple. In some ways, Apple has become the establishment. Many, many companies envy Apple’s position and have their guns aimed for Cupertino. But just because they’re on top doesn’t mean they don’t make great products. It doesn’t mean they’ve sold out. It doesn’t mean that Apple fans are idiots or hypocrites. However, it does mean that people who just don’t get it get angry.
Mr. Calacanis, I’m looking at you.
