Apple: Netbooks Don't Deserve Mac Brand
As the rumors about the new iPhone due out in June really start to kick off, people are also talking about the possibility of an Apple netbook or tablet.
Fueling the rumors are several reports claiming 'x' manufacturer is supplying the screens or 'y' company is supplying flash memory for the production of a low-cost Apple netbook (or tablet). This week, in an effort to put all these rumors to rest, Apple’s COO Tim Cook reiterated a point Steve Jobs made during an earnings call in 2008: the company is in no way interested in making a netbook.
“We don’t know how to build a sub-$500 computer that is not a piece of junk,” Jobs said late last year. During that same call, Cook said that Apple wouldn’t produce low-end phones and that it doesn't want to be the market leader when it comes to the number of units sold. Apple wants to make the best phone possible, period. Yesterday Cook revealed just how much he hates netbooks and finished by telling analysts (once again) that budget netbooks is not a segment Apple wants to be a part of.
“When I look at netbooks, I see cracked keyboards, terrible software, junky hardware, very small screens,” he said. “It’s just not a good consumer experience and not something we would put the Mac brand on. It’s a segment we would not choose to play in.”
According to VentureBeat, when asked about compact devices for browsing and email, Cook pointed out that the iPhone and iPod Touch are both suitable, adding that he thought calling a netbook a personal computer was “a stretch.”
When we heard Steve’s comments last year, we immediately assumed that because the company “didn’t know how to build a sub-$500 computer that is not a piece of junk,” Apple would manufacturer a UMPC (similar to Sony’s P Series Lifestyle PC) and charge customers around $800-$900. However, Cook’s comments make it sound like Apple is against the idea of netbooks entirely, and not just because of their price. However, that doesn't rule out an Apple tablet.
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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jgoette omg we're apple and we are way too cool to be selling affordable computers in an emerging marketReply -
koss64 Well this is a peice of arrogance and snobbery.This COO has expressed what I always knew about Apple and its fanboys in plain english, they really have a dislike for budget and economy and gleefully hold thier noses up to anyone that thinks otherwise.Reply -
Roffey123 “We don’t know how to build a sub-$500 computer that is not a piece of junk,”Reply
How f***ing hard is it? All netbooks use the same damn processor and chipset; what a lame bloody excuse. -
Caffeinecarl Since when does Apple not want to max out the number of units sold? Did they abandon the iPod?Reply
Semi-unrelated tangent: Aside from anything else, I'd probably not consider a netbook when I could spend the same amount of money on a good used small notebook and end up with more power and more storage. -
stryk55 Well, this is just proof that Apple is not interested in being a larger player in the computer market as a whole. It is understandable to want to make the best products possible, but if they truly were making the best products possible, they would have more market share, not to mention more interest in creating lower priced products.Reply -
mrfisthand “We don’t know how to build a sub-$500 computer that is not a piece of junk,”Reply
That sounds like a personal problem Steve -
megamanx00 That's O.k., Macs don't deserve to be connected to my network :D.Reply
Seriously though it's hard to see a place for an apple netbook. It would have to be a little more robust than current netbooks to run OSX, though I guess a port from the IPone OS would probably be a better choice. Then again why would they do that when they are pushing the iPhone and earn more with those subscriber fees than selling a sub $500 netbook? We don't want to give customers nifty little features and apps without giving AT&T their unfair share right?
I agree that it doesn't make business sense for Apple right now to put out a netbook. I just wish they weren't ELITIST JERKS about it. -
cynewulf Ha! I knew Apple were quite far up their own a**es but I actually think this time they've completely disappeared!Reply