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Media Loves Apple and Its Army of Fans

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the we-loves-us-an-ipod dept.

cgriffin21 writes "Apple is getting more media attention right now than any other technology company, including Google. Microsoft, meanwhile, is languishing in the shadows like Cinderella on the night of the ball. That's the upshot of a study released Monday (PDF) by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism, which found that Apple was the focus of 15.1 percent of media coverage between June 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. Google received 11.4 percent of media coverage during the period, while Microsoft garnered just 3 percent."

26 of 356 comments (clear)

  1. MS is hurting by grub · · Score: 4, Interesting


    Apple was the focus of 15.1 percent of media coverage [...] Google received 11.4 percent of media coverage during the period, while Microsoft garnered just 3 percent.

    That 3 percent Microsoft garners is reports of bug fixes and failed projects. Look at recent Microsoft tags on /. :

    Microsoft To Release Emergency Fix For ASP.NET Bug
    Microsoft Migrating Live Spaces Users To WordPress
    Microsoft Says IE9 Beta Demand Overwhelming (Nice but it's free)
    Researchers Demo ASP.NET Crypto Attack
    etc. etc.

    --
    Trolling is a art,
    1. Re:MS is hurting by Pieroxy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      In my view, Apple is the only company focusing on the user experience (and the only company focusing on the user) as opposed to feature lists products that will be close to become unusable. As a result, they release more expensive products, sell more of those than the competition, and then get a bigger revenue. This revenue is invested in R&D. In Apple's terminology, R&D means exploring existing technologies and finding how they can be integrated into end user products.

      The users we speak of here are not slashdot readers, they are the general public.

      As a result of all that, they get good press. And it seems well deserved.

      This is my view on Apple, so you may express your view but you may not say I'm wrong because I don't claim to express a fact.

      --
      Write boring code, not shiny code!
    2. Re:MS is hurting by jedidiah · · Score: 5, Insightful

      > In my view, Apple is the only company focusing on the user experience
      > (and the only company focusing on the user) as opposed to feature lists
      > products that will be close to become unusable.

      Yes. Because no one ever uses "features".

      The notion that Apple "focuses on the user experience" quickly seems absurd
      as soon as you try to do anything that Apple didn't account for or is actually
      trying to prevent.

      "plays my movies"
      "reads my files"
      "installs some random app"
      "reads some website"

      If another device gains traction, it will be due to the fact that it is good
      at doing the things that Apple refuses to do. Being able to ignore Steve's
      vision is a great feature for a lot of people.

      Apple may have cared for the end user once but now they've jumped the shark.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
    3. Re:MS is hurting by mark72005 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      MSFT would be even more irrelevant than they are already becoming if it weren't for vendor lock-in.

      Seriously, where would they be?

    4. Re:MS is hurting by Eraesr · · Score: 3, Informative

      Why is parent rated as troll? Even though he's chosen rather unsubtle wording, he does make a valid point IMO.
      There's a reason why I'm closely watching the development of upcoming Win7 powered tablets while the iPad leaves me cold. It's the tyrannical grip Steve has on his hardware and the software that runs on it (or rather, keeping specific types of software from running on it).

    5. Re:MS is hurting by IndustrialComplex · · Score: 5, Interesting

      MSFT would be even more irrelevant than they are already becoming if it weren't for vendor lock-in.

      Seriously, where would they be?

      In late 90s and early 2000s I managed a university's student computer labs. These weren't some podunk labs with 2 or 3 machines but entire buildings sometimes with 100-200 Windowsmachines and another 30% of them were Macintosh machines. (There were a few linux labs and when I left, we had 2 linux machines per lab)

      If you knew the troubles we had getting the students to even use the Macs just for checking email, it could be a lesson in salesmanship. As it was, even when the windows machines were at 100% usage, you would see a long line stretching PAST the Macs while people waited for the windows machines. Hell, I'd see people more likely to use the Linux machines than Macs.

      Microsoft may abuse its position through vendor lockin, but to get TO that position it was doing something right. Even now... last night my wife finally convinced me to install Microsoft Office because the slide software for OpenOffice was causing her so many issues.

      It's easy to blame Microsoft's dominance on lockin and unfair practices, but that alone isn't why they are the top dog.

      --
      Out of modpoints but really liked a post? 1BDkF6TtmmeZ3yqXbz9yhdYVqRYnwFoXDj
    6. Re:MS is hurting by postbigbang · · Score: 3, Insightful

      First, I'm not an Apple Fanboi.

