Yesterday Apple launched their latest piece of technology, the iPad. It is amazing how Apple have been able to keep so many people intrigued about the new launch. Thousands, maybe even millions of people were waiting for the Steve Jobs Keynote yesterday to find out what their latest piece of technology is, and can do. Plenty of rumours had been flying around but nothing had been confirmed. Yesterday Apple confirmed the release of the iPad which is not on sale until two months time.
One thing that I do not understand completely is the timing of the launch. Strategically, you would have thought that launching a product with so much demand, 15 days before Christmas would be a tactical way to ensure that this device is on everybody’s Christmas shopping list. The objective would have been to maximize the number of sales at an inflated price knowing that 15 days before Christmas you are going to “sell out”. We are talking about a luxury product here (although at a good price) and being in a worldwide crisis for about two years now, one would imagine that Apple would have wanted to make the most of Christmas.
Hold on…maybe Apple have their reasons as to why they have launched now, a month AFTER Christmas (and on sale in two months time). I cannot for one imagine a company like Apple would not have thought about their strategy before launching.
Maybe, as they are launching some very sophisticated technology, the plan was to launch before Christmas but due to delays and bugs there was no chance they would be able to launch a product that worked 100% so they decided to wait until the product was ready for the public to ensure there was no negative publicity aimed towards the product.
Maybe, there is so much demand for this product, they know that they will “sell out” even launching after Christmas and therefore wished to have avoided having any unhappy customers that will have been left without an iPad over Christmas.
Maybe they wanted to maximize the number of sales for other products, such as the iPhone over Christmas knowing that when they launch the iPad there will be less demand for their “old” products as the public will want the “latest” Apple device instead.
There are so many reasons that could have meant Apple launch after Christmas that it is impossible to put your finger on one thing.
I am currently reading “La pelota no entree por azar”, a book written by Ferran Soriano, the ex-economic vice-president of FC Barcelona. In his book Soriano outlines the strategy the football team undertook to become one of the most powerful clubs in the world, not just on the pitch but economically as well, something they achieved in his five year tenure. I must say, a very interesting read.
It makes me relate to my day to day work and ensure that when managing our clients online business as well as SEM and SEO campaigns, strategies are put in place, bearing in mind the situation the companies find themselves in, the market they compete in and the objectives they want to achieve. All these factors (and many more) dictate why certain decisions are made.
Have Apple made a mistake launching the iPad after Christmas, or tactically is it a genius decision? Time will tell…
