Comments on: "iPocalypse" now: The perils of event marketing

By: Jason, NJ

Jason, NJ — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:16:19 +0000

I don't care that the bad press might work in Apple's favor by extending the marketing campaign. What I care about is that as aonsumer, one week after MobileMe launch, we still don't have a consistent working application. We are in a technological age where email is required to be accessible all the time from everywhere. Apple did not ensure stability or at least failed at it on the most important functionality of a computer or smartphone.

By: David, Los Angeles, CA

David, Los Angeles, CA — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:32:17 +0000

mobileME has not been working. Not with iWeb and not with, at this point, Tiger – despite promises to the contrary. I'm not sure why Apple thinks they can pull this over on everyone but many of us are still offline and angry. I run two web sites and one of them is comment based (a blog site). Comments still don't work through iWeb and publishing still produces errors. I can get some content to update but not smoothly.

I've been reporting on it over at CNN's iReport feature and constantly bugging Mac with little to no success.

http://www.avocadojungle.com

ex ped: So I've noticed. I've been trying to switch to a family account for three days and the upgrade button still doesn't work. When I go to discussion boards at Apple.com/Support to see how widespread the problem might be, I see that they are out of service with a "We'll be back soon" soon sign in their place. How long has that been going on, I wonder?

By: Alex, Austin, Texas

Alex, Austin, Texas — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:49:15 +0000

Anyone who doesn't get that there is actually hugely beneficial social proof in the "the mass onslaught melted the servers" episode, doesn't understand marketing principles.

Reports are in that Apple sold 1 Million phones in 3 days… proof that this sort of thing works very well.

By: John, Hong Kong

John, Hong Kong — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:58:47 +0000

You can look at this in another way. The problems actually generated much more free marketing for iphone then if the whole think has gone smoothly. Some marketers may say there is no things as bad publicity and is better then no coverage at all. It seems that most of the problems of the launch will work itself out within a week so the damage to Apple will be minimal and next week there will be more free marketing when the news of the problems are solve. So if you look at it this way the launch failure is not necessary a bad thing especially all media is looking for Apple to fail anyway and the public will quickly forgot all the problem yet iphone will be in many more peoples thoughts. Sometime you need to throw the media a bone and give a chance to bash Apple or it is no news as it is no fun to always give praise. Eleven years ago when Hong Kong was return to China, the world media swamp Hong Kong waiting for the hammer to fall as the army comes in and arrest everyone who is critical of China and take away all the peoples freedom. When that didn't happen it quickly become a non event and the media spend the next ten years bashing Hong Kong and even make up stories as a revenge for wasting their time. So by having a failure on the iphone launch all the pend up frustration to bash Apple by the media has been release, by next week they will be back to praising Apple and iphone will go on and sell millions of them.

By: iSmashPhone, Philadelphia PA

iSmashPhone, Philadelphia PA — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:34:36 +0000

Week later no one will remember "iPocalypse". I will give it to Apple, it takes "balz" to do product launch like that. This is just a rehearsal for rollout of future products.

By: Mike, Chicago

Mike, Chicago — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:50:54 +0000

I am certain the folks on here who are saying RIM would be happy to have such problems arent trying to implay the Iphone glitches are because the demand for the device is so much higher?!? I would suggest you look at the number of subscribers…RIM just doesnt attempt to do everyting on one day.

By: CK, Anywhere USA

CK, Anywhere USA — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:37:34 +0000

While the iPhone is an impressive cell phone, it does not warrant switching to AT&T. AT&T doesn't have the greatest coverage, and plus, I don't want to have to wait a gazillion hours in line just to get the darn thing only to experience issues with it! I'm happy with Verizon Wireless and my LG Dare for all I care!

By: Joe, Denver Co

Joe, Denver Co — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:50:16 +0000

I am clearly prefer Apple products, and detest Microsoft as the borderline criminal, unethical monopoly, producing mostly inferior products that it is. Having said that, the element of cultism in the minds of some Apple fans leaves me perplexed and a bit uneasy. Waiting in line for a week for a revised edtion of a year old product? ????!!

As to "iPocalypse" . . .Media Hype! The 3G launch was a hugely ambitious, and the fact there were glitches is hardly a surpise. In a few days or weeks all will be well.

By: graeme berkshire uk

graeme berkshire uk — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:00:41 +0000

read about the iphone launch on my Nokia N800 internet tablet whilst surfing the net for free. Free voip, free video calling, free surfing, free email, free software and free upgrades. Buy one, buy a fonero, share the net and smile

By: Chris McA Pennington, NJ

Chris McA Pennington, NJ — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 05:27:58 +0000

In a similar story, thousands of 2 year olds are crying today because they didn't get a cookie.

Where's the outrage?