Is the iPad or Smart Phone a Disruptive Technology?
Posted by joe
A disruptive innovation “improves a product or service in ways the market does not expect, typically by being lower priced or designed for a different set of consumers” (Wikipedia – Disruptive Technology). This Wall Street Journal article “Using the iPad to Connect” (October 13, 2010) describes such an innovation in working with special needs kids. The iPad plus a $190 software package might replace devices costing from $2500 – $15,000.
Smart phones have an amazing amount of computing capability in a small device — as does the iPad. Many smart phone users rarely talk on the device – and instead use them to surf the Web, listen to music, text, e-mail, play games and use them for many other activities. Can you think of other markets that might be “disrupted” by cell phones and perhaps a clever software app?
Tags: technology
This entry was posted on Sunday, October 17th, 2010 at 10:39 am and is filed under New product development, Product, Product life cycle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Newspapers would have a big impact because of smart phones, instead of getting a newspaper you can simply read the “Wall Street Journal” articles online. Also the television is affected by smart phones or the ipad. The different apps allow you to check the football game score instead of having to watch it on the television. Any print media, whether magazines can just be sent to your cell phone, you can now get ads from anywhere, which affects the print material ads. This is because the amount of circulation for magazines price per ad is based off how many customers the magazine has and smart phones create fewer customers.
October 18th, 2010 at 3:47 pmI think that smart phones have “disrupted” many markets. A personal experience that I have supporting this idea is my broken ipod. I had used an ipod for listening to music pretty much since they (ipods) were introduced, however when my ipod broke I chose not to purchase another one because my cell phone can do what I need to satisfy my listening needs. Other devices such as PDAs and Planners are becoming obsolete because scheduling and other important information can be store in a smart phone just as easily if not easier. I also believe that ipads and other electronic book readers will eventually end printed materials because it is not only cheaper to make electronic books it is also environmentally friendlier.
October 19th, 2010 at 11:39 pmI think that smart phones and iPads are also disrupting the DVD/movie market. Places like Best Buy where we would all go to get a new DVD that came out, we now simply buy on iTunes via our smart phone or computer. I haven’t done the research to prove it, but it seems logical to me that places such as Best Buy, and other stores selling DVDs must have felt the impact of this smart phone industry.
October 23rd, 2010 at 11:02 amSmartphones and iPads have disrupted numerous markets. The CD market and printing market are the two most prominent markets that have been affected in my mind. Being able to download any song you want directly to your smartphone and iPad with a single tap for just $1 is a much better way of listening to the music you want to. In addition, a CD may cost upwards of $10 still and only have around 15 songs, 3-5 of which you actually like. The printing market is greatly affected because people can simply go to a website and view an electronic version of a publication at any time and for free.
December 4th, 2011 at 3:36 pmSmartphones have disrupted so many markets. First they have taken over the PDA market which now is just a feature on a smartphone. Also the music player (whichever kind you had) so now all phones can play music in some form. Music can be purchased at the touch of a button so music stores are going too. iPad’s have created their own market, the tablet market. Giving a glimpse of a future without heavy laptops. It is already easier to read an ebook than to read a real book, no industry is safe from this new technology affecting it.
December 5th, 2011 at 1:26 amI’m old enough to remember when the US Postal Service seemed to be a viable member of the economy. I also recall when it was a treat to go to the local video store to rent a VHS movie, or maybe even one of those modern DVD’s. Technology has certainly changed every day life for most of this planet’s population. As this article discusses, the iPad and “Smart” phone products are escalating this change and causing disruptions to our daily norm. Clearly, these new devices have altered, and will continue to change, the world in which we live. The convenience of being able to respond to text messages, emails, and phone calls while “on the go” is irresistible. Many of us use these devices as an extension of (or a replacement for) our televisions, radios, and even our computers. With the products’ price being as low as it is, coupled with their power and convenience, countless people are owners of these devices today. Innumerable applications are available to make these devices function in ways few could conceive just a few short years ago. With all of the conveniences that these products afford, what further disruptions will we realize? Will they render products such as TV’s, radios, MP3 players, personal computers, and books obsolete?
April 12th, 2012 at 10:03 pm