"The notion that it (iPod) would transform Apple from an also-ran computer outfit into a consumer-electronics powerhouse never occurred to anyone."
These words by an industry observer are interesting in connection to Steve Jobs and Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL), as they show us that at the time when Jobs was about to release the iPod, even internally the company had very modest expectations at the outset.
There's a couple of things to learn here. First, there are times when we know there's something to a market, but we have no idea what the initial response will be. It doesn't happen that way every time, but many times it does.
What that says is even the maestro himself had low expectations for the iPod at the beginning. He knew he had something that could help solve part of the problems of the music industry, while also catering to the mobile lifestyles of the core demographic. What he didn't know was how right the timing and the device were for that particular moment. As they say, the rest is history.
But at the time before the launch, the type of success the iPod soon enjoyed wasn't part of the mindset of Jobs or the company.
All of this seems strange now, as the consumer electronics industry waits with bated breath over what Jobs will introduce each year. Yet right before the introduction of the iPod, it wasn't even a thought that went through the mind of the overall industry concerning Apple.
Second, the success of the iPod launched Jobs into an entirely new industry that has far more potential than the one he was serving through the Mac. Not only that, but the sales and introduction of new consumer products brought back the cool that had formerly been Apple, and as a result, computers sales have increased along with the company's penetration into the consumer electronics field.
This all came about because Jobs knew there was some type of market to be had in the downloadable music industry, though not in his wildest dreams did he realize where it would lead him.
As long as we have at least a general idea there is a good, potential market out there, it's worth the effort to create some products or services and see where it leads. Who knows the billions that have not only come to Apple, but also their shareholders, as well as delighting a lot of consumers along the way.
It would never have happened if the try hadn't been made.
Other Steve Jobs Resources:
You've got to find what you love
Steve Jobs, Business Personality
Steve Jobs' Greatest Presentation
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