How Apple makes its software updates into gifts
By Becky Lang
Installing software updates has traditionally been a drag. How often do you want to close everything you’re working on and restart your computer to install “stability fixes” for a plug-in that you aren’t even sure you use? Apple has abandoned Flash for many reasons, but one reason why their league of HTML5 enthusiasts hate Flash is because their software updates are so inconsistent across multiple platforms. Apple didn’t want users browsing the web on their iPads only to learn half the sites won’t work because the mobile version of the latest Flash plug-in is yet to be released.
Never one to be hypocrites, it seems as if Apple has been subtly developing a whole new strategy of releasing software updates. Instead of making them pestering drags on your day, they’ve inverted the procedure and made them into gifts.
Here’s how they do it:
1. Make updates rare.
Instead of periodic updates to solve small problems or accommodate user complaints, Apple’s software updates are whole new versions of the software, released as infrequently as two or three times a year. So what do they do to address complaints? Well, with such low frequency of updates, they usually have time to edit out most of the problems before new versions are released. As for customer preferences, like having the tab on the iPad lock the screen instead of mute the sound, Steve Jobs takes the Zuckerberg route and says, “Too bad. You will learn to like it.”
2. They pack them with positive, new features
While updates do address usability issues, the focus is almost always on new innovations within the software. For every update that users might have requested, Apple tends to slip in a “wild card,” like social integration (Ping, Game Center) that was far less anticipated.
3. They put a bow on it
Instead of just popping up in your update software, Apple publicizes their updates for weeks. They educate users in all the new features using shiny graphics on their website. They run commercials and get New York Times writers to live blog their demonstrations.
What do you think? Is this a new way to look at updates, or is it just a strategy developed for mobile platforms?