      But Microsoft's illegal practices and the evolution of the market is what allowed them to achieve lock-in. Architecturally, their oil-well-in-the-basement Windows core OS was defective by design, a problem that was partially fixed by demoting user from root in XP SP2. The software QA at Microsoft was abysmal.

      And Apple isn't any saint. Their pseudo-open source way of looking at the software world benefits users through a thoroughly controled "experience". Apple's done much QA to ensure comparatively high reliability and application interactivity consistency. But Apple eschews "corporate" or large enterprise infrastructure. They want the user to control the influence and experience. Their resources for large organizations is horrific on a good day. It's all about the end-user.

      Does Apple have similar controlling policies? Hell yes. They're secretive and instill paranoia in their employees. Yet their activities so far have skirted most legal skirmishes for anti-trust and anti-competitive behavior. Still you can't use MacOS legally on other hardware, you risk lots by jailbreaking their devices, and they still are completely clueless about the insanity of binding their products to vendors whose performance is abysmal (AT&T as an example).

      Microsoft may be the top dog in terms of deployed OSes, but Apple's market cap now exceeds theirs. It's not a very good pool of vendors to pick from. As open source quality matures, Apple and Microsoft will have to change the ways that they do business. Apple's stock price, like Microsoft's, is their holy grail. Remember that it's supported only so far as they continue to satisfy the demands of the buying public. We vote with money.

      --
      ---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
    7. Re:MS is hurting by commodore64_love · · Score: 3, Insightful

      >>>try to do anything that Apple didn't account for

      You've been modded troll, but you make a good point (IMHO). I still haven't found a player for my Mac (or Linux laptop) that can run songs/movies at double speed without making everyone sound like chipmunks. Also Mac doesn't have any Bittorrent clients approved by Ipodnova/videoseed, so I can't download their wares to my Mac.

      Meanwhile on my Windows IBM PC clone, it's as simple as installing "2xAV". It plays double speed and everyone has a normal tone of voice. And it runs the approved client Utorrent. Apple probably never anticipated people wanting to alter the speed of playback, while maintaining normal voice tone, and so it never got developed as part of their tools.

      Aside:

      Interestingly, Sony anticipated it. Fast playback (1.4x) is included with my DVD player.

      --
      "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    8. Re:MS is hurting by Missing.Matter · · Score: 4, Insightful

      No, what the parent is saying is that the user experience is good as long as you conform to Apple's definition of user behavior. It's not even about including every feature ever, since Apple is notorious for omitting even the most rudimentary industry standard features.

      Take copy/paste. Apple allegedly omitted it because for some reason with all their resources they couldn't figure out a way to implement it. I own an iPad, and the implementation they came up with isn't anything special, to be sure. Try selecting a line of text near the top of the screen; the magnifying glass goes over the edge and you can't see what you're doing.

      Another example is transferring files from the iPad. This goes beyond the Apple sanctioned usage of the iPad, so they make it really difficult, and it turns out the easiest way to share files is to e-mail them (a function which must be implemented on a per app basis, as the mail application does not allow attachments).

      What about downloading a PDF from safari to read in iBooks? You can't do it from safari, you actually have to download it to a computer and transfer it via iTunes (the worst option, as you need the cable due to lack of wireless sync); through e-mail it to yourself (dropbox is a good option too); or download an app like goodreader, copy the link from safari into goodreader, download the PDF, then export it to iBooks. What a great user experience!

      Oh, and the calendar app is a dream to use. It can't actually schedule events that repeat on odd schedules, like every Monday and Wednesday. Apple has sanctioned that your events can repeat weekly, biweekly, monthly, bimonthly, or yearly. To solve this I have to create a google calendar, manage my events there, then subscribe to it in the calendar app.

      Or what about this slashdot post? typing <p> takes 8 keyboard strokes on the iPad. </p> takes 11.

      But yeah I agree, iPad and other Apple products are great if you stay within its narrow Apple sanctioned usage.

    9. Re:MS is hurting by nabsltd · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Maybe because parent is trolling. I have a MacBook Pro that just works.

      And many millions more people have Windows (or Linux) laptops that "just work".

    10. Re:MS is hurting by Missing.Matter · · Score: 4, Informative
      1. Access numeric keyboard
      2. Access character keyboard
      3. <
      4. Access alpha keyboard
      5. p
      6. Access numeric keyboard
      7. Access character keyboard
      8. >

      On a normal keyboard shift , is more like one keystroke, in my opinion.

