I think it's probably good business in the long term as well. Apple isn't consuming the supply of public innovation. Apple might not add broadly to the pile, but it's not shrinking. Spending wildly on R&D doesn't ensure long term sustainably, or meaningful contributions to the public either. The Nokia comparison is pretty persuasive.
The WSJ reported that between 2004 and 2007, Nokia outspent Apple on R&D by a factor of 9 ($22.2 billion vs. $2.5 billion).
It's worth noting that Apple's $2.5 billion had a pretty big impact. Mobile computing as we now enjoy it was arguably ushered in by Apple. Focused contribution is still valuable.
Apple isn't consuming the supply of public innovation. Apple might not add broadly to the pile, but it's not shrinking.
While I know that the economy isn't zero-sum, the pie can grow bigger, etc, it also does happen that a very successful company can weaken or kill its competition, or at least force them to focus more on the short term themselves, so in way, they might be.
Comments
I think it's probably good business in the long term as well. Apple isn't consuming the supply of public innovation. Apple might not add broadly to the pile, but it's not shrinking. Spending wildly on R&D doesn't ensure long term sustainably, or meaningful contributions to the public either. The Nokia comparison is pretty persuasive.
It's worth noting that Apple's $2.5 billion had a pretty big impact. Mobile computing as we now enjoy it was arguably ushered in by Apple. Focused contribution is still valuable.
Apple isn't consuming the supply of public innovation. Apple might not add broadly to the pile, but it's not shrinking.
While I know that the economy isn't zero-sum, the pie can grow bigger, etc, it also does happen that a very successful company can weaken or kill its competition, or at least force them to focus more on the short term themselves, so in way, they might be.