Lots of BS In Tech Recently

Apple has credibility. And with credibility, and a loyal following that understands the importance of credibility, Apple continues to achieve success. 

Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Samsung confuse credibility with momentum. They attempt to fake momentum, in hopes that they can fake it until they make it. The truth is, while this plan generally works, you need credibility. 

First, earlier in the week we learned that Nexus 7 outsold iPads in Japan. Except, it didn’t. The report Google quoted ignored Apple Store and online sales. Oops. We learned that Samsung fakes its benchmarks, and Samsung’s water-proof phone is not very water-proof (nor does it warranty cover water damage). Microsoft, on the other hand, tried to tell us how awesome Windows 8 and Surface has been doing until they had no choice but to admit the truth.

The most concerning part about all this: The media continues to eat up the narrative. Gruber’s Fitting the Facts to the Narrative post is a must-read. To further this point, have a look at how little Forbes pays for an article. What sort of quality can anyone really expect? 

Success And the App Store

The App Store Problem Is Not Price is a fantastic post by Elia Insider. The footnote, however, caught interest of Marco Arment:

[1] Listening to Marco Arment talk about this problem is frustrating. The guy has an incredible personal brand, like Loren Brichter, and the things he touch get instant echo in the iOS chamber. Would The Magazine had been such a success if I had built it? No way. His personal echo chamber made that happen. (Note that I am not complaining in the least about his ability to do this. If anything I’m a little jealous.) 

Not only do I agree with Elia, I appreciate the way he phrased it. The Magazine wouldn’t have been a success if not for Marco Arment. It’s a unique step forward for the Magazine App Store that sparked copy-cats. 

Marco’s response is classy. In it he notes that his newest app hasn’t been selling that well, and that this somehow invalidates Elia’s point. I doubt it. Oddly enough, even though I follow Marco’s blog, I didn’t even notice he had a new app out. Perhaps I read the post, and didn’t fully appreciate its background.

Regardless, Bugshot is not an overly interested app. The fact that Marco got as many sales as he did on a simple, not-too attractive, app with a tiny audience is probably proof enough that Marco’s name has pull.

To put differently, Bugshot would get the average person about zero dollars in sales. The fact that Marco has over $3,500 in sales is fairly amazing. No, Marco, your audience won’t absolutely blindly buy a small app they won’t need, but they will certainly build you a ton of momentum on good ideas. Bugshot just wasn’t one of those good ideas. 

And The Magazine would have died had the average person tried to launch in. As Elia says, it’s nothing against Marco Arment. He built a fantastic and loyal following, and he should use his popularity to bring forward new and exciting ideas. However, Marco’s well deserved self-made brand is indeed the reason The Magazine succeeded. 

The irony is, this post all comes via Marco Arment.