webOS Dies
Huh? What’s that? And why is this important to me?
I’ll speak English. webOS is Palm. Which failed in its last iteration as a handset manufacturer and ran HP’s tablet until today, when both were killed.
The reason this is important is because in tech, we’ve only got one winner. Everybody gravitates to one platform and the rest die or are marginalized.
But what about Android you say?
Android was helped by a quirk of fate. The unavailability of the iPhone on carriers other than AT&T. It filled a niche which is slowly evaporating, look at today’s report showing the decline of Android at Verizon, the provider that championed the service:
Sure, Android’s free to the manufacturer, but every device is different and there’s no oversight of app quality and iOS is just safer and easier to use, never mind the fact you can get your questions answered at the Genius Bar, don’t underestimate the power of customer service.
But what’s fascinating is computer hardware has turned into the entertainment business. Where hits and failures are determined overnight. Takes only a weekend to know if a movie’s gonna make it, really only a day, and not a whole hell of a lot longer when it comes to music. Hell, HP’s TouchPad was only introduced this summer!
So this means we’re gonna have one streaming service in America. Just like there’s only one iTunes and one iPod and one iPad. Sure, those three are Apple products, but Apple learned it’s not so much about being first as being right, because you depend on your customers to sell your product, and word of mouth online is instant.
And people know if your album is good or bad just that fast.
Despite all the buzz on the Jay-Z/Kanye album, all the reports of digital sales, reviews have been lukewarm, it won’t have the staying power of Adele’s "21". Sure, it will support a tour, but could it be in stadiums, like the country artists?
Yes, it turns out despite the killing of rock and roll radio stations we live in a rock and roll world. That’s the sound of America. Not only of classic rock, but today’s country music. They might throw in a banjo or a fiddle, if you listen real hard you might find country roots, but today’s country music is really yesterday’s rock and roll. And country dominates. Hell, that woman in Sugarland was a rocker before she went country.
The point is don’t listen to the press. Top Forty is a sexy story, but if you think Katy Perry has one tenth of the staying power of Tayor Swift, you’re myopic. And Kenny Chesney’s hit radio days may be running on fumes, he doesn’t dominate like he used to, but he can still sell tickets, in stadia.
So if you want to go for domination, play rock. Call it country, whatever you want, but feature those guitars and a big chorus and go for it.
If you’re playing any other kind of music, you’re niche.
But that does not mean you’re dead. You can grow. Even though you might hit a wall. Because people might only buy one phone, but they’ll enjoy multiple kinds of music.
But if you’re playing for all the marbles, if you’re all in, employing the monster hype, you’re either gonna succeed or fail, and odds are you’re gonna tank.
No one’s gonna be talking about Jeff Bridges’s album a month from now. Hell, they won’t even be talking about it a week from now, except to report the anemic sales number which will immediately deflate to zero.
You’ve got to be in it for the long haul. Nobody’s gonna create apps for the dead HP TouchPad and nobody wants to follow an act that isn’t spreading roots. And you’ve got to be great. The HP tablet was really good, but it wasn’t as great as the iPad.
Are you as great as the iPad? Are you undeniable?
If not, you’re not going to dominate, sorry.
