If you’ve been involved in tech community
for any length of time, you’ve probably heard people mention the Apple ecosystem quite
a bit. Some use the term affectionately, while others can be quite critical. But what
is the Apple ecosystem? It’s a little complex, since it not only refers all the products Apple
makes, but also the relationship between each product and how they fit together into a
cohesive user experience. So in this video, I’m going to explain why the ecosystem
approach is fairly unique to Apple, and what that experience looks like for
users. This is Greg with Apple Explained, and this was the first place topic in the last
voting poll. If you didn’t get to vote, make sure you’re subscribed, and polls like this one will
begin appearing in your mobile activity feed. Alright now what exactly is the Apple
ecosystem? Well, I think it’s easiest to compare it to a puzzle. With every product
Apple makes representing one piece. Each piece is designed to fit perfectly with the other. And
although you don’t need all the pieces to have something you enjoy, each piece you add tends
to make the entire experience even more magical. And if you’re someone like me who buys every
piece and connects them all together, it creates a beautiful experience that almost anyone can
appreciate. For example, let’s say the only Apple product you use is an iPhone. It’s an incredible
device that certainly stands on its own. But what if you could take a piece of that technology and
put it on your wrist? Suddenly you can make calls, send texts, track workouts, check the weather,
and so much more in a way that’s faster and more convenient than simply using an iPhone. You didn’t
need to put those two puzzle pieces together, but aren’t you happy that you did? That’s exactly
what people mean when they say Apple ecosystem. Although years ago more people referred to it
as Apple’s walled garden. Which carried a more negative connotation, since it was pretty much
unique to Apple. Before the mobile device era, there wasn’t much of a reason for tech companies
to build their sales strategy around an ecosystem. Since most customers just bought computers, and
maybe the occasional digital camera or MP3 player. But Apple was focused on creating an ecosystem
from day one. The original Macintosh in 1984 featured a proprietary operating system that no
one else was allowed to use. Prompting criticism that Apple was creating a closed system that
took control away from users. Meanwhile, companies like Microsoft were licensing
their Windows operating system to any hardware manufacturer that paid for it. Resulting
in dominance over the computer market and sky-high revenue. But Apple stuck to their guns. With
Jobs insisting that Apple could only create a superior user experience if they retained
control over the hardware and software. Integrating the two together
in a sort’ve closed ecosystem. That philosophy, which was quite unique at the
time, is what gave Apple a huge advantage over competitors during the mobile device era.
They already knew how to integrate hardware, software, and services. They’d been doing
it with the Macintosh, iMac, MacBook, and iPod. The only difference, was that the value
it offered users would become clearer than ever before. When you own a notebook, tablet,
smartphone, and smartwatch, they’d better work together seamlessly or else managing each
individual device could become a part time job. The problem was most companies weren’t focused on
selling an ecosystem, they were focused on selling individual products. Dell sold the notebooks,
Microsoft sold the tablets, and Blackberry sold the smartphones. But once Apple entered the
smartphone market in 2007 and tablet market in 2010, you began to see these companies scrambling
to create their own ecosystems in response. Microsoft tried creating a smartphone, along with
their computers and tablets, but it failed and was a discontinued. Google tried creating a tablet
along with their notebooks and smartphones, but it also failed and was discontinued. LG experienced
the same trouble with creating smartphones. Building an ecosystem, when a company’s focus has
always been to sell as many individual products as possible with no regard to user experience,
turned out to be much more difficult than people imagined. But that strength Apple has enjoyed for
years, is also why some people despise the brand. Claiming their users are forced into a
closed system that takes away their power and leaves everything up to Apple’s discretion.
And that effectively illustrates the downside of any ecosystem. In order to enjoy the
seamless integration and conveniences, you have to essentially go all-in on one
company. Buying their version of every product, which limits consumer choice when shopping
for a device. To use the analogy from earlier, two pieces from two different
puzzles won’t fit together very well. Just like using an Apple smartphone with a Samsung
smartwatch, won’t deliver an optimal experience. But most users who do stick with products from
one company, whether it be Apple or Samsung, tend to enjoy the extra benefits of that specific
ecosystem. So what are those benefits? And what does the relationship between each product
look like? Well, an ecosystem tends to be organized into a hierarchy. Like this one created
by Neil Cybart from Above Avalon. Here, he clearly outlines the roles of each product category
and the relationship between them. Beginning with the Mac, which handles the most intensive
and resource heavy tasks. But when users aren’t creating 3D renders or editing 4K video, the iPad
becomes a much more convenient and enjoyable way to experience certain tasks. Like watching YouTube
videos, replying to emails, browsing the internet, or reading ebooks. But some experiences are
more enjoyable on an ultra-portable device. Like using your iPhone to take photos, listening
to music on the go, responding to texts, or making calls. And finally, wearable devices
deliver the highest level of convenience while completing tasks like checking the
weather or tracking exercise. Each tier of product offers a more convenient method
of completing a task than the one above it, although the capabilities of each device
diminish slightly with each subsequent tier. But the real magic happens in the space between
the products. When you create a calendar event on your Apple Watch, it automatically appears
on every other Apple product you own. When you open a new pair of AirPods, you can connect them
to your iPhone with just one tap. When you want to transfer music to your HomePod, just hold your
phone near the speaker, and the content transfers seamlessly. Now Apple did recently discontinue
the HomePod and I’ll make an entire video explaining why, so make sure you’re subscribed for
that. But the mini is still available, and offers even better handoff technology. If you started
writing an email on your Mac but have to head out, you can continue right where you left off on your
iPhone. Do you have a large file that you want moved from your iPad to your Mac? Just send it
with AirDrop and avoid the hassle of third party services. There’re even benefits between different
users inside the same ecosystem. Like iMessage, which has tapback, message effects, end-to-end
encryption, a typing indicator, FaceTime, and an entire App Store. Something Google has
been trying to replicate on Android for years. So that is the Apple ecosystem. The
reasons why many people say it’s the best, are the same reasons others give for calling it
a trap. And both of those assertions would be correct. Apple knows that offering an irresistibly
convenient experience across all their products will encourage users to keep buying them
and never leave. But on the other hand, why would you want to? Today, Apple has the
largest most enjoyable puzzle available. And although you could try out a smaller
one that has a few missing pieces, most people would think it isn’t worth the time,
money or trouble. Especially since almost every company is trying to follow in Apple’s footsteps
anyway. After all, having a complete and high functioning ecosystem is the most profitable
business model in today’s mobile device era. So it’s almost a matter of picking your poison,
and so far the Apple flavor tastes the best. Alright guys thanks for watching till
the end, don’t forget to subscribe to help decide which topics I cover,
and I’ll see you in the next video.
