[OpEd] A little iPod perspective...


In an age of revolutionary cleaning products and remanufactured people, now is perhaps an opportune time to take a look at the product that Steve Jobs says is "truly revolutionizing the way people listen to music" (LA Times).

If that's not enough hyperbole for you, try this one:

"We didn't sell 2 million of them last quarter because it's trendy, we sold 2 million last quarter because it's a phenomenal product that's reinventing the way people enjoy music."

If a quarter isn't a fundamental unit of trend measurement, what is? And, how many quarters and how many iPods are we really talking about? About 13 quarters and 10 million units, right?

Big, exciting news for Wall Street, perhaps, but we're still just talking quarters and cents per share.

Revolution in blue

If you want to see a real trend, one that's orders of magnitude greater than the Walkman and its derivatives, like the iPod, then how about blue jeans? Here's a trend that's 100-plus-years old and going strong with billions of units sold.

Here's a mass-produced item that an "any man" can wear day in and day out for years. It's compatible with washing equipment the world over and everyone from paupers to princes wear them... democratic utility starting at about $25.

But, could anyone but a marketing wonk call a pair of 501s revolutionary? True there are probably cultural anthropologists burning the midnight oil somewhere to prove just this point. And, certainly, if Mssr Jobs' gig involved flogging denim, there would phenomenal, amazing revolutionary variants of the venerable cotton pants every three months or so.

A teacup full...

Don't get me wrong, the iPod is cool and cooler still is the device's effect on our favorite company's performance and prospects. But, revolutionary?

When this tempest graduates from tea cup to bathtub proportions, a re-evaluation may be in order. For the time being, however, this is the shot-in-the-arm that Apple and, by extension, "the rest of us" have needed.

We get to keep using the world's coolest computers and maybe we'll even get some new friends. But, a revolution? Perhaps not...

What's your take?