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For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul

Thursday, April 14, 2005

Apple's Tiger, Burning How Bright?

Business Week:

The updated Mac operating system will impress techies and novices alike. But new features may not be enough to significantly boost sales right away.

"This is one of those rare occasions when a major software release is actually early," Apple Chief Executive Steven Jobs joked in an interview with BusinessWeek.

Ah hahaha. That is funny ... because Tiger is a minor software release, and it's late: Originally expected in late 2004, Apple last year explained that it was slowing the development time of its operating systems. Never let humility get in the way of a good quip, Steve-o.

In the short term, Tiger may not provide that much of a boost, says Tim Deal, an analyst with research firm Technology Business Research. For starters, it's hard for a software release to gain much attention when new hardware such as the Mac mini and iPod shuffle are already turning heads. Also, convincing non-Mac owners of the new software's benefits can take time. "Honestly, I don't think new consumers are going to get really excited about it," says Deal. "They have to see the immediate value [to go out and get a new Mac], and it's hard to communicate that in TV ads."

Sure. New Macs will help spur new Mac sales, not a minor OS X upgrade.

I hope to post my full review of Mac OS X Tiger on the SuperSite for Windows today. The basic gist of it, however, is that Tiger is a good upgrade that should be free, because it doesn't offer a lot of major new functionality but rather does include a lot of minor upgrades and fit and finish-type improvements. Like XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), actually. That doesn't mean it's bad; it is, in fact, quite nice. But Tiger shouldn't cost $129. That's highway robbery.

[ Posted at 8:32 AM | Permalink ]