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Case: “Apples: Newton and Pippin”

10 May, 2016 - 10:46

Apple Inc. (formerly Apple Computer Inc.) was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Steve Jobs is still very active with the company.

Apple has a long history of adding successful new products to its line up. However, in some instances, Apple products have failed in the marketplace, and, subsequently, they were deleted. For instance, both the hand-held Newton and the gaming machine Pippin were dropped from the Apple lineup. See http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/29/apple-product-flops-tech-personal-cx_ag_1030apple.html.

Using this website and others, gather some information about the Newton and the Pippin. Then, using the information from this chapter (e.g. see Table 13.4), discuss some reasons that Newton and Pippin failed. To what extent did these two products fail for the same reasons? Identify one of Apple’s successful products (e.g. the iPhone, the iPod) and describe how the product managers have been able to avoid some of the problems that sank the Newton and the Pippin.