Yes! Not really!
Contradicting the actual saying, this post is about, the two great minds, I read about recently, Google and Apple. The two Silicon Valley giants are now into the future of computing i.e. Cloud. With Google launching its Cloud Music service and Apple hitting us with its iCloud, I think I will just share my readings on this battle of two winners.
Already being a Fan of Google, I was so excited to read the book “What would Google do?” written by Jeff Jarvis. Same as the title holder, the book doesn’t fail to impress me, as the author himself, seem to be a Google fan boy. Jarvis sets the index with Google Rules, we should follow in this Internet World, to highlight:
- · Give the people control, we will use it
- · The mass market is dead
- · Be Transparent
- · Think distributed
Well, these may be, set of various ideas that have been floating around for years. But, reading it the “Google way” was quite interesting.
To start with, Jarvis’ First law, giving us the control and they will use it. Yes. Google trusts us and does not treat us as a mass. “At Google, we are God” and the data it collects on us when we all use the search engine “is the Bible”. It creates platforms that we use and even enable them to build their businesses. It realizes that the real value is not in limiting people, but giving them the control and helping them do their best with it.
Secondly, the mass market is dead. It all began with the television and newspapers, to broadcast news and attractive ads, reaching out to mass audience, as it started to rule the media world. But nowadays, we don’t rely on the TV news to know the hot buzz around, wherein a few years ago, people used to wait for hours, for the daily news to be aired. Still advertisers spend huge budgets on TV ads, which is not going to last any longer, as it is not “targeted “as Google. It created a new way for advertisers to reach targeted audiences just as they search and surf through the sites. Surely it is a success, as these one-size-fits-all mass products, doesn’t fit everyone.
Google is not perfect. A day before launching Google News, still one more feature “Sort by Date or Loc” need to be implemented. But the engineers did neither. And the day the service was released they got lot of mails from the users asking for “Sort by Date”. The engineers answered a question saying “Just get the product out there and then users tell us what is important”. Google just develops most of its products in public by releasing unfinished versions. In that sense, it is extremely transparent.
Google thinks distributed. It didn’t expect us to come to them. It comes to us whenever and however it can. You need not even type google in the address bar, as now every website has a part of Google in it as a small search box. From search to ads, it makes its presence in, may be in all the websites. When many internet sites think themselves as an end, Google sees itself as a means.
Even though we agree with the teaser line “Life was easy when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits”. Still every one of us would feel on top of the world, if we just own ourselves an Apple product. That’s the impact of Apple on people. More than just a product, it’s a brand that will make people feel them special. As they say, “I’m smarter than you”.
Well on reading “Inside Steve’s Brain” by Leander Kahney I get to reveal the real Steve Jobs, his mind, his perfectionism and how his principles were entirely different from that of Google. But still he made his way to the top and revolutionized computers, animated movies, and digital music with the iPod and iTunes, and now communications (the iPhone).
“I've always wanted to own and control the primary technology in everything we do." -Steve Jobs
Apple’s one man focus group:
Contradicting Jarvis’ First law, Jobs is Apple’s one man focus group. He has said that “A lot of times people don’t know what they want until you show it to them”. Many companies approach their users and ask them what they want. But Jobs tests the technology himself and gives feedback based on his first reactions. If it works for him, it’ll work for Apple’s customers.
Out- advertise the competition:
Advertising has always been extremely important for Jobs. Apple reaches the mass market by creating attractive ads. It has always been successful in all its’ ad campaign’s still being not targeted. Apple ads were written in simple and easy-to-understand language with no technical jargons.
The Secret of Secrecy:
Jobs is too secretive and take the control of everything. It’s a key element of Apple’s really effective marketing machine. As he rely on not spoiling the surprise, of unveiling the product to the press. Even Apple employees won’t talk about what they do with anyone. Many employees don’t know anything anyway. They work in groups and neither group gets to see the final design.
Well, as I said. The great minds don’t seem to have same thinking. The reason may be as simple as that of, Apple is a product and Google is a Service. But it’s Google, which is now, directly competing with Apple through the Nexus One, Google Chrome, and Chrome OS. And Apple increasingly sees Google as a major competitor over the next few years.
While Google is taking the approach of "openness”, allowing any app into the store, Apple has kept a tighter lid on its platform. It will be really interesting to see where these things will be in future. But I would like to go with Google (pretty predictable from my post, I guess) as their products have never failed to impress me.
And one more simple reason, chance of people reading this post in Google Chrome browser or Android/Galaxy is much larger than Apple Safari or an iPhone. Right??