      I mean, I understand that most people won't type something like this, but it's just an example of how the iPad is great to use as long as you use it as Apple prescribes. This example obviously applies to a small subset but the calendar example I gave applies to virtually every student, who has a class on MWF or TR. Apple didn't approve their schedules, so they have to do things the long way.

    11. Re:MS is hurting by not+flu · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Being consistently right does not make him a troll. I also have a macbook pro and "just works" is a joke if you're going against Steve's vision.

    12. Re:MS is hurting by IndustrialComplex · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Pro tip: Don't use compatibility with a proprietary format as your argument against lock-in as being a factor.

      Pro tip: Don't blame compatibility for open software's piss poor track record in usability from a Human Factors standpoint. Especially when I didn't explicitly mention compatibility.

      Pro example 2: GIMP. Another bit of software that has LONG been hobbled by poor design from a HMI perspective.

      Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's easy (that's why I haven't tried to help), but don't fall into the trap of blaming someone else (Microsoft) for putting out a product that is easier to use and then act surprised when people prefer Microsoft's product.

      --
      Out of modpoints but really liked a post? 1BDkF6TtmmeZ3yqXbz9yhdYVqRYnwFoXDj
  2. It's about the market's they serve by Old97 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is not surprising. Apple and Google cater to consumers. That means the masses, the general public, the hordes. Microsoft's activities the last 10 years and all their successes have been in the enterprise space along with SAP, Oracle, IBM and HP. That makes them boring to most people and that includes the media. Apple creates really cool products that capture imaginations. Even Apple haters want things like what Apple produces - just not from Apple - witness Android phones and tablets. Google touches everybody too. We all use one or more Google services.

    --
    Very often, people confuse simple with simplistic. The nuance is lost on most. - Clement Mok
    1. Re:It's about the market's they serve by Rayonic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I just want some of Apple's innovations without the drawbacks. That's not hypocritical, and certainly doesn't merit a three paragraph rant about "haters".

      --
      [PowerPoint] is a tool for capitalist presentation
  3. Re:Ctrl+F Aggregation by Thanshin · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is my new internet filter. Load news / aggregation site , press "Ctrl+F" in chrome, type "apple" and count. If count > 10 on a single page, I never go there again.

    Not the greatest fan of orchards or cider, I gather.

  4. Meanwhile, in reality land... by bsDaemon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Meanwhile, in Reality Land... Microsoft continues to hold a dominate position in a mature market, targeting business customers Apple doesn't seem to care about. They have a market cap over $211bn and have started paying out dividends. They're in IBM territory now, but the media loves underdogs and sexy startups, and one thing Microsoft has never been is sexy, even when they were a startup. However, I don't really think they care. Not that I really have terribly much use for any of their products, and my personal situation is in no way tied to their fortunes. But to say that only getting 3% of the media coverage is going to hurt them is just kind of stupid. Its almost like Boeing running commercials -- anyone in a position to be purchasing ANYTHING from Boeing isn't going to make that decision off of a 30-second ad. For some companies, media interest is irrelevant, because they're entrenched in their market.

  5. Bringing Socrates into this.. by airfoobar · · Score: 4, Informative

    All people can be fanbois.
    Journalists are people.

    =>
    Journalists can be fanbois.

  6. More Bias Please by whisper_jeff · · Score: 4, Informative

    Could we please have a bit more bias in our summaries please. I mean, things like "Apple and Its Army of Fans" and "Microsoft, meanwhile, is languishing in the shadows like Cinderella on the night of the ball." don't quite make it obvious that the story is trying to make a point. Feel free to throw in references to Nazis, if necessary, to make the story bias more obvious.

    sigh... I know it's a pipe dream, but I really do enjoy story submissions that just cover the details and let me make up my own mind on how I view the information...

  7. Re:It will pass by jedidiah · · Score: 3, Interesting

    We need Apple around to steal good ideas from. However, it would be a disaster if they were the predominant force in the industry.

    --
    A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
  8. Re:The apple backlash is going to be amazing one d by Abcd1234 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    When all of these "fashionable" people turn against apple

    Wow, cool, I've never, in my life, been called "fashionable" before... pragmatic, sure. Focused on actually Getting Things Done, as opposed to fiddling around with inferior solutions, yes. Matured past the need to paint entire groups of people with the same brush in order to make myself feel superior, yes.

