Apple is known for creating revolutionary devices that redefine their product categories and disrupt various markets. Take the iPhone for example, it forced us to reimagine what a smartphone was and how it could be used. But it also made devices like music players obsolete, which began the decline of the iPod.

In this video, we’re going to explore a very similar situation as it pertains to the netbook. This is Greg with Apple Explained, and if you want to help decide which video topics I cover, make sure you’re subscribed and these voting polls will show up in your mobile activity feed.

Before we discuss how Apple destroyed the netbook industry, we need to begin by defining what a netbook even is. And that includes understanding the state of the tech market back when netbooks were first introduced.

In 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone, which was arguably the first modern smartphone consumers had ever seen, and it helped establish the beginnings of the mobile tech revolution. You see, up until that point, mobile devices weren’t very capable machines. Sure, you could answer emails and do some rudimentary internet browsing with something like the BlackBerry, but there were serious limitations that prevented it from delivering a desktop-class experience.

iPods were also very popular, but they were designed for very specific purposes. For example, listening to music or watching TV shows and movies. But with the rise of smartphones, iPods became less relevant.

Now looking back, it's interesting to see how Apple's introduction of the iPhone affected the netbook industry. The iPhone was a game-changer in the tech world, and it had a profound impact on the way people used technology.

To understand how the iPad fit into this landscape, let's take a look at what made the netbook so popular. Netbooks were small, lightweight computers that could run basic operating systems like Windows or Linux. They were designed to be portable and affordable, making them accessible to people who might not have been able to afford more powerful laptops.

But as we all know, the iPad was different from a traditional netbook in many ways. While it was also designed for portability and affordability, it offered a much more powerful computing experience. It had a high-resolution touchscreen display, a camera, and access to the App Store, which made it an attractive option for people who wanted a device that could do everything their laptop could do.

One of the most interesting things about the iPad's release was the reaction from critics and consumers alike. While some people loved the iPad and saw its potential as a game-changer in the tech world, others were more skeptical. PC World published an article that said, "At the end of the day, the show's centerpiece - the iPad - is just a big iPod Touch. Lots of folks will want it, in a hypothetical sort of way, but it's hard to imagine all that many of them will fork over the initial $499 for a crippled version."

Fortune also had some harsh words for the iPad, saying "When I put it down on my sofa and caught it in less flattering light, I saw my unattractive fingerprints all over it. When I took it to work the next day, it weighed down the new handbag I'd bought in part because it would fit it."

But despite the criticism, the iPad was a huge success. It sold millions of units worldwide and established Apple as one of the leading players in the mobile tech industry.

So what did Apple do differently with the iPad? How did they manage to create such a revolutionary product that seemed so different from the netbooks that had dominated the market just a few years earlier?

One thing that's clear is that Apple took a lot of risks with the iPad. They invested heavily in its development and marketing, and they put their reputation on the line by releasing a product that was both expensive and relatively underpowered compared to traditional laptops.

But it paid off. The iPad became one of the most popular devices on the market, and it helped Apple establish itself as a leader in the mobile tech industry.

Looking back, it's clear that the iPad was a game-changer in the tech world. It took the features that people loved about netbooks - portability, affordability, and access to the internet - and combined them with some amazing new technologies like the touchscreen display and the App Store.

So what does the future hold for Apple? How will they continue to innovate and push the boundaries of what's possible with technology?

Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: Apple will continue to be a major player in the tech world, and we can't wait to see what they come up with next.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enApple is known for creating revolutionarydevices that redefine their product categoriesand disrupt various markets.Take the iPhone for example, it forced usto reimagine what a smartphone was and howit could be used.But it also made devices like music playersobsolete, which began the decline of the iPod.And in this video we’re going to explorea very similar situation as it pertains tothe netbook.This is Greg with Apple Explained and if youwant to help decide which video topics I cover,make sure you’re subscribed and these votingpolls will show up in your mobile activityfeed.Now before we discuss how Apple destroyedthe netbook industry, we need to begin bydefining what a netbook even is.And that includes understanding the stateof the tech market back when netbooks werefirst introduced.In 2007 Apple introduced the iPhone, whichwas arguably the first modern smartphone consumershad ever seen, and it helped establish thebeginnings of the mobile tech revolution.You see, up until that point, mobile devicesweren’t very capable machines.Sure you could answer emails and do some rudimentaryinternet browsing with something like theBlackberry, but there were serious limitationsthat prevented it from delivering a desktop-classexperience.iPods were also very popular, but they weredesigned for very specific purposes.For example, listening to music or watchingtv shows and movies you bought from iTunes.And keep in mind modern tablets like the iPadhadn’t been invented yet.So if you wanted a traditional desktop experienceon the go, your only option was to lug arounda notebook computer.Which weren’t as thin and light in 2007as they are today.Many computer manufactures identified thisgap in the market, and decided to bring backa product concept that had been attemptedin the past, but failed virtually every time.And that product was the netbook.Netbooks were basically miniaturized notebookcomputers that included only the most essentialfeatures in an attempt to be as affordable,compact, and light as possible.Now as I mentioned, this history of productgoes back before 2007, but had never seenmuch commercial success.And I’ll tell you why.In the 90’s netbooks were actually quiteexpensive.One of the most popular, Toshiba’s Libretto,debuted with a retail price of $2,000.Which wasn’t much cheaper than a standardnotebook that featured more power and a morecapable operating system.That was another issue, most netbooks requiredproprietary software applications in orderto run properly on their less powerful processors.And for those that didn’t, its softwarewas typically stripped down and suffered fromusability limitations.So with all of those disadvantages, the netbookmarket never experienced much growth duringthat period.But all of this changed in 2007 thanks toa few different factors.First, computer processing technology hadadvanced enough to fit a sufficient amountof power into a small form factor.So for many users, netbooks were powerfulenough for their daily tasks.Second, the rise of web-based applicationsand mobile networking made software more suitablefor netbooks and eliminated the need for proprietaryapplication development.Third, the cost of netbooks were lower thanever before at about $300-$400, heavily undercuttingthe average notebook computer price of about$700.And when you combine the affordability factorwith the 2008 global recession that effectedconsumer spending, it’s easy to see whynetbooks became an appealing option for userswho wanted a near desktop computer experienceon the go.In fact, netbooks proved to be so successfulthat the market grew 30 times from 2007 to2008, totaling about 12 million units sold.And by 2010, netbooks accounted for nearly20% of the entire portable computer market,which was a pretty impressive showing froma product category that had failed to gaintraction in the past.But there was one serious compromise netbookshad to make in order to achieve their compactform factor and affordable price.And that was, an enjoyable user experience.Netbooks had small low-resolution displayswith low brightness that made them virtuallyunusable outdoors or in bright environments.They had cramped keyboards that made typingquite frustrating, their trackpads were tinyand required multiple swipes to move a cursoracross the screen, their battery life wastypically too short to be reliable throughoutthe day, and their slow processor and smallhard drive made them virtually unusable forany serious productivity work.And while consumers appeared to be okay withall those compromises, it left too much roomfor the industry to be disrupted by a moreuser-friendly product.And that’s exactly what happened in April2010 with the release of Apple’s iPad.In fact, during it’s keynote introductionin January, Steve Jobs mentioned the netbookAndwhat Jobs said was true.Netbooks hadn’t been better at doing anytask, they were simply a cheap version oftraditional notebooks.And the iPad was the exact opposite.It included modern technology like its 9.7”multi touch display and optimized operatingsystem that featured an app store which madethe device even more capable and valuable.All at a starting price of just $500, whichput it in the netbook’s price range.So what the iPad did is it took the featuresusers loved about netbooks: like their compactsize and affordability, and included themin a device with none of the netbooks compromises.The iPad had a beautiful, bright, high-resolutiontouch display that