A New Accessory for your iPod: the iMac
Enthusiasts are all aflutter over the iMac’s new design, and rightfully so, but the more curious aspect is it’s marketing. Apple is marketing the iMac as an accessory for your iPod.
Selling Them a Car After You’ve Sold Them a Scooter
There’s something funny about pitching a $1300 computer as an accessory to a $300 music player, but that’s exactly what they’re doing. The iPod is a towering achievement in relation to the iMac because it was able to do what the iMac never seemed capable of: getting Windows users to purchase an Apple product. Although Apple doesn’t release numbers on the subject, it’s safe to say that the majority of iPod users do so with Windows, not with a Mac.
The Pitch
The pitch is clear. If you have an iPod, if you love your iPod, you should get an iMac to go along with it. From the synchronized profile photograph of the two side by side to the oft-used phrase “From the creators of the iPod”, Apple wants Windows iPod users to desire a computer that’s color coordinated with their favorite music player. It’s an intelligently targeted message to Windows iPod users to make the switch to the iMac and it still works with those who do not have an iPod but acknowledge the associated ‘cool’ that goes with it.
Will it Work?
Will this affect Apple’s market-share? I don’t believe this will have a dramatic impact, but it will help the company win some converts. No matter how cool the iMac may be, people still have to deal with a certain ambiguous fear of the unknown when it comes to switching platforms. Perhaps the delight of discovery that customers had with the iPod interface will make them adventurous enough to make the move, but it’s a safe guess that most people stick with what they know. Default human behavior is a difficult thing to alter, even with shiny white plastic.
Regardless, Apple has put their best foot forward in marketing the new iMac. The only thing left for Apple to do is list the iMac on the iPod accessories page right between the iPod Dock and the JBL Creature Speakers.
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You know, these are hard to judge by the photos. I stopped by an Apple store yesterday to check one out. They’re pretty sweet, actually, and not too expensive. Had I extra cash, I might consider picking one up.