    But never fashionable.

  9. In order to understand recursion.... by david_thornley · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And we see another example of this phenomenon, as news outlets rush to report how news outlets cover Apple.

    --
    "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  10. it's like M$ circa 1995 by alen · · Score: 3, Interesting

    i remember when Windows 95 was released and the geeks not only lined up to buy it but they spent hundreds of $$$ buying RAM, hard drives and other upgrades to run it. This is back in the days when $150 per MEGABYTE of RAM was a killer deal. MS freed geeks from the tyranny of overpriced IBM and Sun hardware. in a few years Windows became boring and something you have to buy.

    same thing with Apple. in a few years smartphones and maybe tablets will become something everyone buys like a computer or blu ray player and someone else will have the spotlight

  11. Recent Events by DarkXale · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Still, how much of this coverage was caused by the iPhone 4 antenna debacle?

    Because on a lot of places there would be dozens of articles on that very issue - which would significantly push up the percentage.

    Save for Windows 7, the latest Xbox, and the Kinekt - nothing much has really happened from Microsofts end - and Apple I expect should be able to match those articles with various product revisions of their own.

    As for Google - they tend to be on the forefront a lot in general - search update here, mail changes there, new service here - and so on, not to mention its somewhat different compared to physical product businesses as well.

  12. Time for the cluebat again by fyngyrz · · Score: 3, Informative

    Apple produces plenty of free upgrades. There's one waiting to install on my machine right now. It contains a new web browser, a new iTunes, and updates for my Logic Pro and Aperture software. That's the Apple equivalent of a service pack.

    All you're doing is getting confused by the different naming schemes between Apple and Microsoft. Apple releases 10.X, there will generally be a lot of new features, capabilities, etc. And they'll charge you for them. Microsoft, on the other hand, releases something with a new name, and they'll charge you for that. And it will have new features, capabilities. Apple releases 10.X.X, there will generally be bugfixes, driver support, etc. And its free. Microsoft, on the other hand, releases something called a service pack, and it'll be free. And it will generally provide bugfixes, driver support, etc.

    Both companies follow very similar paths. The differences that have your panties in a bunch are simply semantics.

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
  13. Re:This is *interesting* ??? by MrHanky · · Score: 3, Insightful

    iTunes isn't fast at all, and it's about as efficient as the United Nations. We're talking about a ~100MB music player app here. It consumes vast amounts of RAM and disk space, has extremely poor support for formats not officially sanctioned by Apple, and for music players not produced by Apple. For its extreme bloat, it's not very feature rich. Oh, and you have to use it if you want to use Apple's latest gizmos. There's a lot of hatred of iTunes out there, jfgi. I thought it was a Windows only thing, but many Mac users seem to agree. Another thing is that iTunes dominates the Mac platform to such a degree that no one has developed a decent mp3 player for it.

    Finder: Just not as good as most of the others. Windows Explorer, Dolphin, Konqueror, possibly even Nautilus. How about doing even the simplest things? Slow, sometimes unresponsive w/spinning beach ball.

    The BSD subsystem is just poorly done. There's a reason why many of its userspace utilities are replicated by package collections like Fink: the ones in OS X suck. Is python still compiled without readline support?

    Hardware support: Yes, let's stick to buying overpriced crap from Apple only. Like any other cult, Apples don't get to hang with the cool guys.

    Obsolescence: Now try running this years software on a five years old Mac. It's obsolete.

    I'm a hater, yes, but I hate fanboys, not Apple's products. Many of their products are fine (the laptops especially; I've owned one), I just happen to be fed up with the frauds who advertise them at any opportunity. There are tons of those here on Slashdot, often hovering at +5, insightful just for saying they love Apple products. I'm fed up not with their products, but with how they're supposedly "revolutionary" while doing absolutely nothing new, and few things better.

    re: market share, we were talking about Apple's supposedly extreme popularity here, which is effectively debunked by their market share. Their profits are entirely irrelevant. You should ask: who cares about their profits? Their stockholders, and the stockholders only, should be the answer. Customers taking joy from the fact that a big corporation makes a profit on them is absurd, yet you see this all the time ... but only with Apple's customers. Why? Because they're fans, rooting for one corporation as if it were a hockey team. But it's a giant tech corporation, and being a supporter of one of them is simply delusional behaviour.

    re: massively overpriced tech stock: the stock market is rarely right when everyone has jumped the same bandwagon.