The Apple Effect

First off-  This post was started prior to the sad passing of Mr. Jobs.  He was an innovator, visionary and best of all a dreamer that we will all miss.  Now to the post: It really is amazing how much power Apple carries with a new product announcement.  Full disclosure:  I am an Apple fanboy.  I love Apple.  Always have.. probably always will.  But I dont let the companies products guide my own business practices and marketing efforts.  Below is a screenshot from my latest ebay solicitation.   The subject line read "Cash in today to buy the Apple iPhone 4S."  Really?   The iphone news is less than a week old.  The ink isn't even dry on the press release and ebay is already on Apple's coat tails trying to peddle used phones in anticipation of the iphone release.  I guess you know you've made it when other companies base their marketing around your ideas and products.

Perhaps this is just good business practice and following trends THAT closely is why ebay is still around in this marketplace... or perhaps this is overkill.  You be the  judge of that.  I am just amazed at the influential power of this one company.  Apple certainly has become a game-changer in the CE market as well as an innovator in music as well.  I mean, where would we be without the GUI, iPod, iPhone and iTunes?  Sure there might have been other visionaries- but none under the same one company brand...  if that were the case- someone else would have already built a better mousetrap.  I hope that with Steve Jobs' passing, the legacy he left behind will keep innovating and re-inventing itself as he would have most certainly liked it to.

Now for some inspiration:  Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

Steve Jobs 2005 Stanford Commencement Address