[Willem Fick]

I appreciate the fact that Apple has traditionally innovated in spaces that caught us all by surprise and had us lining up with money in hand to buy a "piece of Steve". As a result they have lots of cash on hand, so should be well positioned to be far more innovative than Google and Amazon are.

However;

I sadly think they got stuck on iPhone, Ipad, Ipod, and in doing so lost out on some big opportunities.

They are not nearly as diversified in their offerings as either Google or Amazon, and have allowed their competitors to make a killing the last places you would have expected.

Google and Amazon have products (both physical and virtual) that touch on every level of society, and not just the few that can fork out money for expensive tech. Their income models are based on volume, and not price. Where they both started out as very focussed businesses, both understood the value of data and reach early enough. They understand how you can mine data, sell it and predict demand or even product trends. They both have AI products and cloud capabilities that mean they have become part of your everyday life in ways you can't imagine, targeting not just the rich or the first world, but everyone, and everywhere there is an internet connection, no matter what device you use (you don't even have to own your own device for them to make money off you!)

If I just look at my own circumstances:

I own an iPad, and it is nice. Actually, it really isn't better than an Android device at a third the price, but hell it at least gives me some "Apple Cred" with my friends and family, who perceive me as cool for having one. I browse on it, and read the odd magazine. It really gives me screen real estate larger than that of my phone, but other than that it really doesn't add any benefit to my life that a different brand of tablet would have, nor does it create any commercial opportunities of value for Apple.

By contrast, when I mail, I use Gmail. when I browse I use Google. When I shop, I look at what Google proposes, and it damned well knows I want something long before I do. When I drive home, Google tells me the quickest way. All of this is not just available on devices native to Google or Android, but also any other device I have, including my iPad.

When I shop I hit Amazon often enough, but when it comes to cloud hosting and services for my business they are right up there with the Google and Microsoft cloud services. This is very far removed from where they started as just being a web store.

They have also invested in AI, so often target me with stuff I didn't know I really wanted. What's more their product range spans inventory that has something for everyone, no matter the budget or location. If I want to publish a book, I no longer have to sell the idea to publisher, but can self publish through Amazon.

Sure Apple have the cash, but you can't hedge your business model on three great physical product lines, a web content store, and the misery that is iTunes! What is needed is bleeding edge thinking outside of your regular scope, and I frankly don't see them stepping up to the plate in any meaningful way.