eliminated the need fora physical keyboard and trackpad, and it had10-hour battery life.Which was at least double what you’d getfrom any netbook at the time.It also had a thin, compact design that wasbuilt for portability.And this isn’t even considering it’s high-qualityindustrial design made from aluminum and glassas opposed to clunky plastic netbooks.It was clear Apple had a winning product thatwas poised to single-handedly destroy thenetbook industry.So it may come as a surprise to learn thatthe iPad was one of the most criticized productsApple ever released.And I’m not just talking about the usualhate from random people on the internet, I’mtalking about reputable news outlets thatwere quick to dismiss the iPad for reasonsthat seemed pretty obscure.PCWorld published an article that said this,“at the end of the day, the show's centerpiece- the iPad -- is just a big iPod Touch.Lots of folks will want it, in a hypotheticalsort of way.But it's hard to imagine all that many ofthem will fork over the initial $499 for acrippled version.”Here’s another article from Fortune, itsaid “When I put it down on my sofa andcaught it in less flattering light, I sawmy unattractive fingerprints all over it.When I took it to work the next day, it weigheddown the new handbag I’d bought in partbecause it would fit it.”And here’s a breakdown of the criticismfrom Twitter users, 27% felt the iPad wasjust a big iPod touch or iPhone, 23% feltit’s name sounded too silly, 15% made femininehygiene jokes, 13% were upset it didn’tsupport Flash, 12% were upset it didn’tinclude a camera, 5% wanted multitasking capabilities,and the remaining 5% were concerned aboutAT&T network issues on the 3G models.Now looking back, these complaints may seempretty strange because we all know the iPadhas become something much different than theiPod touch or iPhone, and we’ve all gottenused to its name.But in 2010 criticism of the iPad from peopleonline was overwhelmingly negative.I remember a friend on Facebook making a postthat said something like “Why would someoneneed an iPad when a laptop already does everything?It’s just another pointless luxury productApple can sell to their fans who just wanta status symbol.”Similar sentiments were echoed across so manydifferent forums and social media sites thatSteve Jobs actually became annoyed and depressedby the public’s reaction to the iPad.Especially since he was quoted as saying theiPad was the most important product of hislife.So for him, that level of backlash was likelyunexpected.And the criticism continued until the iPadwas actually released to the public abouttwo months later.And I have to give David Pogue of the NewYork Times credit, because what he predictturned out to be true.He said, \"That will last untilthe iPad actually goes on sale in April.Then, if history is any guide, Phase 3 willbegin: positive reviews, people lining upto buy the thing, and the mysterious disappearanceof the basher-bloggers.”And that’s exactly what happened.The iPad went on to become one of Apple’sfastest selling products and the company actuallyhad trouble keeping up with demand for weeksafter its release.And what did all of this have to do with thenetbook?Well, it effectively destroyed the netbookmarket overnight, with sales declining oncethe iPad was introduced.And just one year later in 2011 tablet salesovertook netbooks for the first time.By 2012, Dell, Toshiba, Asus, Acer, and MSIall stopped manufacturing their netbooks andinstead began focusing on more powerful ultrabooksto compete with the MacBook Air.So just like that the netbook industry cometo a screeching halt.And all because of Apple’s iPad.But that was about seven years ago, and todaymany people are asking, “could netbooksever have a place in the computer market again?”And I think as long as great tablets likethe iPad are around, the answer to that isno.But on the other hand, we are seeing productslike the Chromebook becoming more popularyear after year.And Chromebooks appear to be serving the samemarket as netbooks once did.They’re affordable and built to be usedwith online web apps provided by Google.This means you don’t need a large hard drivesince all your data is in the cloud.They’ve proven to be very popular in theeducation market with school all across theUS adopting Chromebooks in the classroom,and they’re actually eating into Microsoft’sdomination of the computer market since Chromebooksrun Linux instead of Windows.But the biggest issue with the Chromebookis that it’s still a notebook computer.And the computer market as a whole has beenin decline since 2012.That’s why Apple has been saying we’reentering the post-PC era.Technology today is centered around mobiledevice like smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches,and we’re likely to see that trend continuefor quite some time, until traditional computersare only used by specific people for a specificpurpose.Now as you can imagine I usually have to stayup late at night to finish youtube videos,but I don’t enjoy the taste of energy drinksor coffee, so instead I eat caffeinated chocolate.And my favorite brand Awake was kind enoughto sponsor this video.They offer delicious bite-sized chocolatesthat contain 50mg of caffeine, the equivalentof half a cup of coffee.And you can choose from four flavors: Milkand Dark Chocolate, Caramel and Peanut Butter.They’re gluten free, don’t have any artificialcolors or flavors, and are much more convenientthan brewing a cup of coffee.So thank you to Awake for supporting thischannel, and if you want to try these foryourself, just click the link in the description.Alright guys thanks for watching and I’llsee you next time.\n"