My Grandchildren and Apple

Steve Jobs didn’t hit a home run every time, but he got more men on base than most CEOs, and that made all the difference. He certainly succeeded with my family. The children and grandchildren were over for dinner on Sunday and after the usual greeting and kiss, each of them hauled his personal Apple piece out of his pocket and retreated into the instrument. Conversation ceased.  

 

Three grandsons are post school and waiting to go to college. They are all in search of jobs while they wait for the year to begin. All 3, as far as I could see, had iPads in their hands and when I did manage to squeeze a question in, I asked what they were so busy with. They replied that they are combing the Internet looking for jobs. Two younger grandchildren were busy with iPods, both bought with their own earnings, they assured me. It seems that they both have great reputations as baby sitters and waiters down at the beach cafe. They were playing games that made my mind boggle.

 

I’m seriously thinking of trading in my old steam-driven first generation mobile phone for one of these iPhones, the latest model 4S. My main problems is that knowing Steve Jobs and the legacy he left at Apple, my 4S model will be made obsolete by Model 5 as I leave the store. Three grandchildren were busy with their iPhones as we sat and talked after dinner. When I asked what they were doing, I got a couple of smothered answers and an explanation from a parent, “they’re probably playing games against each other!” And that’s exactly what they were doing.  

 

Apple’s stock is up an astonishing 7,000% since Jobs returned from an exile in 1997, much of the success came from steady, patient work, not brilliant flashes of inspiration. But it was also combined with understanding what people want, that people always want the latest, and most important of all, a fine understanding of “the next step”. When the iPod landed in his lap Jobs was quick to seize on it and refine it over years, turning a mere gadget into a lifestyle.

 

I had to ask 3 times what an “App” is and I finally had it explained to me. These iPod and iPads are partly ‘empty shells’ into which you can add all sorts of Apps, meaning software programs like games, calculators, books, newspapers and magazines, There is a huge selection of Apps. Some are free and for others, and here is Steve Jobs’ genius, you have to pay. Not large amounts, but you have to pay a few dollars for a game or the right to read the New York Times on your iPhone. Of course if a few million iPad or iPod users buy an App for $2.99 you would be talking about $9 million. And if that happens a couple of times a day or week, well… Apple will be laughing. The whole concept is sheer genius.