| These are interesting days for Apple. Its market cap | | | | Which is why, despite the facts, consumer |
| is at an all-time high. More than 2 million iPads were | | | | misperceptions about Apple could spread? And if |
| sold in less than two months. Its reputation as a tech | | | | they do, they could hurt the company's sales. |
| innovator has never been stronger, and its products | | | | Apple: open the iPhone |
| have never been more popular. | | | | It didn't help Apple's image problem when the New |
| Yet with that success has come a backlash. Apple's | | | | York Times published an Editorial in June suggesting |
| decisions about whichapps get into the App Store | | | | that the U.S.government should investigate Apple's |
| continue to generate a stream of criticism. Adobe | | | | policies to see if they violate antitrust laws. I'm not |
| continues to complain about the exclusion of Flash | | | | clear on how a company with a one-third |
| from the iPhone andiPad. Google executives (missing | | | | Smartphone market share, in second place behind |
| the irony) savage Apple as a Big Brother-like force | | | | Research in Motion, could be considered a monopoly, |
| seeking to control an entire market. | | | | but OK. |
| Is this sniping just what comes naturally when your | | | | Recently on I suggested that perhaps the time had |
| competitors realize they're eating your dust? Or is it | | | | come for Apple to find some way for third-party |
| something Apple should worry about? | | | | apps to be installed on the iPhone without going |
| Facts versus Perception | | | | through the App Store approval process, just to |
| The other day I was showing my iPad to a colleague, | | | | quiet the critics and competitors. |
| a moderately informed tech consumer. He said that | | | | Specifically, I suggested that Apple add a new |
| he had wanted to buy one but couldn't because he | | | | feature, buried many menu items deep in the |
| needed to be able to read PDF files-and since Apple | | | | Settings app that mirrors the one found on Android |
| supported only its own formats, the iPad wouldn't | | | | devices: an option that would let you installs apps |
| work for him. Iassured him that the iPad could indeed | | | | from unknown sources. If a user tried to turn this |
| read PDFs. He then asked about videos, | | | | option on, they'd get a scary warning about how |
| Music and other files he hadn't purchased from Apple. | | | | such photograph sources couldn't be trusted, and |
| I confirmed that the iPad could play those, too. | | | | that such apps could cause instability, crashes, data |
| Apparently satisfied with my answers, he ended up | | | | loss, and other alarming stuff. Few regular users |
| ordering one soon after our conversation. But I can't | | | | would ever use such a setting. But it would be there, |
| help thinking that all the news stories about Apple's | | | | and it would let Apple move on. To say that I got a |
| rejection of apps and Flash had something to do with | | | | lot of feedback on that story would be an |
| his initial reluctance. | | | | understatement. Many people applauded my idea; |
| And I don't think he's unique in this. | | | | many others suggested that it would be a terrible |
| Perception isn't always based on reality. Sometimes | | | | idea, because it would make the ions unstable and |
| it's based on misunderstanding and bad information. | | | | unpleasant. |