I was just reading about the launch of Snow Leopard, Apple’s new version of Mac OS X operating system. It’s been unconventional in more ways than one – it’s not lust-provoking (as Apple launches usually are), it does not have any new eye-popping features & the product looks exactly the same as its predecessor (There’s still some debate on whether it’s a new OS or just a “patch” to the earlier Leopard). At the same time, it’s also come for mixed reviews from tech reviewers – Various programs are incompatible, especially non-Apple programs; setting up some of the inter-locking features between Apple/non-apple programs is not DIY-easy, the OS works only on Intel Macs, etc.
In the tech world, all of this could mean a serious PR nightmare. Reviewers & Bloggers roar their disapproval at the slightest slip-up from the power brands. A “less than wow” feature release leads to being labelled lazy & arrogant. Words like “optimized” & “fine-tuned” are interpreted as “ran out of ideas”. Take Nokia for example – every new product or service launch is accompanied by a surge in blogger criticism about product glitches, interface clunkiness, software issues, etc. etc. Microsoft, by default, expects more negative than positive PR for all it’s new launches – irrespective of how justified it is. In the midst of all this, Apple seems to always have a “soft landing”. It’s like the Apple Universe is willing to forgive the bumps & the occasional disappointments in lieu of the legacy of innovation it carries.
One thing most reviewers agree on is this – the “tinkering” has delivered a much faster & slimmer OS, without any loss of functionality. This is a big achievement in a category where feature-laden equalled “big & bulky”. And for a brand built partly on the allure of it’s slick OS, this alone should grant it a breather from the constant pressure to “blow the mind”.
Posted by narayananrajgopalan (Naari) 
