Om Malik succinctly articulates how Apple and Steve Jobs have effectively orchestrated a major strategic transition.

Here is an interesting sequence of events that crystalized today:

  1. Steve Jobs leaves Apple to found NeXT (collaboration and conceptual data model exploitation were very strong here from the get-go; remember NeXTSTEP's EOF?)
  2. Apple pursues the Apple Newton
  3. Apple attempts an OS revamp (Copeland)
  4. Steve Jobs returns to Apple
  5. Apple gains NeXTStep essence (a technical and visionary DNA boost of sorts)
  6. Apple starts transition process from Apple Computers to Apple, Inc (using innovation as its chosen market transition and leadership discipline)
  7. Apple doesn't build a PDA (a 'la Newton, Palm and others)
  8. Apple doesn't build a Tablet PC
  9. Apple delivers the iPod (salvo #1)
  10. Apple head fakes the competition (consumer electronics, PC manufacturers, and Phone Manufacturers; leaving them to focus on the iPod) via a technique akin to a "cloaking mechanism" (similar to Stealth mode, but at a latter stage in the product management cycle)
  11. Apple skillfully manages the complex transition from PowerPC to Intel processors (critical element of its consumer electronics transition)
  12. Apple delivers a collection of "form factor sound" and function specific devices that are representative of the new era of Internet enabled connectivity where Phone, PDA, and what used to be PC confined Desktop Productivity functionality converge coherently.

Apple has delivered on its part with aplomb!

Next stop: utilization of these new devices to effectively exploit the wealth of Data, Information, and Knowledge on the Internet in a whole new way! And by this I don't mean context-challenged keyword searching or brute force data-mashing :-)